Almond Birthday Cake With Sherry-Lemon Buttercream

By Melissa Clark

Almond Birthday Cake With Sherry-Lemon Buttercream
Total Time
1½ hours, plus cooling
Rating
4(611)
Comments
Read comments

This is a layer cake with sophisticated flavors, fit for a grown-up’s birthday celebration but sure to be devoured by party guests of all ages. The cake itself is made with finely ground almonds, sour cream and a touch of lemon zest. The frosting is buttercream with cinnamon for spice and yet more zest. When you’re making the frosting, be sure to let the egg white mixture cool before adding the butter; the butter should not melt when it meets the whites, which would make for a greasy frosting. What you want is for the buttercream to be smooth and fluffy, an invitation to slice into the cake and take that first heavenly bite.

Featured in: A Party Is Icing on the Cake

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Ingredients

Yield:8 servings

    For the Cake

    • 1cup plus 2 tablespoons (2 sticks plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature; more for greasing pans
    • 3large eggs
    • 1cup sour cream
    • 1teaspoon vanilla extract
    • ½teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
    • 2½cups cake flour
    • ½cup finely ground almonds
    • 1½cups sugar
    • ¾teaspoon baking powder
    • ¾teaspoon baking soda
    • ¾teaspoon salt

    For the Buttercream

    • 4large egg whites
    • 1cup sugar
    • Large pinch salt
    • ¾pound unsalted butter 3 sticks, at room temperature
    • 3tablespoons fino (dry) sherry
    • ½teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
    • ¼teaspoon ground cinnamon
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

1068 calories; 71 grams fat; 41 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 21 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 100 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 64 grams sugars; 10 grams protein; 467 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 8-inch by 2-inch-deep round cake pans and line bottoms with parchment or waxed paper. In a bowl, beat together the eggs, ¼ cup sour cream, vanilla and lemon zest.

  2. Step 2

    In bowl of an electric mixer, whisk together the cake flour, ground almonds, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Beat in butter and remaining ¾ cup sour cream until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly beat in the egg mixture until fully combined.

  3. Step 3

    Scrape batter into prepared pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center of a cake layer comes out clean. Let cake layers cool in pans on wire racks for 15 minutes, then invert onto racks and peel off paper. Let cool completely on racks.

  4. Step 4

    While cakes cool, make frosting: In a heatproof bowl suspended over a pan of simmering water (or use a double boiler), whisk egg whites, sugar and salt until sugar is completely melted (130 to 140 degrees on a candy thermometer), 3 to 4 minutes. Remove egg whites from heat; beat mixture with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until completely cooled and thickened, 5 to 7 minutes.

  5. Step 5

    Beat in the butter, a little at a time, until frosting is smooth and fluffy. Beat in the sherry, lemon zest and cinnamon.

  6. Step 6

    To frost cake, place 1 layer on a cake plate, rounded side down, trimming if necessary so it lies flat. Spread with a third of the frosting, top with second layer and frost remainder of cake.

Ratings

4 out of 5
611 user ratings
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Comments

EB

Be wary of the buttercream curdling if your sherry isn't warm enough; when I added my cool (from sitting the in back hall, but not refrigerated) sherry at the noted step, the frosting took on the consistency of messy cottage cheese. It took some Googling and combination of techniques (melting a part of the frosting and beating it back into the curdled remainder + adding confectioner's sugar) to return the frosting (which the internet calls "Swiss Mereingue") to a smooth consistency.

Yum!

I agree with another review that the frosting is better with less butter- 2 sticks was just right for us. A really delicious cake that we'll make for the family.

Elizabeth

The frosting needs a REALLY large pinch of salt, and still has perhaps too much butter as compared to the other ingredients.

Carolyn R

This cake is so good, but I have tried four times now to get it perfect. Finally, here’s what I’ve learned. 1) The cake tends toward the dry side. Watch it closely on the oven. It goes from jiggly to overdone in no time. Err on the side of taking it out sooner than later. 2) Make sure all the frosting ingredients are the same temperature, and follow the instructions carefully. I used 2 sticks of butter instead of 3 for the frosting. It could handle another stick if everything is mixed right.

JaneGoodall

This is a swiss meringue buttercream, but it leaves out the instruction to beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. So if your buttercream is runny or curdling, this could be the issue. After the double boiler step, beat on high speed til the eggs form stiff peaks, then another 6 minutes until cool.

JoAnne Kriskowski

Can anyone suggest how to adjust this recipe for 12” round pans? I am hoping to have 14 servings

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