(Adapted from “The Holiday Kosher Baker” by Paula Shoyer)

Ingredients:

¾ cup blanched sliced almonds

1 cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs, at room temperature

½ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for oiling pan

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour, plus extra for sprinkling on pan

½ cup finely ground almonds or almond meal

1 ½ tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

1 tsp. almond extract

1 tsp. finely grated orange zest from 1 large orange

½ tsp. finely grated lemon zest from 1 lemon

Powdered sugar, for dusting.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil an 8-inch round cake pan with olive oil. Cut out an 8-inch round of parchment paper and place it in the center of the oiled pan. Oil the parchment paper, and lightly dust it with flour. Sprinkle sliced almonds evenly over parchment paper; set pan aside.

In a medium bowl, cream sugar, eggs and olive oil together for one minute. Add flour, ground almonds or almond meal, baking powder, salt, almond extract and both zests; beat until just combined.

Pour batter over almonds in prepared pan. Bake cake in preheated oven for about 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean.

Let cake cool in pan for 10 minutes, and then turn cake out of pan onto a cooling rack, almond side up. Let cake cool completely. 

Place cake onto a platter and sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar just before serving. 

To store, carefully wrap cake, without powdered sugar, in plastic wrap. Store at room temperature for up to three days, or place into a ziplock freezer bag and freeze for up to one month. Sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving.

Makes 8-12 servings.