Flourless Almond and Mavrodaphne Cake

I wanted to make my husband a cake for Valentine’s Day, but I didn’t want it to be over powering or too chocolaty (I know, crazy).  I found Pati’s Flourless Almond and Porto Cake and it seemed like a really easy cake to make, especially with my having so many slivered almonds left over from Thanksgiving.  The only thing that I did not have was Port wine but I do have a bottle of Mavrodaphne with a layer of dust forming over it.  I kept searching for cake recipes using Mavrodaphne and I could not find anything – I kept wondering to myself if it would work, it is a dessert wine after all.  I guess there is only one way to find out…

Flourless Almond and Mavrodaphne Cake (adapted and inspired by Pati’s Mexican Table)

– 3/4 cup of granulated sugar

– 2 cups of slivered almonds

– 4 eggs

– 1 tbsp. of vanilla extract

– 1/2 cup of butter (room temperature)

– 1 tbsp. of Mavrodaphne  wine (optional)

– 1/4 cup of  fruit preserve or jam of your choice (I used E.D. Smith Raspberry, Peach, Orange)

– juice of half a lime

– 2/4 cup of sliced almonds, lightly toasted

Butter a round 9 inch spring-form pan and line bottom with parchment paper, set aside.  Preheat oven to 350° degrees.

Place slivered almonds and granulated sugar into food processor and pulse until almonds and sugar are finely ground and resemble a powdery flour texture.

When almonds and sugar have been finely ground add eggs, vanilla extract and Mavrodaphne wine.  Pulse mixture, roughly incorporating previously mentioned ingredients.

Once eggs, vanilla extract and wine are combined, add butter in chunks.  Process all ingredients on low for a few minutes until mixture is smooth.  Pour batter into prepped spring-form pan and place on middle rack inside of the oven and bake for 30 minutes.

The cake will be ready once the top is slightly brown/golden and the top of the cake is springy to the touch.  Insert a toothpick, if it comes out clean, your cake is ready to take out of the oven and rest for 10-15 minutes.

When cake is cooled, unmold the cake and invert onto a platter and remove parchment paper.  Once parchment paper is removed, invert again onto another platter so that cake is right side up.

Now you are ready to prepare your glaze.  In a small sauce pan, add 1/4 cup of fruit preserve or marmalade along with the juice of half a lime.  Set heat to medium/low for about a minute until glaze begins to simmer.  I used E.B. Smith Raspberry, Peach, Orange fruit spread.  When your glaze has simmered, remove from heat and set aside.  With a brush, glaze the outer part of your cake (I glazed a little over an inch of the circumference of the cake).

After glazing cake, toast almonds in the oven or toaster oven on a cookie sheet or tray for a few minutes until lightly browned.  After almonds are toasted, incorporate almonds with remaining glaze and mix in until almonds are covered in glaze then spread almond/glaze mix over the outer edge of cake and you’re done!!  Now you are ready to slice and serve it up!!

The cake turned out pretty good with my using  Mavrodaphne wine.  I would definitely make this cake again.

( joanna )