4 Leche Almond Cake

I made this almond cake for some special friends and family for St. Patrick's Day.  My kids insisted that I decorate the cake with Kiwi so the cake would be in perfect style for a St. Patrick's day dessert.  This cake is loaded with almonds so you are in for a treat if you are a almond lover.  This cake recipe is from the Pastry Queen Book by Rebecca Rather.  Rebecca owns a bakery in Texas and is known through out Texas as the Pastry Queen.  You can decorate the top of this cake with season berries or fruit to make is cake special for the holidays.  This cake was named because it has 4 different types of milk incorporated into the recipe and is traditionally a Mexican dessert.

4 Leche Almond Cake:
Pre-Heat Oven: 350 degrees
Serves:  15-20 people

4 Leche Almond Cake:
4 cups blanched almonds
1 1/4 cups plus 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
14 large eggs, separated
1/4 cup all purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 12 x 17 inch pan with parchment paper.  Coat the parchment paper with cooking spray.  In a food processor with a medal blade, finely grind the blanched almonds, 1/2 up sugar and cinnamon.
In a mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the egg yolks and 1 1/4 cups sugar on high for 3 minutes.  Pour the batter into a large bowl.  Fold in the flour, baking powder, and ground up almond mixture to the batter.
In a clean mixing bowl with the wire whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on high for 2 minutes or until stiff peaks form.  Fold the egg whites into the batter.  Don't over mix for the egg will be flat.  Spoon the batter evenly into the pan and bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown (make sure the cake batter is even or it will cook unevenly).  Allow the cake to cool on a wire rack then invert the cake onto a greased rack or greased cake plate.

Soaking Liquid:
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup Dulce de Leche milk or evaporated milk
1/2 cup sweetened cream of coconut such as coco Lopez
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

In a large bowl mix the cream, evaporated milk, coconut cream, condensed milk, dulce de leche milk and vanilla together.


Sugared Almonds:
4 large egg whites
4 cups sliced almonds
1 cup sugar

Using a mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on high speed until foamy (don't over mix to get stiff peaks).  Stir in the almonds and sugar until all the nuts are fully coated.  On a parchment lined cookie sheet, spread the almonds evenly around the pan.  Bake the almonds at 325 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until evenly browned. Stir the almonds so they break up and are evenly browned in the pan (this step took a lot longer then 10 minutes for me to get the almonds to brown).

Frosting:
4 cups chilled heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, plus additional for dusting the cake
Seasonal berries or fruit

Using a mixer with a whisk attachment, whip the cream on high until soft peaks form.  Turn the mixer on low and slowly add the powder sugar.  On high whip the frosting until stiff peaks appear about 1 more minute.  Refrigerate the frosting.

Assembling the Cake:
Cut the cooled cake in 4 rectangles.  You will have 4 pieces of cake that are all rectangles (the cake will be 8 inches long and 5 inches tall).  Place the 1st rectangle cake piece on a cake tray or plate.  Brush the cake with the soaking liquid.  Frost the top of the cake with frosting.  Set the 2nd cake on top of the 1st cake and brush the cake with soaking liquid and frosting.  Repeat this process with the last 2 pieces of cake.  Frost the sides and top of the cake with the remaining frosting.   Press the cooled browned almond slices into the sides and top of the cake.  The cake should be fully covered in almonds.  Refrigerate the cake until you are ready to serve it.  This cake will keep covered for 2 days.  Decorate the top of the cake with fresh fruit or berries.

4 Leche Almond Cake