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1
Preheat the oven to 325F.
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2
Butter a 9- by 3-inch cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
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3
Butter the paper and dust the pan with flour, shaking out the excess.
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4
Sift together: 1 cup cake flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt.
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5
Mix together: 7 ounces almond paste, 1 1/4 cups sugar.
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6
Stir until the almond paste is in very small pieces.
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7
Or, more easily, pulverize together in a food processor or stand mixer.
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8
By hand or with a stand mixer, beat to lighten: 1/2 pound plus 4 tablespoons (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened.
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9
Add the almond paste and sugar mixture to the butter and cream together until light and fluffy, then beat in: 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
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10
Beat in, one at a time: 6 eggs, at room temperature.
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Scrape down the sides of the bowl repeatedly to ensure that all the ingredients are thoroughly incorporated.
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12
Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until just combined.
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13
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
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14
Remove from the oven and let cool.
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15
Turn the cake out of the pan and remove the parchment paper.
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16
Serve the cake plain or with sliced fruit and whipped cream.
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17
For a sheet cake, prepare a half-sheet pan as above, pour in the batter, smooth the top, and bake for about 40 minutes.
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18
Or, bake in two 9-inch cake pans for a two-layer cake.
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19
For 24 individual mini-cakes, bake in muffin tins that are buttered, lined on the bottom with small parchment circles, and floured as above.
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20
Fill each cup two-thirds full and bake for about 30 minutes.
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21
Or use cupcake liners to make cupcakes.
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22
To dress up this cake, spread it with a thin layer of apricot or raspberry jam.
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23
Sprinkle it with toasted sliced almonds and dust with powdered sugar.
