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1
Preheat the oven to 350F.
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2
Generously butter the inside of a 10-inch stainless steel bowl (4 1/2 to 6 inches deep).
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3
Dust with flour, and tap out excess; set aside.
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4
Into a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
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5
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, 2 cups sugar, and vanilla seeds on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
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6
With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in four parts, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour; beat until just combined.
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7
Transfer mixture to a large, wide bowl; set aside.
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8
With a clean bowl and whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and the pinch of salt on high speed until soft peaks form.
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9
Add the remaining tablespoon sugar, and continue to beat until medium-stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes.
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10
Whisk a third of the egg-white mixture into the butter-flour mixture to lighten, then use a rubber spatula to gently fold in remaining whites until just combined.
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11
Pour the batter into the prepared bowl, and smooth the top with an offset spatula.
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12
Bake, rotating bowl halfway through, until the cake is golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour 40 minutes.
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13
(If the cake begins to get too dark, cover loosely with aluminum foil.)
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14
Transfer bowl to a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes.
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15
Invert cake onto the rack and let cool completely.
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16
Line a bowl slightly smaller than the cake with plastic wrap, leaving some overhang.
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17
Fit cake into bowl.
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18
Using a serrated knife, trim the bottom of the cake to make level.
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19
Invert cake onto a clean work surface or cake turntable.
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20
Using the serrated knife, cut cake horizontally into four layers of approximately the same height.
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21
Place the bottom (largest) layer on a cardboard round or serving plate.
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22
Brush the top liberally with Amaretto Simple Syrup.
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23
Using an offset spatula, evenly spread about 1 cup Almond Buttercream over the top, about 1/4 inch thick.
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24
Top with the next-largest layer, and brush with syrup.
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25
Spread apricot jam in an even layer over the top.
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26
Place the next-largest layer, and brush with syrup.
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27
Spread about 1/2 cup buttercream over the top.
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28
Place remaining (smallest) layer on top.
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29
Brush the surface of the entire cake with syrup.
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30
Spread about 1/2 cup buttercream over the entire cake in a thin layer.
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31
Cake can be made up to this point up to 1 day in advance; refrigerate, covered, until ready to proceed.
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32
Fill a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip (such as an Ateco #5) with Almond Swiss Meringue.
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33
Pipe stars to cover the entire surface of the cake, pulling up as you pipe to form points.
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34
Using a small kitchen torch, lightly brown the meringue all over.
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35
Let cake stand at room temperature until ready to serve, up to 6 hours.
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36
In the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer, combine egg whites, sugar, salt, and almond extract.
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37
Set the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water.
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38
Whisk constantly until the sugar has dissolved and whites are hot to the touch, 3 to 5 minutes.
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39
Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl.
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40
Attach the bowl to the electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; mix on medium-high speed, about 2 minutes.
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41
Raise speed to high and beat until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 6 minutes.
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42
Use immediately.
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43
The cake is baked in a stainless steel bowl, which gives the cake a dome shape when inverted.
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44
After splitting the dome into four layers, almond-flavored buttercream and apricot jam are used to flavor alternating layers.
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45
The filled cake is given a crumb coat of buttercream before its final layer of piped meringue.
