Bádám (Almond) Cake

Name: Bádám (Almond) Cake
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 250 g (approx. half a seer), blanched Sweet almonds (Blanched means skins removed. To blanch: soak in boiling water for 1 minute, then slip off the skins.); 12 whole (a dozen) Bitter almonds (Bitter almonds add depth of flavour. If unavailable, use almond extract cautiously — but note this is not in the original recipe. Use as written.); 1 teaspoon White of egg (for grinding almonds) (Just a little — used to prevent the almonds from turning oily while grinding. Alternatively, use orange-flower water.); 1 teaspoon Orange-flower water (Used as an alternative to white of egg when grinding almonds, to prevent oiling.); 125 g (approx. quarter-seer) Finely powdered sugar (Use caster sugar or blitz granulated sugar in a blender until fine.); 2 large eggs Eggs (whole, for almond mixture) (Added to the almond and sugar mixture in the early mixing stage.); 1 lemon (zest only) Lemon peel, finely grated (Use a fine grater or microplane. Only the yellow outer peel — avoid the bitter white pith.); 8 large egg yolks Egg yolks (beaten separately) (Beat the yolks until pale and slightly thickened. Added to the batter after the almond mixture is ready.); 8 large egg whites Egg whites (beaten separately) (Beat until stiff peaks form. Folding these in gives the cake its lift.); 1 large egg white White of egg (for glaze) (Brushed over the hot baked cake to create a shiny glaze before frosting.); 2 tablespoons Fine white sugar (for frosting) (Sprinkled or dusted over the glazed cake to create a frosted, crisp surface.)

A fragrant, traditional almond cake made with both sweet and bitter almonds, lightly scented with lemon peel and finished with a crisp white sugar frost. This colonial-era Indian recipe produces a dense, aromatic cake with a delicate glazed crust.

⏱ Prep: 30m

🍳 Cook: 1h

⏰ Total: 1h 30m

🍽 Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients

250 g (approx. half a seer), blanched Sweet almonds (Blanched means skins removed. To blanch: soak in boiling water for 1 minute, then slip off the skins.)
12 whole (a dozen) Bitter almonds (Bitter almonds add depth of flavour. If unavailable, use almond extract cautiously — but note this is not in the original recipe. Use as written.)
1 teaspoon White of egg (for grinding almonds) (Just a little — used to prevent the almonds from turning oily while grinding. Alternatively, use orange-flower water.)
1 teaspoon Orange-flower water (Used as an alternative to white of egg when grinding almonds, to prevent oiling.)
125 g (approx. quarter-seer) Finely powdered sugar (Use caster sugar or blitz granulated sugar in a blender until fine.)
2 large eggs Eggs (whole, for almond mixture) (Added to the almond and sugar mixture in the early mixing stage.)
1 lemon (zest only) Lemon peel, finely grated (Use a fine grater or microplane. Only the yellow outer peel — avoid the bitter white pith.)
8 large egg yolks Egg yolks (beaten separately) (Beat the yolks until pale and slightly thickened. Added to the batter after the almond mixture is ready.)
8 large egg whites Egg whites (beaten separately) (Beat until stiff peaks form. Folding these in gives the cake its lift.)
1 large egg white White of egg (for glaze) (Brushed over the hot baked cake to create a shiny glaze before frosting.)
2 tablespoons Fine white sugar (for frosting) (Sprinkled or dusted over the glazed cake to create a frosted, crisp surface.)

Instructions

1If your almonds still have their brown skins on, blanch them: place the sweet almonds and bitter almonds in a bowl and cover with freshly boiled water. Leave for 1 minute, then drain. Pinch each almond between your fingers to slip off the skins. Pat them dry with a clean cloth. This step makes the almonds easier to grind to a fine, smooth paste.
2Place the blanched sweet almonds and bitter almonds into a food processor or mortar and pestle. Add just a little white of egg or a teaspoon of orange-flower water — this is the key trick from the original recipe to stop the almonds from turning oily and clumping as you grind them. Process or pound until you have a very fine, smooth paste with no large pieces remaining. This may take several minutes in a food processor; scrape down the sides regularly.
3Transfer the almond paste to a large mixing bowl. Gradually add the finely powdered sugar a little at a time, stirring well between each addition. Then add the 2 whole eggs one at a time, stirring thoroughly after each. Finally, add the finely grated lemon peel. Continue to mix until everything is completely and evenly combined into a smooth, fragrant paste. Take your time here — the original recipe stresses thorough mixing at this stage.
4Separate the 8 eggs carefully into two clean bowls — yolks in one, whites in the other. Make sure no yolk gets into the whites or they won't whip properly. Beat the yolks with a whisk or electric hand mixer until they are pale and slightly thickened, about 2–3 minutes. In a clean, grease-free bowl, beat the egg whites with a clean whisk until stiff peaks form — when you lift the whisk, the whites should hold a firm peak and not droop. This will take about 3–5 minutes with an electric mixer.
5Add the beaten egg yolks to the almond mixture and stir well to combine. Then, add the beaten egg whites in two or three additions. Use a large metal spoon or spatula and fold gently — cut down through the centre, sweep along the bottom of the bowl, and fold up and over. Rotate the bowl and repeat. Be gentle and do not beat, as you want to keep as much air in the whites as possible. Continue until no white streaks remain and everything is properly blended.
6Preheat your oven to 160°C (320°F) fan or 170°C (340°F) conventional. Grease a round cake mould or tin (approximately 20 cm / 8 inches diameter) with a little butter or oil, then line the base with baking paper. Pour the batter carefully into the prepared mould, smoothing the top gently with a spatula.
7Place the mould in the centre of the preheated oven. Bake for 1 hour. Do not open the oven door for the first 45 minutes, as this can cause the cake to sink. After 1 hour, test by inserting a clean skewer or toothpick into the centre — it should come out clean with no wet batter. If it needs more time, return to the oven in 5-minute increments. Once baked, remove from the oven and leave the cake in its mould for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.
8While the cake is still warm (not hot), lightly beat 1 egg white with a fork until it is loose and frothy. Using a pastry brush, brush an even layer of egg white over the top and sides of the cake. The warmth of the cake will help the glaze set quickly and create a shiny surface ready for the sugar frosting.
9Immediately after glazing while the egg white is still wet, sprinkle fine white sugar evenly and generously over the top and sides of the cake. Gently press the sugar so it adheres to the glaze. Leave the cake to cool completely at room temperature — the glaze and sugar will dry to form a crisp, frosted crust. The cake is ready to serve once fully cooled.