Recipe: Almond Butter Cake (9-inch round, moist and chewy, like a cookie)

ALMOND BUTTER CAKE

"Almond Butter Cake is not to be taken lightly just because you can stir it together in about 3 minutes, pop it in the oven to bake, and serve it within an hour. It's truly a unique cake, because it doesn't rise very high and it comes out moist, sticky, and chewy, like a cookie. It also keeps twice as long as any conventional cake."

3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks)
1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided use
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose white flour
2 teaspoons soft butter or nonstick cooking spray (for greasing the cake pan)
4 ounces sliced almonds (3/4 cup) (for topping)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

MEASURING AND MIXING THE INGREDIENTS:
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring regularly. Pour the melted butter and 1 1/2 cups of sugar into a large bowl and stir until smooth.

Crack the eggs right into the same bowl and mix until the batter is creamy and all one color. Add the salt, almond extract, vanilla extract, and flour and stir briskly until the batter is smooth.

THE LAST STEP BEFORE BAKING:
Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round cake pan with butter or nonstick cooking spray. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the batter from the bowl into the greased cake pan. Spread it evenly in the pan. Sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar, then the sliced almonds, over the top of the batter.

BAKING AND SERVING THE CAKE:
Put the pan on the middle rack of the oven and set the timer for 35 minutes. When it rings, check to see if the cake is done. It should be light brown on top, and when you insert a toothpick in the center, it should have a few sticky crumbs adhering to it. If the cake is not browned enough and the toothpick comes out too wet, put the cake back in the oven and check it again in another 10 minutes.

When the cake is done, remove it from the oven and let it cool on a heatproof counter for at least 30 minutes.

Cut the cake into small wedges and serve with fresh fruit.

This cake will stay fresh for about a week and will freeze indefinitely. Wrap it tightly in foil, or in a plastic bag you can seal with a zip or a tie.

Makes one (9-inch) round cake
Source: Learning to Cook with Marion Cunningham by Marion Cunningham