buttered almond cake/cupcakes

For years, my family's favourite cake was a buttered almond cake that we could buy from a restaurant the next town over. Suddenly, this very successful and delicous restaurant, closed down, and we were left with no buttered almond cake for years! It had always been the cake of choice for the birthday girl (or boy) so we had to find some alternatives. But, alas, none of them compared.

Fast forward to a couple of years ago, and I find the recipe online! I figured it was just a copycat and could never compare, but this is it: the most delicious buttered almond cake you'll ever have the pleasure of eating.

Buttered Almond Cake (or cupcakes)

Ingredients

For the Cake

• 1/2 c. butter
• 2/3 c. shortening
• 1 3/4 c. granulated sugar
• 7 eggs
• 3 1/3 c. cake/pastry flour
• 4 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 c. milk

For the Filling

• 2 c. plus 2 tbsp. milk
• 1/3 c. cornstarch
• 1/4 c. granulated sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 3 egg yolks
• 1/4 tsp. almond flavoring

For the Icing

• 1/2 c. butter
• 1 tbsp. margarine
• 4 c. icing sugar
• 6 tbsp. table cream
• 1 c. chopped almonds, toasted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. For the cake, cream butter and shortening together. Add sugar and beat until mixture is smooth and light. Add eggs, one at a time and beat until well blended. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together. Add dry ingredients and milk alternately to creamed mixture. Mix gently until well combined.
3. Pour batter into two 10-inch or three 9-inch round cake pans (or two 12-piece cupcake pans with liners) that have been lightly buttered and lined with parchment paper. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes (slightly shorter for cupcakes. Check to see if cupcakes are baked 20-minutes into baking by inserting a toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean, they're done!)
4. Let cool on racks for about 10 minutes then remove from pans and cool completely.For the filling, heat 1 1/2 cups milk in the top of a double boiler, being careful not to scald. Make a paste of remaining milk, cornstarch, sugar and salt. Add egg yolks and stir until well mixed. Add a little hot milk to egg yolk mixture to warm it, then stir into milk in double boiler. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until filling is thickened and smooth and there is no raw starch taste - about 5 minutes. Stir in almond flavouring.

1. To make filling, heat 1 1/2 cups milk in the top of a double boiler, being careful not to scald. Make a paste of remaining milk, cornstarch, sugar and salt. Add egg yolks and stir until well mixed. Add a little hot milk to egg yolk mixture to warm it, then stir into milk in double boiler. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until filling is thickened and smooth and there is no raw starch taste - about 5 minutes. Stir in flavoring if desired.
2. To prevent a skin from forming on top, cover with plastic wrap and stir occasionally during cooling.

1. To make icing, heat butter and margarine in a small skillet or heavy saucepan until foam on top turns a golden brown. Stir occasionally. Do not over-brown or the flavor will be burnt rather than roasted. Cool slightly.
2. Place icing sugar in mixing bowl and mix in cream, then gradually stir in browned butter, scraping pan well. Beat until icing is smooth and creamy.

TO ASSEMBLE CAKE: Slice each layer in half horizontally. Top one cake layer with filling and repeat, topping with final cake layer. Cover top and sides of cake with a thin layer of icing. Immediately add almonds to top or sides of cake and refrigerate. 

TO ASSEMBLE CUPCAKES: Using apple corer, create a cored cupcake. Discard (or eat) cores. Fill empty cores with filling and level the top of the cupcake so that there is very little filling on the top of the cake part of the cupcakes. Using a knife or offset spatula, spread icing and dunk iced cupcake into almonds. Repeat until all 24 cupcakes are complete. 
 For the icing, heat butter and margarine in a small skillet or heavy saucepan until foam on top turns a golden brown. Stir occasionally. Do not over-brown or the flavor will be burnt rather than roasted. Cool slightly.