Sophie Hansen’s Almond Loaf Recipe

Indulge your senses with a timeless treat – the Almond Loaf. This recipe takes the classic butter cake to new heights by incorporating almond meal, elevating both its flavour and texture.

Whether you prefer it in its pure almond form or with a delightful twist, such as the Orange and Rosemary Almond Loaf, this recipe offers versatility and satisfaction in every slice.

For a burst of citrusy freshness intertwined with the earthy aroma of rosemary, the Orange and Rosemary Almond Loaf is a delightful variation.

Starting with the familiar base recipe, infuse the sugar with the zest of two oranges and finely chopped rosemary leaves to create a symphony of flavours. As the cake bakes to golden perfection, prepare a fragrant syrup by simmering thinly sliced oranges, rosemary sprigs, caster sugar, vanilla paste, and water until the oranges are tender. Once the cake emerges from the oven, generously drizzle it with the aromatic orange and rosemary syrup for a tantalizing finishing touch. Serve warm alongside a dollop of tangy plain yogurt for a truly exquisite indulgence.

Images and text from What Can I Bring? By Sophie Hansen, photography by Sophie Hansen. Murdoch Books RRP $49.99.

Almond Loaf

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (250 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing
• 250 g (9 oz) caster (superfine) sugar
• 4 eggs, at room temperature
• 200 g (1 1/3 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
• 1 cup (100 g) almond meal
• 2 tsp baking powder
• A pinch of salt
• ½ cup (125 ml) buttermilk
• 1 tsp vanilla paste

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and grease and line a large 30 x 15 cm (12 x 6 inch) loaf tin.
  Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or use a large bowl and an electric mixer, and beat until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition (stop and scrape down the side of the bowl every now and then if needed).
• Place the flour, almond meal, baking powder and salt in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Place the buttermilk in a separate bowl and whisk in the vanilla.
• Fold half the buttermilk and half the flour mixture into the butter mix, then repeat with the remaining buttermilk and flour. If your mixer has a large whisk attachment, use this, but do it by hand. Otherwise, use a regular spatula.
• Transfer the mixture to your tin and bake for 45–50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Travel advice

• Let the cake cool completely, then wrap tightly in foil or store in an airtight container.
• Begin the recipe as on page 209, but before adding the butter to your mixer, grate in the zest of 2 oranges and add the finely chopped leaves of 1 rosemary sprig to the sugar and rub it in well with your fingers to really infuse the orange and rosemary flavours.
• Fish out as many of the rosemary leaves as you can (it’s fine to leave one or two in there).

Orange & Rosemary Loaf Recipe

• Begin the Almond Loaf recipe above, but before adding the butter to your mixer, grate in the zest of 2 oranges and add the finely chopped leaves of 1 rosemary sprig to the sugar and rub it in well with your fingers to really infuse the orange and rosemary flavours.
• Fish out as many of the rosemary leaves as you can (it’s fine to leave one or two in there).
• Continue with the base recipe.
• While the cake is cooking, thinly slice the oranges you zested earlier and place in a small saucepan with 2 rosemary sprigs, 100 g (3 1/2 oz) caster (superfine) sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla paste and 300 ml (10 1/2 fl oz) water. Stir to combine and cook over low heat for about 20 minutes or until the oranges have completely softened.
• As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, spoon the oranges and syrup over it. Enjoy warm with some tangy plain yoghurt.

Travel advice

Because of the syrup here, I’d transport, slice and enjoy straight from the baking tin. It’s so much easier and the cake is protected on even the bumpiest of roads!

Note

• To convert this into a slice, swap the loaf tin for an 18 x 27 cm (7 x 10 3/4 inch) tin and reduce the cooking time to 25–35 minutes.
• Omit the orange slices on top and ice the slice with a simple orange icing. Mix 1 cup (125 g) icing (confectioners’) sugar with the grated zest of 1 orange and a little of the juice.
• Whisk until you have a smooth, fairly thick icing, adding more juice (a very little at a time) until you’re happy with the consistency.
• Pour the icing over the cooled slice and smooth the top.

Discover More Recipes