Author Notes
I came across this recipe in my Grandmother's cookbook (more on that another time) and was inspired by the name to create a photo that was decked out in gold. This cake is totally foolproof to make, and I can promise that it tastes as good as it looks. I don't own any cake pans, so I made this in a cast iron skillet instead – sorry, Grandma! The easy caramel almond topping (inspired by Gale Gand's recipe) and ice cream take her already amazing cake to another level. —Look Cook
Ingredients
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1 3/4 sticks
unsalted butter, divided
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2/3 cup
light brown sugar – packed
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1/2 teaspoon
cinnamon
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5/8 teaspoon
salt, divided
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1/4 cup
honey
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1 cup
sliced almonds
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1 1/2 cups
flour
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1/2 teaspoon
baking powder
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1/4 teaspoon
baking soda
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1 1/4 cups
white sugar
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3
large eggs
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1/2 cup
sour cream
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2 teaspoons
vanilla extract
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Ice cream (optional)
Directions
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Make the eggs and butter "room temperature". You obvs could do this this by leaving both out for a couple of hours beforehand, but in that amount of time you could be eating a piece of cake instead. Fill a medium sized bowl with warm water and let the eggs sit in there for 5 minutes. In the meantime, microwave the butter for 5 seconds on each side until soft.
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Preheat your oven to 325°F. In a 10" cast iron skillet, melt the 3/4 stick of butter on medium. Remove from heat and use a paper towel to coat the sides of the skillet with butter. Then evenly sprinkle on the light brown sugar, cinnamon, 1/8 tsp salt, honey, and sliced almonds.
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In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and remaining 1/2 tsp of salt. I like to use a chopstick to level the ingredients out, but do whatever works for you!
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In a stand mixer (or use a hand mixer and large bowl), cream together the remaining 1 stick of butter and white sugar for 2 minutes on medium speed, then add the eggs one by one after each is fully incorporated. Mix the dry ingredients and sour cream on low speed, adding a bit of each alternately. Finally, add the vanilla extract and mix until just combined.
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Pour the batter evenly into the skillet, then bake for 55-60 minutes. Poke the center with a toothpick to test if it's done – it should come out clean with no crumbs on it. Run a knife around the edge of the cake, then carefully flip it onto a platter or big plate. Leave the skillet on top for another 5 minutes before removing, then let the cake cool down for at least 20 minutes before slicing into it. Eat the cake on its own, or better yet add a big scoop of ice cream.
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