Claire Saffitz Makes Best Crunchy Almond Cake Recipe | Dessert Person

Claire Saffitz Makes Best Crunchy Almond Cake Recipe | Dessert Person
Get ready for a flavor explosion as Claire shares her coveted recipe for the Crunchy Almond Cake. Made with almond paste and a touch of amaretto, this cake is a dream come true for almond enthusiasts. Topped with sugared sliced almonds, it offers the perfect balance of moistness and crunch. Not too cakey, not too dense, and not too sweet, this creation is filled with the rich oils from the almond paste, delivering an unforgettable taste experience. Join Claire as she guides you through the process, and prepare to be amazed. Whether you serve it with slow-roasted plums or enjoy it plain, this cake is a true almond lover's paradise. Don't miss out on this almond extravaganza- like & subscribe to support our channel.
#clairesaffitz #cake #almonds
Ingredients:
1 cup sliced unblanched almonds (4 oz / 113g)
Melted butter for the pan
1⁄4 cup demerara sugar (1.8 oz / 50g)
3⁄4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (4.1 oz / 118g)
1 teaspoon baking powder
3⁄4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 1⁄2 teaspoon Morton kosher salt
7 ounces (200g) almond paste
1 1⁄2 sticks unsalted butter (6 oz / 170g), at room temperature
2⁄3 cup granulated sugar (4.7 oz / 133g)
4 large eggs (7 oz / 200g), at room temperature
1⁄4 cup amaretto (2 oz / 57g) 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
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Video Series:
Producer/Director: Vincent Cross
Camera Operator: Calvin Robertson
Editor: Hal McFall
Assistant Editor: Asher Rogers
Theme Song: Michael Guggino
Animation Credits:
Character Designer/Animator: Jack Sherry
Character Rigger: Johara Dutton
Background/Prop Designer: M. Cody Wiley
Background Illustrator: Jagriti Khirwa

[@CSaffitz]

What's your all-time favorite Almond Dessert?

[@Johannablaise]

Almond Croissant! 🥐

[@bdfwhhsb]

This one!

[@dianehutchinson9257]

​@@Johannablaisewas just about to say the same thing! 😊

[@juliabishop1408]

Chocolate covered almonds 😋❤

[@nevadaclare6886]

Tarta de Santiago from Milk Street (Christopher Kimball‼️ Easy, stir-together, one bowl cake! And COMPLETELY gluten free 😃

[@anyak1446]

I love when the people behind the camera asks questions... feels more natural and like I'm also there in the room learning.

[@MeSoyCapitan]

Which is exactly why KZbinrs started doing it. Also why they started adding gag-reels at the end of videos - makes them seem more human and relatable, even though sometimes they are staged intentionally. Just what you have to do if you want to compete on KZbin.

[@sadie_bear]

@@MeSoyCapitanbro really said “yeah it’s fun but don’t forget it’s all fake!” like wow you must be fun at parties

[@hermitage6728]

I’m a 56 year old dad of two daughters who introduced me to Claire. I’ve never baked a cake in my life. It turned out perfectly! It’s literally the best cake I’ve ever had and I can’t believe I made it. Our guests were blown away.

[@AmarEnergy]

I've been baking for over 40 years and this is one of my favorite cake recipes ever! I absolutely love almond and the texture of this cake is sublime. I've made it for myself several times, my sister, my mother, everyone loves it and it's now in the "permanent file" in all of our recipe collections! Also, for anyone who doesn't have access to almond paste locally (I live in a small rural town at the moment and Kroger doesn't carry it) it's quite easy to make. I ordered almond flour online and whipped up my own in no time flat. Also, I make a compote out of grilled peaches and it is so delicious with this cake!

[@nugg3016]

Please please share ur almond paste recipe here !!!

[@emiliamarsx]

@@nugg3016 that is not me lol but I used this one and it came out so so delicious, snacking on some right now :) kzbin.info/www/bejne/banJeKikg9GbhJY

[@nugg3016]

@@emiliamarsx my friend i used this exact same recipe for mine !!! hahaha turned out so well ! the paste is like this indian dessert we have which is like a cashew fudge :)

[@emiliamarsx]

@@nugg3016 yessssss love this :) now I want to try with cashews!!

[@Stickydatepuddin]

I wanted to ask if this cake tastes like marzipan? I love almonds but really don’t like that artificial taste. Thanks :)

[@ks7343]

Almond paste can also be grated on the large holes of a box grater. this helps it blend into sugar more easily. I bought you book, Claire, and can't wait to try this recipe---and all the others!

[@johnbuckley5358]

I made this today (with the addition zest from 1 orange rubbed into the sugar). Couldn't have been easier and freaked people out at a July 4th dinner. This is the best almond ... *anything* ... I've ever eaten, and is probably in the top 2 best cakes. And that's 75 years' worth of eating. Thank you, Claire, you genius! You just keep hitting the bullseye!

[@SewLambitious]

You and many others have convinced me to Subscribe to Claire. I forgot about flavoring sugar. I'm glad I read your comment.

[@lechatbotte.]

Claire daydreaming just made my morning. I love nuts but I’m allergic boo. Still watching Claire create is almost as delicious as actually eating it.

[@susantaylor5068]

Made cake yesterday yummy😋👏

[@frangi983]

Hi! Maybe you can try finding persipan paste? It's made from apricot and peach pits and often used as a cheaper/allergy-friendly substitute in professional baking. As for the crunchy topping: are there any seeds you can eat? I imagine that sunflower or sesame seeds would work well! 😊

[@tjberrian]

This looks like the perfect snacking cake. Great for breakfast, great after dinner. I love these kinds of recipes.

[@missabyssinia2293]

Can’t wait to make it! I love how you give us golden nuggets of knowledge throughout your videos.

[@ahlemmbarek4679]

I really love how you explain the logic and reason behind the steps you give for a recipe. Thank you. That cake looks so good.

[@CSaffitz]

Thanks so much! 😊

[@floraluxla]

Elegance in simplicity. Love the sound of this and can't wait to make it. Thanks, Claire & team!

[@PatriciaScarpinTK]

I love anything almond and that cake is making me drool! So beautiful!

[@ellieisanerd]

Just the title makes me so excited. Love almond desserts!

[@kriss1750]

The cake does look PERFECT! I can't wait to give it a try! 😋

[@jeannemarie6747]

I love the little smiley faces in these videos. thank you to the animation team for these sweet, friendly touches.

[@TayBeepBoop]

I absolutely do not bake or cook ever but dang do I love watching Claire do it 😭 so wholesome and nice

[@shopgirl2959]

Thank you for sharing this recipe! I love almond and can’t wait to make this TONIGHT!!!

[@alikivasilia]

I just tried this tonight and it’s amazing! I love almond anything. Thank you Claire for another amazing recipe! I have all of your cook books, and they are the first resource I go to when I want to try something new. Always guaranteed to be delicious!

[@jasminetahri5879]

looks SO GOOD! i’m an almond lover- making this this weekend!!!

[@jess.h.]

Paired this cake with some homemade cherry amaretto ice cream and it was so good! Highly recommend.

[@Lex111h]

OMG ,Claire. Made this today and it’s to die for💕💕💕💕💕

[@laurenschenck5355]

You always make everything so beautiful and amazing and gorgeous desserts and magical ❤

[@yiningwang1109]

Omg this is the best thing I’ve ever taken out of my oven! Thank you so much Claire!!!!!!!!!

[@rosakleopoulos4088]

I'm an almond lover, and this IS my dream.

[@cinefiend4059]

It’s so hard to find a delicious almond cake where I live. But I remember a spot that specialized in gluten-free almond cake and it was one of the most delicious things I’ve ever had. For now, watching the wonderful Claire work her magic will do 🤘🏻

[@Johannablaise]

This looks delicious!

[@leoluis43]

I made this cake about two weeks ago and my family just loved it! They asked if there was suppose to be frosting on the cake but the crispy, textural, and sweet topping of the cake was enough to satify the sweet tooth. I did not have almond paste so I made my own from a recipe on google and it worked out pretty well. Super easy and a great dessert. Thanks Claire!!

[@robertneubauer8075]

I absolutely love the cardamom almond cake from the Chez Panisse cookbook and this looks even better. I already think this is going to be my go-to cake recipe. Making tonight for the weekend!

[@echoi90]

Also how almond flavor is similar to maraschino cherries 🍒 so good!

[@patriciaredick9849]

Thanks Claire, just made this cake for our family 4th dinner. Smells great, can't wait to taste it tomorrow.

[@Lifeonmarz8]

It reminds me of a very traditional almond cake I ate in Andalusia a couple of years ago ❤

[@sohcahtoa3708]

I made this this past week; it was absolutely amazing and I will definitely be making this regularly!

[@CookinWithSquirrl]

This is right up my alley! Thank you for this!

[@darcio90]

I made an almond cake from NYT for my wedding (elopement)....I mean I added toasted almonds and sugar like this on TOP, but this is ELEVATED. I'm happy to see this. I want to try this recipe soon.

[@AussieAngeS]

I love almond flavoured desserts, I’ve never tried almond paste before and especially in a cake. I want to try this one out, thank,you Claire.

[@AlienShuttlecraft]

Love your channel. I don't have access to a kitchen so I am living vicariously through you. I am so happy Novympia introduced me to you.

[@tatianagonzalez4005]

Could you please do a whole episode in your cartoon art! I love it. It’s just so satisfying to watch!

[@lisamoore6804]

I swear I've had an almond topped cake before but no one remembers any of my relatives making it. Your cake looks really, really good. The editor's kitty looks just like my kitty. She's a tiny, spicy one.

[@awesomeyeahroxs]

thank you so much Claire! I made this cake and it was delightful

[@laurenschenck5355]

OMG! Absolutely beautiful and delicious cake Claire ❤

[@Wolf-E-Romeo]

It looks really good. It also looks like it might be good with winter squash. Like to add onto this concept, butternut cake+the almond topping. Or maybe even go in and do the almond cake, but some sort of cherries along side it.

[@BrittanyRogan]

I made this cake for my mom’s birthday and we all loved it. I used homemade almond paste (King Arthur Baking’s recipe), subbed turbinado sugar for the Demerara as that’s what I had on hand, and Country Crock plant-based butter. I will definitely make it again!

[@triggerfish9967]

"It truly is my favourite cake in the entire book" Claire, stop lying to us!!!

[@sabrinachu7754]

I made this with several substitutions but it still came out utterly delicious! Used Gluten-free flour blend (almond flour, coconut flour, tapioca and arrowroot starch), homemade almond paste, rum in place of amaretto, and reduced the sugar in the cake to 2/3. It's like a giant crunchy almond florentine topped with a giant almond frangipane cake! A generous sprinkle of flaky salt over the crunchy almonds is highly recommended. The only issue was the cake domed quite a fair bit so had to slice off to level it, but makes for a sneaky bakers snack ;)

[@keturahstanley8929]

Dutch oven worked great for this CAKE! ❤️👏

[@memuller]

Dear Claire and team, please please if you can, do an episode on how do you "hack" your recepies, not just to use less ingredients (sugars of fat), but what to keep in mind regarding the final texture, consistency, etc. As usual, love every single episode. ❤

[@MilaArmstrong]

beginning was so funny!

[@ambevil]

I love Claire.

[@BeatrizFerreira-xj9nc]

I WANT TO MAKE THIS SO BAD

[@ozzymars]

I DIDN'T KNOW YOU HAD A CHANNEL! I missed you and now I'm gunna binge your videos 🙏

[@CSaffitz]

Hope you enjoy!

[@hailynewma9122]

i guess this will be my bday cake this year … thanks ..- and an excuse to buy some amaretto

[@reneelandgrebe8634]

My cake is in the oven now 🙌

[@angelwild5665]

I love baked foods with almond paste in them! Thank you for sharing! 062323

[@MegaRellik]

Great stuff

[@rahwawoldeyesus865]

Made this the other day! Amazing flavor. I had trouble timing when it was done. Ended up keeping it in the oven 10 extra minutes. And it was slightly overdone.

[@taemoney86]

I was sold the moment you said Amaretto ❤😂😂😂

[@Dethikah]

I'm not usually a big fan of almondy, marzipany stuff, but you've got me really curious for this one 😋

[@Stickydatepuddin]

let me know if you ended up making! not a fan of marzipan either but very curious for this cake also !!

[@danielcasas2010]

Intermingling and shingling ~*

[@mzzohh]

Looks delicious! I wonder if individual cakes could be made in a muffin tin?

[@MrGamerCaptain]

never heard of this! looks nice, love nuts

[@Hollis_has_questions]

Around Thanksgiving time, grocery stores have cranberry relish. I typically get a cranberry orange relish and reduce it on the stovetop with date sugar and balsamic vinegar. I like to serve it somewhat hot, on top of a warm slice of pound cake bread pudding in a pasta bowl that's first layered with some cold cream. That way, the temperature range goes from cold to warm to hot. I think that this amazing cake could also be presented with layered temperatures, with the relish reduction or your roasted plums (or apricots!) as the hot topping. I wonder if semolina could be used in this cake? When you think of what it does to a pizza crust ... I'd also steal a roasted apricot topping flavored with honey and green cardamom from the FALASTIN cookbook. But I'd maybe use burnt honey.

[@peterk822]

Swapping the amaretto for cherry liqueur is a nice variant.

[@kjdude8765]

Or go with a Maraschino liqueur to split the difference.

[@abderia.9356]

Claire, this cake is a masterpiece. Can you grate the almond paste to help it mix?

[@zeeb5204]

the mmm verdicts everytime 😂

[@cassidyjones8740]

that egg edit was the best thing i’ve ever seen

[@keops02]

Loved the discussion about scissors at 5:27 😂

[@eugenebezpalko1631]

Is there a way to substitute almond paste?

[@amnesiaagirl9527]

i want to make this so bad

[@ChristineRebeccaHamilton]

I looove almond I will be making this as soon as I can. Also, Claire I live in high altitude in Colorado, is it possible for you to bake specifically something that’s is fool proof for high altitude? I have issues baking up here! 😅 ❤

[@jenicawoitowicz8895]

I’ve made this cake twice now to rave reviews!! The flavour can’t be beat. I did make a couple changes: I add some turbinado sugar on the top layer for added crunch, and I found that toasting the almonds in the microwave as opposed to the oven leads to less burnt almonds 😂

[@solasidope]

Question! When to use cake flour instead of AP flour in baking?

[@marciawalsh9653]

I want to make this for a get-together but am afraid it won’t be enough. Any pan suggestions for making a bigger cake? 9x13? 10” springform?

[@munizaansari8920]

I love aloud recipes as well as yours. Could u tell me an alternative of almond paste so in case I can’t find it. Would love to try this recipe of yours. Thanks

[@kjdude8765]

You can make your own, it's pretty easy. 200g almond flour, 180 g powdered sugar blended in a food processor. Add 2 tsp Almond Extract and 1 egg white. Wrap into a log and let sit overnight in the fridge before using.

[@suzannebrown945]

Thank you…..❤

[@elodietrepanier-capistran9605]

What substitute would you use in that recipe for the eggs?

[@got2bjosh]

Knew this would be a tasty dessert.

[@NotContinuum]

Thank you for telling us how to substitute the amaretto. Some people can't have alcohol in their baked goods, including children who can't go buy any and recovering alcoholics.

[@heikeferdinandt7258]

❤❤❤

[@kakashiluver17]

Anyone know what company that baking cake pan is? Its so cute and well made

[@BrittanyRogan]

Looks like Great Jones!

[@MeSoyCapitan]

I've not been seeing your videos in my feed anymore, just realised it's been ages since I saw one of your videos and searched your channel. I've been subscribed since you started the channel so no idea why.

[@_brianhamilton]

This looks incredible! If I were to make a gluten free version, would you still recommend against using almond flour? Would I be better off using AP GF flour?

[@haarkel]

I've been straight out subbing Bob's Red Mill 1-1 (blue bag) for AP and nobody can tell it's GF.

[@anthonydolio8118]

I want a slice right now please. Thanks.

[@WhenYoureAlexa]

It’s like you read my mind, I was just thinking of making an almond cake

[@ddllat]

A+ on the four egg edit :)

[@harvestmoon_autumnsky]

Yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[@user-ts5uk1kl7w]

I can’t find almond paste in the uk, can I use marzipan as an alternative or something like ground almonds?

[@user-xi5jj3ue3u]

Just substitute the almond paste for 100g of ground almonds and 100g of powdered sugar and continue the recipe normally.

[@culinarycoach7673]

I've never used amaretto. Is this a liqueur or an extract? I looked online and saw both. Not sure which one to use.

[@QuillingLover]

What can be substituted for almond paste ? Its not available in my country 😭

[@Jay.1106]

As an Almond lover - this is gold! A small request - but could you also suggest what alternatives could be used for eggs. As a Vegetarian sometimes it limits options for good working substitutes.

[@monicasantiago9602]

I usually use a 1:3 ratio of ground flax seed and water per egg when I substitute out eggs (just let it sit for a couple of minutes after mixing them together), but I’ve heard that the liquid from a chickpea can is good too! I’m not sure of the ratio for that one though, you might have to look it up :)

[@Jay.1106]

@@monicasantiago9602 thank you so much ☺️

[@monicasantiago9602]

@@Jay.1106 anytime 😊

[@magpiedc]

where is this cake pan from?

[@mushkieneubort9264]

Can I use marzipan instead of the paste? - I have some I need to use up

[@user-vx1ny9wq2m]

Can I use almond flour instead of ap flour just for the extra almond?

[@carlanthonysantander761]

I really wanna try these desserts but we have no oven 😬

[@petere3280]

This looks amazing but I have been unable to find Almond paste in Australia. Wish you included options/alternatives e.g. Marizpane, almond flour or almond meal. All time favourite almond dessert is Rhubarb and Almond pie

[@kjdude8765]

You can make your own, it's pretty easy. 200g almond flour, 180 g powdered sugar blended in a food processor. Add 2 tsp Almond Extract and 1 egg white. Wrap into a log and let sit overnight in the fridge before using.

[@graziwidman]

Here where I leave (Sao Paulo- Brazil) there is no Almond Paste. Can I make it at home? Love all your recipes (the Fruit Tart is my husband favorite desert ever).

[@kjdude8765]

You can make your own, it's pretty easy. 200g almond flour, 180 g powdered sugar blended in a food processor. Add 2 tsp Almond Extract and 1 egg white. Wrap into a log and let sit overnight in the fridge before using.

[@hailynewma9122]

i just tried this and am surprised by how soft that cake is where I live there are no almond paste rolls. only what is called almond butter, which is grinded almonds. but that’s more liquid, not a paste so i substituted the paste and the sugar with marzipan and mixed some almond butter in too, just for fun. you can crate the marzipan if it‘s not soft enough turned out yummy thank you

[@tmack5975]

I have finally found Claire again! Didn't even know she had her own channel now 😭

[@CSaffitz]

Welcome!

[@filipekc]

Drinking game: get hammered every time Claire says that the recipe she’s doing in a video is her favorite from the book

[@hopecasais2492]

I notice you use Irish butter. If I use a higher water content US butter, do I need to change anything else in the recipe to compensate?

[@kriss1750]

I've used it in so many dessert recipes, and I haven't made any changes to the recipe itself. Everything has always turned out perfectly! My experience using Irish butter, only.

[@RaN189111]

I'm having a hard time finding almond paste in my area, and the price is soooo expensive. What can I substitute it with?

[@kjdude8765]

You can make your own, it's pretty easy. 200g almond flour, 180 g powdered sugar blended in a food processor. Add 2 tsp Almond Extract and 1 egg white. Wrap into a log and let sit overnight in the fridge before using.