ALMOND BUTTER CAKE or BARS

These are easy and delicious. They are a riff on a Marion Cunningham recipe. Would be a great dessert to have on hand for drop-in holiday visitors, since it keeps for a week at room temperature and would be delicious served with coffee, tea, or hot chocolate. Also a great recipe for kids to learn baking.

Almond Butter Cake or Bars
Serves 12

¾ cup butter

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

2 large eggs

½ teaspoon salt

1 ½ teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ cup almond meal

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

½ cup sliced almonds

1. Using microwave, melt butter in medium-sized mixing bowl. Let butter cool until it is no longer hot—better yet, don’t let it get hot in the first place.

2. Add the 1 ½ cups granulated sugar and stir until smooth.

3. Add eggs, one at a time, stirring well after each addition.

4. Add salt, almond extract, and vanilla extract and stir until combined.

5. Add almond meal and stir well.

6. Add all-purpose flour and stir until combined.

7. Pour batter into buttered 9-inch cake pan to make thin cake slices or into buttered 11x7-inch cake pan to make bars that are thinner than cake.

8. Sprinkle cake or bars with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar.

9. Sprinkle sliced almonds over the sugar layer.

10. Bake in 350°F. oven for 30 to 40 minutes. When done, the cake or bars should be light brown on top and a few sticky crumbs should stick to toothpick inserted into center.

11. Let cool at least 30 minutes. However, the cake or bars are better after allowed to sit 12 hours or more. Cut into thin wedges.

12. Leftovers store well if wrapped in foil or sealed in a plastic bag. Can freeze indefinitely.

NOTE: These were good when made in an 8-inch square pan, but they seemed too thick. If 11x7-inch pan doesn’t work well for bars, try a 9-inch square pan. Cake wedges can be served with fresh fruit, such as strawberries or apples. Might try cake wedges with a dollop of whipped cream.