Almond Cake – A Lactose Free torte that gives you energy for many hours!

I might not be very skilled at cake decorations but I promise you this cake not only does it tastes amazing but it is also an exceptional energy booster!

Christina’s Almond Cake - the lactose free energy booster!

I won’t deny I have a sweet tooth but I’m always trying to come up with healthy dessert ideas and this cake is just that!

What a pleasant surprise this cake was when I first made it to discover that not only does it quenches my sweet tooth cravings with its exceptional taste, but also gives me an energy boost for many hours!

Almond cakes and almond pastries were very popular in Greece during the 90s and every pastry shop had them on display! They were made with a vanilla cream filling topped with whipped cream, roasted almond flakes, and sour cherries on top. Some old-fashioned pastry shops in Greece still have them as they still remain a popular pastry/cake/dessert to this day.

I use Almond milk and vegetable-based whipping cream in my recipe so this cake is lactose-free.

Ingredients you will need to make this Almond cake and their cost

For this Almond cake you will need:

1L Almond milk – 3€
10 eggs – 2€
120g Almond Flakes – 2€
4 vanilla capsules – 1€
500ml Whipping cream, vegetable based – 2€
Cornstarch – 1€
All purpose Flour – 1.5€
Sugar plain – 1€
Icing sugar – 0,70€
1 lemon – 0,20€
2 Tbsp cognac or brandy are optional

Total: 14,4€

The ingredients cost is estimated according to Greek supermarket prices in the year 2022. For the ingredients that can be sold separately as a unit (such as lemons), I have written the value of one piece but for the ingredients that are sold as a package (such as vanilla capsules), I have written the cost of the package.

The video has subtitles in English, Greek, and more than 30 languages.

Almond Cake – A Lactose Free torte that gives you energy for many hours!

Prep: 5m | Cook: 47m | Rest: 3h | Total: 3h 52m | Yield: 12 piece cake for a 26cm cake tin

Ingredients:

6 Eggs, medium size
135g Sugar, plain
135g all-purpose Flour
1 Vanilla capsule or 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

Beat the eggs with the vanilla on your mixer at high speed and as soon as they start to take volume, add the sugar little by little. Continue beating the eggs until they turn white and triple in volume (It takes about 7-8 minutes from the moment you put the eggs in your mixer till they are ready).
Sift your flour and add it to the eggs stirring with a Mariz (silicone spatula) with light circular movements from the bottom up.
Butter a 26cm cake tin with removable sides. If you prefer you may use margarine or sunflower oil. Place a piece of parchment paper on the bottom and sides of the cake tin.
Bake at 150C /300F, for 35-40 minutes. (Before 30 minutes have passed, do not open the oven door while the sponge cake is baking because it will sink in the center). Check if it is cooked with a toothpick, if it comes out clean it is cooked.
Let it cool in the cake tin that it was baked.
To make it easier to cut and more elastic, cover it with a towel as soon as it cools off, rest it all night, and cut it the next day.

Ingredients:

1L Almond Milk
4 Egg yolks, from medium eggs
90g Cornstarch
25g all-purpose Flour
140g Sugar (½ cup), divided 70+70
2 Vanilla capsules or 2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

Add the Almond milk and half the sugar (70g) to a saucepot over high heat, bring to a boil, and remove from the heat.
Whisk the yolks with the sugar in a bowl and add the cornstarch and the flour.
Pour 2-3 soup spoons from the boiled almond milk slowly into the bowl with the eggs, while constantly whisking, and then pour the bowl mixture into the saucepot with the rest of the almond milk, while it’s off the heat, and mix well.
Put the saucepot back on your stove over medium to high heat (7/9) and stir constantly with a whisk until it thickens and bubbles pop up on the surface.
Add the Almond pastry cream to a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap so that it does not get a crust on top, and let it rest for 30min – 1 hour until it comes to room temperature, and then put it in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to cool it.
I usually make the sponge cake and cream at night and assemble the cake the next day in the morning.

Ingredients:

500ml Whipping cream, vegetable-based
2 Tbsp Icing Sugar
1 Vanilla capsule or 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Instructions:

Add them all together to a mixer and whip at max speed for about 30 seconds until stiff peaks.

Ingredients:

1 cup of Sugar (300g)
¾ cup Water (235g)
1 Tbsp Lemon juice
2 Tbsp Cognac Metaxa* brandy (optional)

Instructions:

Put everything in a saucepan and let it boil over high heat without stirring at all. After it boils, wait 1 minute and turn off the heat.
Use the Syrup by pouring it little by little over the sponge cake after it has cooled off. The syrup should be boiling hot and the sponge cake cold.
Let the sponge cake absorb the syrup for 30 min before you start assembling the cake.

Ingredients:

120g Almond flakes

Instructions:

Add them to a 30cm baking tray with parchment paper and spread them well.
Bake at 200C/400F for 7-8 minutes and they are ready.
Let them cool completely before decorating the cake.

Instructions to Assemble the Almond cake:

Cut the sponge cake in half and place each half on a plate.
Pour the hot syrup little by little over the cold sponge cake.
Let the sponge cake absorb the syrup for 30 minutes and start assembling the cake.
Fluff the Almond cream with a hand mixer at medium speed just before using it.
Add 3/5 of the Almond cream (about 7 Mariz spoonfuls) on top of the sponge cake and save the 2/5 (about 6 Mariz spoonfuls) for later.
Spread the Almond pastry cream on the first sponge leaving about 1 cm on the edges without cream and flatten it with a spatula or knife then place the second cake sponge layer on top.
For the Diplomat Almond pastry cream: Beat the remaining Almond cream (6 Mariz spoonfuls) in the mixer with 6 Mariz* spoonfuls of whipped cream then spread it over the second sponge cake.
Add the remaining whipped cream to a piping bag and place it on top and on the sides of the Almond cake.
Decorate the Almond cake with the roasted Almond flakes and add it to the fridge for at least 2 hours.

Notes:

*I butter the cake tin so that the parchment paper sticks to the walls of the form and it is easier to spread. It also helps with the cleaning of the cake tin later on.
*Cognac can be replaced with whatever alcoholic beverage you have at home or water.
*One Mariz spoonful equals roughly 2 Tbsp.
The sponge cakes might not need all the amount of syrup. I usually end up with 4-5 Tbsp of syrup left in the saucepot.

Did you make this recipe? Or are you planning to make it? Let me know in the comments below, tag me on Instagram @freshpiato or show me your photos on Pinterest!