Sweet Sensation, Sinsation...sounds like a song, or a Dori cake

Dori Greenspan, you have put us on to something that is so simple, so quick to make, a minimalist recipe indeed. I like the hands-on technique of taking your fingers and rubbing the sugar with the lemon zest. You really can smell the flavor. This cake has a rich buttery, almondy flavor with a hint of lemon and is topped with sliced amonds with a little sugar to make a crusty top. You will love serving this to drop-in visitors. It is almost ready in the time it will take you to make a pot of coffee or tea.





Swedish Visiting Cake (adapted from Baking, From My Home to Yours)

Makes 8 to 10 servings


1 cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
About 1/4 cup sliced almonds (blanched or not)


Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Butter a seasoned 9-inch cast-iron skillet or other heavy ovenproof skillet, a 9-inch cake pan or even a pie pan.


Pour the sugar into a medium bowl.  Add the zest and blend the zest and sugar together with your fingertips until the sugar is moist and aromatic.  Whisk in the eggs one at a time until well blended.  Whisk in the salt and the extracts.  Switch to a rubber spatula and stir in the flour.  Finally, fold in the melted butter.


Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.  Scatter the sliced almonds over the top and sprinkle with a little sugar.  If you're using a cake or pie pan, place the pan on a baking sheet.


Bake the cake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until it is golden and a little crisp on the outside; the inside will remain moist.  Remove the pan from the oven and let the cake cool for 5 minutes, then run a thin knife around the sides and bottom of the cake to loosen it.  You can serve the cake warm or cooled, directly from the skillet or turned out onto a serving plate.