I found this recipe on this fantastic blog called the Daring Gourmet when I was searching for instructions on how to make marzipan at home. This blog has a recipe for marzipan and it was a revelation. It took all of 3 minutes to make and was about 5x more flavorful than the store bought log. It was also significantly cheaper. As I read the recipe for the streusel cake, I could tell it was a winner. I did not have all the stuff needed for it, so I improvised. Instead of using 2 cups of cherries, it used 1 3/4 cup mixed fruits (blueberries, peaches, cherries). I mixed in 2 tsp of strawberry freezer jam into the fruit mix to enhance the flavors of some rather dull tasting blueberries. I substituted the buttermilk with full fat yogurt. Finally, I took out the vanilla extract and added almond extract because a cake cannot be almondy enough for me.
Marzipan:
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup almond meal (I used Bob’s Red Mill)
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tsp almond extract.
1 egg white.
Method:
Whiz the almond meal and pwd. sugar in the food processor, stir in almond extract and the egg white. Pulse till the marzipan comes together and resembles pie dough. The original recipe called for rosewater, which I don’t like. So I skipped it.
The recipe also says that this can be stored in the fridge for 6 weeks and longer in the freezer. I simple made half a recipe and used it all up for the cake. If you do this, then the egg white cooks with the cake and you don’t have raw egg issues. You can do this if are squeamish about raw eggs or you can just buy the marzipan (not the same as almond paste).
Marzipan Streusel Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
½ cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
⅓ cup Marzipan
1 egg
½ cup yogurt (the original recipe calls for buttermilk)
1 teaspoon pure almond extract (the original recipe calls for vanilla)
1½ cup all-purpose unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups fresh cherries, pitted and halved (I used a mix of fruits because that is what I had at home)
For the Streusel:
½ cup all-purpose unbleached flour
½ cup sugar
⅓ cup Marzipan (see recipe above), crumbled
4 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
Powdered sugar for dusting (I did not use).
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9 inch springform.
2. Make the streusel:
a) Combine the flour and sugar in a medium bowl. Add the marzipan and butter and use your fingers to combine the mixture until it resembles sandy clumps. Set aside.
3. Make the cake:
a) Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together for several minutes until light and fluffy. Add the marzipan and almond extract and beat until combined. Add the egg and beat until combined.
b) Then add the yogurt, almond extract and marzipan. Beat till combined with the butter-sugar mix. The mixture will be grainy.
c) In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
d) Stir the flour mixture into the batter about a 1/3 at a time and mix well. Do not overmix.
e) Spoon the mixture into the greased springform, smoothing the top.
f) Mix the prepared fruit with the jam and place on top of the batter, then sprinkle the streusel topping over it.
g) Bake on the middle rack for 45-55 minutes or until a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Mine took 55 min (maybe because I added the jam).
h) Let the cake sit in the springform for 10-30 minutes before removing, then allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
Once cooled, sift powdered sugar over the top (I did not do this).
Link to the original recipe is below.
Read more: http://www.daringgourmet.com/2014/07/01/cherry-marzipan-streusel-cake/#ixzz37HELtAKm
Four Clan Kitchen 