almond joy

this post is about almond joy. nope, not the candy. just almond and the joy it brings in baked goods.

almonds and nuts in general are pretty tricky to bake with. you have allergies to avoid and very particular flavors to work with.

in fact, some people highly dislike walnuts, almonds and other nuts in their baked goods. i highly dislike nuts in my ice cream. but, hey, that’s just me.

when it comes to desserts, walnuts and hazelnuts are my favorite. almond not so much. well, i shouldn’t say that. i love almonds in my desserts. just not the fake type.

you know that almond extract stuff they sell everywhere? no, thanks! it tastes like i’m eating plastic almonds… you get the idea.

i decided to challenge that fake almond flavor by experimenting on my own. and boom! it worked. and without the extract :)

almond cake is now one my favorites besides red velvet, of course!

this almond cake is not only moist but so flavorful, hearty and it tastes like an actual almond. it’s almond in a cake ;) this is a perfect flavor for a wedding, first communion or just a party. and now with the holidays upon us, it’s a perfect festive flavor that gives you a break from the typical pumpkin or gingerbread.

since the cake is sweet and salty, i paired it with white chocolate buttercream and salted caramel drizzle.

here are some photos to show you the final product. what about you? are you a baked good nuts type of person? wait, that didn’t come out right. haha. the word nuts is just funny ;)

{p.s. i will make almond joy cupcakes soon, because it just sounds amazing}