Swedish Visiting Cake

I had seen this lovely little cake all around the internet, but was inspired by Brenda of Brenda's Canadian Kitchen.  

I'm sure there's some quaint little history behind this cake and it's name, but I couldn't find it.  I can tell you, it's delicious, moist, and best of all, easy.  I know I'd be tickled if I was visited by Swedes bearing this cake.

Here's the recipe from Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From My Home To Yours, found at Brenda's site :)

1 cup sugar, plus a little more for sprinkling

grated zest of one lemon

2 large eggs

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract*

1/2 tsp. pure almond extract*

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 stick (8 tablespoons or 1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

about 1/4 cup sliced almonds (blanched or not)

*although the extracts are optional, I do not recommend leaving either one out.

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 round cake pan or even a pie pan.

Pour the sugar into a medium bowl.  Add the lemon zest and blend the zest into the sugar with your fingers 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, if your're using them.  Switch to a rubber spatula and stir in the flour.  Finally, fold in the melted butter.

Scrape the batter into the skillet and smooth the top with the rubber spatula.  Scatter the sliced almonds over the top and sprinkle with a little sugar.  If your'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, even, as Ingela says, "slightly damp".  Remove the skillet 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.

Serving:

The cake is good eaten warm or at room temperature. Either way, it is meant to be cut into small wedges and eaten sans forks - this is a finger cake.

Storing:

The cake is an excellent keeper. Well wrapped, it will keep for about 5 days at room temperature or for up to 2 months in the freezer.

up close and personal