Recipe by Helen Dollaghan from the March 31, 1985, edition of The Denver Post. Great for dessert or brunch. After first rise, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Makes 1 cake.
Ingredients
1 stick ( 1/2 cup) butter
3/4 cup sugar, plus extra, divided
1 teaspoon salt
1 package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (115 degrees)
1/2 cup warm milk
4 eggs
3 1/2 cups flour
1 cup almond paste
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup roasted almonds, finely chopped
Directions
Cream butter with 1/4 cup sugar and salt. Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add a pinch of sugar. Let stand until bubbly. Add milk, yeast, eggs and flour to creamed mixture. Mix well. Cover, and let rise about one hour and 45 minutes or until doubled.
Combine almond paste, 1/2 cup sugar, cocoa and almond extract. Generously butter an 8-cup tube pan. Sprinkle with almonds and one tablespoon sugar. Stir dough down, and place 1/3 of it in pan, building up around tube. Sprinkle with half of almond paste mixture. Repeat, ending with dough. With floured hands, press edges of dough against sides of pan to seal. Bake in preheated 400-degree oven about 45 minutes or until cake sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from pan. Cool. Makes 1 cake.
*Each week, we uncover a favorite from The Denver Post vault — this week, chocolate-almond yeast cake. Warning: This cake disappears fast.
