Almond Butter Cake

Since today is the last day of September, it seems somewhat fitting for me to take the time to transport you towards the beginning of the month for my brother's birthday. A few months before, he had asked if I would be able to make an Almond Butter Cake as he is a huge fan of almond butter. I gladly took the challenge and was awaiting anxiously for the 12th to come. I figured I could use almost any kind of peanut butter cake recipe since almond butter is made in the same way. Some called me crazy, saying that they didn't think it would work due to the texture difference between the two but I was determined to try it. Especially since cakes make from almond butter are hard to find (though cakes made from butter and almond extract/paste are in an abundance).

Anyway, so the day came I decided to try my own variation of Ms. Paula Dean's Peanut Butter Cake. Now, the reason why I didn't post this recipe right away is because I'm still kind of unsure how this whole cake was received. Granted, people said that they enjoyed it (and/despite it's richness) but when I came time for my brother to go home, he asked if he could leave it here so that he didn't have to carry it while he rode his bike/walked (I don't remember the mode of transportation he took that night, I just know it wasn't a car). I said sure and off he went with his girlfriend and another friend of ours.

 

Fast forward to three days later and the cake was still sitting on our counter...3/4 full. We weren't eating it because we thought my brother was coming back and my brother just never came back despite the fact that we basically live down the street from one another. So come Wednesday I made the executive decision to cut some of the cake and leave it for my brother, eat a couple of pieces ourselves then haul the rest over to Michigan for my family to enjoy as we were making a quick trip to my homestate. By this time, the cake obviously was starting to loose some of it's peak flavors but it was still received well. So was this a success? Um, yes?

Almond Butter Cake
recipe adaptation from Paula Deen's Peanut Butter Cake

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1 cup Almond butter
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 3 eggs

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F if baking with a metal dish; 325 degrees F if using a glass dish.
• Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together. Add graham cracker crumbs
• Cream almond butter and butter together. 

• Add one egg at a time, mixing until combined before adding the next egg. 

• Alternate sifted dry ingredients with milk and vanilla mixture (dry, wet, dry, wet, dry). 
• Beat mixture with electric mixer on low until moistened, and then beat on medium for 2 minutes. 
• Bake in greased 9-inch by 13-inch pan for 30 to 35 minutes.  
• Do not remove from pan to cool.

Now, as far as the frosting goes..that was a headache. I had a very hard time getting it to the texture that I liked so I'm not even sure what I ended up adding here and there. But basically, I creamed almond butter together with a little shortening and chocolate along with some vanilla and almond extract then began to add powdered sugar, heavy cream, and cocoa powder until it was a decent taste and texture