This recipe goes by a few different names including Swedish Almond Cake, Tosca Cake (or Toscakaka) and Nordic Cake. It’s a rich butter and vanilla flavored cake with a baked on topping composed of almonds, sugar and cream.
I’d never heard of it until last year, when a Texas Co-op Power reader entered the recipe into monthly contest where the theme was culinary heritage. So Tosca Cake was introduced to me as Swedish, but it is popular in other Scandinavian countries as well. And there’s more than one way to make it! It is often described as “a light sponge cake”, but this version is crumbly and buttery. I usually make it in a 9 inch round cake pan, but it can also be made in a deep dish pie plate.
I’ve also tested it in a 9 inch round cast iron skillet, but had some sinkage issues so reverted back to the cake pan. However, I’m going to try it again in the skillet because it had really crispy edges.
Here’s the recipe as I made it, and you can also find a similar one over on Food.com. I also found one on this Swedish cooking site that uses almond flour. I’ll have to try that, but for now, we’re happy with this one.
Swedish Almond Cake or Tosca Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour use a 5 oz/150 gram cup
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. salt or 1/2 teaspoon if using unsalted butter
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup sugar 200 grams
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1 stick 4 oz salted butter, melted (110 grams)
Topping
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup blanched sliced almonds
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9×2 inch cake pan or a deep dish 9 inch round pie plate and dust with flour OR sprinkle with breadcrumbs.
- Sift together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. Whisking it together works, too.
- In a mixing bowl, using a handheld mixer, beat together eggs and sugar until thick and yellow. Beat in the vanilla.
- Add the flour and milk alternately to the egg mixture, stirring until blended
- Stir in the melted butter. Don’t forget!
- Pour batter into pan and bake for 30 minutes or until cake tests done (springs back).
- While the cake is baking, make topping: In a sauce pan, combine almonds with softened butter, sugar, heavy cream, and flour and stir until mixed.
- Put mixture over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and let cool, stirring occasionally, while cake continues baking. Stir in the vanilla.
- After cake has baked for 30 minutes and tests done, remove from oven.
- Increase oven’s heat to 375 degrees — I usually do this about 3 minutes before I remove the cake from the oven (or after 27 minutes).
- Spread almond topping gently over top of cake and place cake on a cookie sheet. Return to oven and bake 10 minutes longer or until the top is golden brown and bubbly.
Anna
Hi Angie,
Thanks for trying it and thanks for the kind words :). And glad you liked the cake. As for the topping, I keep thinking I might try it on some other cake, but I haven’t yet gone beyond this one.
Angie
Anna, this cake was easy to put together. I had all of the ingredients at home ( a minor miracle!)
My family really enjoyed it. It is delicious!
The topping is my favorite part although the cake is buttery and tender.
You’ve done it again…I love trying your recipes! Thank you
Maria @ kitchenathoskins
I always love cakes with the addition of nuts, may be because it just makes it a touch guilt-free. Lovely cake
Anna
Gloria, the topping is very good. Even if you don’t like the cake you can still use the topping.
Stephanie, thanks! I kept thinking the other name was “Carrying Cake” but it’s “Visiting Cake”. I’m sure Dorie’s is a little different than this one. Hers might even be better, but this is the only one I’ve ever tried and I like it so much I don’t want to try another one…..which is weird, for me!
Stephanie
Ohhh! This looks like Dorie G’s Swedish Visiting Cake. I must try it! Thanks!
Gloria
I like cakes with nuts, but the nuts usually sink in thin cake batter. You solved that issue! I know this would change the authenticity of it, but I’ll bet some orange extract or almond extract might be good in it too!! I am going to share this with my Scandinavian friends.
Sonya
Yummy!
Marsha M-SOCAL
This looks wonderful. I will be trying this one soon.
Anna
One thing I’ve discovered is that this cake is still great on Day 2 and Day 3. I usually freeze things, but I put this in a zipper bag and just left it on the counter. If anything, it has improved.
Sue
That looks delicious.
Kathleen
Anna, I’m Norwegian and have had a similar version of this cake. Thanks for the recipe. I am looking forward to trying it.