Swedish Visiting Cake

1 cup white sugar, plus extra for sprinkling

Grated zest of 1 lemon (or a squirt of lemon juice, if you don't happen to have fresh lemons lying around)

2 large eggs

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract (or imitation, if you're too poor to buy the real thing :)

1 cup all-purpose flour (I use half whole-wheat)

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled (I use margarine for half and replace the other half with ground flax seed meal)

About 1/4 cup sliced almonds (blanched or not) (optional--especially if your husband is allergic)

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 cake pan or even a pie pan.

Pour the sugar into a medium bowl.  Add the zest and blend the zest and sugar together with your fingertips 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.  Switch to a rubber spatula and stir in the flour.  Finally, fold in the melted butter.

Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.  Scatter the sliced almonds over the top and sprinkle with a little sugar.  If you'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.  Remove the pan 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.

Makes 8 to 10 servings

 
-Jennifer Ricks (adapted from Dorie Greenspan's original in Baking, From My Home to Yours)