Swedish Visiting Cake

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan, then set it aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder. Then, in a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, egg, almond extract, vanilla extract and milk. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk to combine them. Pour in the melted butter and whisk until the batter is smooth and lump-free. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.

Step 2

In another large bowl, whisk together the egg whites, almond extract and 1 cup of confectioners' sugar. Add the sliced almonds and stir to combine. Sprinkle the almond mixture evenly on top of the batter. Editor's Tip: Don't worry if the confectioners' sugar doesn't dissolve smoothly into the egg whites. The almond mixture should still be a bit clumpy.

Step 3

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until edges are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Editor's Tip: The best way to add the topping to this cake is to spoon small dollops of the almond topping over the cake batter, then gently spread it into an even layer.

Step 4

Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack. Once cool, dust it with confectioners' sugar and slice it into wedges. Editor's Tip: If you'd like a more elegant presentation of this Swedish visiting cake, let it cool in the pan for 20 minutes and then remove the cake by inverting it onto a serving plate.