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Swedish Tosca Cake is a buttery cake topped with a sweet and crunchy almond praline.
Tosca Cake is a Swedish almond cake, also called Toscakaka. It is a buttery sponge cake topped with a sweet almond and sugar mixture that bakes up into a crunchy praline, candy-like topping that is absolutely delicious.
We found the recipe in an article over on NPR, where the author was preparing this Tosca Cake for a Summer Solstice party (aka midsommar). In doing my research on this recipe, I also read that it is often served at Christmastime, and I’ve even seen this recipe referred to as a ‘visiting cake.’
No matter what you call this cake, it’s really very special and meant to be shared. It is also believed that the name “Tosca Cake” was inspired by Puccini’s Tosca opera.
How do you make Tosca Cake?
This cake is actually quite easy to make. You’ll starting by mixing up a simple, buttery vanilla-infused sponge cake batter.
One thing to note: Be sure to avoid over-mixing the batter once the dry ingredients are added to the wet ingredients. This will ensure that the cake stays soft and tender as it bakes. You can use a mixer (on low speed) or even mix the batter by hand.
You’ll partially bake the cake in a springform pan. Part way through, you’ll spoon a hot, sweet, sliced almond-sugar mixture over the top of the batter which creates that wonderful crackly topping. The cake is baked until set and the almond praline topping is lightly golden.
How to serve this cake
Cool your Tosca Cake completely, loosen the outer ring of your springform pan and transfer the cake to a serving platter or cake plate. Slice and serve with whipped cream and fresh strawberries, or any other favorite summertime fruit.
This Tosca Cake has a wonderful almond flavor and that crackly sweet topping is absolutely delicious!
You may enjoy these other cake recipes:
- Apple Dapple Cake
- Cream Cheese Apple Cake
- Tres Leches Cake
- Blueberry Pudding Cake
- Nanny’s Black Midnight Cake
We love seeing what you made! Tag us on Instagram at @afamilyfeast or hashtag #afamilyfeast so we can see your creations!
Swedish Tosca Cake
Adapted from NPR
Ingredients
Cake
Butter and flour, to prepare the pan
1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup whole milk
3 large eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
Topping
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Pinch of kosher salt
1 cup sliced almonds
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Serving
Whipped cream, optional
Fresh strawberries, optional
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan, then line the pan with a round piece of parchment paper. Butter the paper top, but no need to flour it. Set the pan aside.
In a small saucepan, melt 8 tablespoons of butter. Set aside to cool – you’ll want it warm enough to be liquidy, but not hot.
While the butter cools, sift together flour, baking powder and kosher salt into a medium bowl. Set aside.
In a small bowl, mix the melted and cooled butter, vanilla, and milk. Set this aside too.
In a mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugar together on high speed for several minutes, until the mixture is pale and thick.
On low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and the butter mixture to the egg mixture – mixing after each addition just until blended* – and ending with the flour mixture. *To achieve a soft, tender cake, it’s important not to overmix the batter. You can also fold the ingredients together by hand if you prefer.
Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes – at this point the top of the cake will be just barely set.
While the cake is baking, make the topping. In a saucepan, combine butter, sugar, cream, flour and salt. Place the sauce pan over medium-high burner, stirring constantly as the butter melts. Once the butter has fully melted, add the almonds, then stir again, bringing the mixture to a simmer. Simmer for 1 minute, then remove from the heat and stir in the almond and vanilla extracts.
Once the cake has baked for 20 to 25 minutes, carefully remove it from the oven. Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees F. Gently spoon on the almond mixture over the cake, making sure to evenly distribute the topping all the way to the edges.
Place the cake back into the oven, and bake for another 15 minutes or so, until the topping is lightly golden brown.
Cool the cake completely on a rack. With a thin, sharp knife, loosen any of the topping that may have stuck to the edges of the springform pan. Remove the springform ring and place the cake on a platter for serving.
Slice and serve with whipped cream and fresh strawberries on the side if you’d like.
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Delicious! I did it as prescribed and the cake was yummy!
Thank you Maire!
The glaze didn’t come out well at all. 2 tablespoons of flour is just too much and made the mixture thick. When baking it the almonds were buried in the flour mixture and didn’t brown at all. A table spoon of flour should be enough. Next time I’ll try that. Very disappointed actually
Sorry you were disappointed. We followed the original recipe from NPR which also used two tablespoons and didn’t see the same issue.
Mine didn’t get much rise, the topping became hard and crunchy, perfect if u like that sorta thing.
Hi Crissy – yes, the topping is meant to be hard and crunchy. Sorry you were disappointed.
Am definitely going to make this cake had it a long time ago it was delish, looking at the recipe can tell it will bè just as good if not better
Hope you enjoy it Jan!
I love this cake and was delighted to find your recipe. Most recipes don’t include that little extra flavour of almond essence, it makes all the difference. Thank you…am going to look at your other recipes now
So glad you enjoyed the cake Penny – we’re glad you found us! 🙂
interesting, thank you for sharing this recipe, had never tried this cake before, really nice flavors, different than what I’m used to, much appreciated!
Thank you Sabrina!