Heavenly

I didn't let my chocolate ban keep me from making something super-yummy for book club last week. My mother-in-law made this for us when she visited last summer and I've been waiting for just the right time to make it again. It's fabulous. Seriously heavenly and almost as good as chocolate.

The original recipe can be found here, but I've made a few adjustments, to make the cake layers just a bit thicker.

Raspberry Almond Torte

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cup butter or margarine
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
5 eggs
1 1/3 cup milk
3/4 cup seedless red raspberry jam

*Almond filling:

One 7 or 8 oz. can almond paste

1/3 cup butter

2 tablespoons milk

*Whip Cream frosting:

1 cup whipping cream

1/4 powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Sliced almonds, toasted

fresh raspberries

1. Grease and lightly flour two 9x1-1/2-inch round baking pans. Set aside.

2. Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Set aside. Beat butter or margarine with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar and vanilla; beat until well mixed.

3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add dry mixture and milk alternately to sugar mixture, beating after each addition (batter may appear curdled). Spread batter into prepared pans.

4. Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until wooden toothpicks inserted in the centers come out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans. Cool completely on wire racks.

5. Cut each cake in half horizontally. Stir the jam. To assemble, spread one cake layer with one-third of the Almond Filling, then with 1/4 cup of jam. Repeat layering with the cake layers, Almond Filling, and jam two more times. Top with final cake layer. Cover cake tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate 6 hours or overnight.

6. Before serving, frost with whipped cream and garnish with sliced almonds and fresh raspberries, if desired. Makes 16 - 20 servings.

*Almond Filling: Crumble almond paste in a mixing bowl. Add 1/3 cup softened butter; beat with an electric mixer on low speed. Add milk; beat until smooth.

*Whipped Cream Frosting: With mixer, beat whipping cream until almost stiff. Add sugar and vanilla. (Kelsey has a great whip cream tutorial if you want some good pointers.)