Vanilla almond loaf

Christmas happens to be just around the corner and that's more than a reason for me to throw on my mittens, wrap up an apron, sip  wine and spend the Sunday lingering of christmas bakes whilst gaining a few extra pounds to give due justice to my most favourite time of the year. The recipe I'm posting today is of a rustic dry cake loaf, the texture of which resembles more to a bread over a cake.  I picked up this recipe from a small village named Ahore, in the interiors of Rajasthan, where our host treated us to a tweaked version of this cake and I couldn't resist jotting it down and sharing it with all of you. The loaf is perfect to begin feeling christmas-y already. I had my first slice post dinner with plain cream spread on the slice and paired it with merlot and trust me, a nice crisp almond crust, warm vanilla tingling the tastebuds and the earthy notes of the wine complemented each other beyond my expectations. The cake is light and beautiful in texture, you may enjoy its as it is or have it with a warm cup of black tea or coffee.

INGREDIENTS :

• 250 gms Flour (Maida), for a healthier alternative you can make it 125 gms of whole wheat flour and 125 gms of cake flour.
• 250 gms Granulated sugar 
• 100 gms clarified butter (ghee)
• 1.5 tsp baking powder 
• 6 eggs
• 1 vanilla stick/ 7-8 drops of vanilla essence/ 3-4 drops of vanilla extract
• 4 tbsp almond flakes

METHOD:

• Pre-heat the oven at 180 degrees.
• Grease a 9 inch loaf tin with clarified butter (ghee) and sprinkle flour on the edges of the tin.
• Whisk together the sugar and clarified butter, until it reaches a creamy texture, 2 minutes with an electronic whisk, 3-4 minutes if whisking by hand.
• Add in the eggs, 2 at a time and keep whisking until combined well, you will see an airy batter with small bubbles on the surface.
• Slit the vanilla stick, scrape out the vanilla, mix it into the mixture, or add the vanilla essence to the mixture.
• Sieve the flour and baking powder into the mixture while whisking, do it gradually in three parts.
• Fold in 2 tbsp of the almond lakes into the mixture.
• Spoon the mixture into the greased tin. Sprinkle the remaining two tbsp of almond flakes on the batter.
• Bake at 180 degrees for 45-55 minutes depending on your oven, or until skewer comes clean.