Almond Cakes

Directions

1. 1
   Preheat oven to 325°F
2. 2
   Butter two 16-ounce ramekins and dust them with flour. Line the bottom of each ramekin with a round of parchment paper.
3. 3
   Combine sugar, almond paste, and half of your flour (only 1/4 cup) in a medium bowl and break, crumble, and sift with your hands until the almond paste is broken up into pea size bits.
4. 4
   In a small bowl combine the other half of your flour (1/4 cup), baking powder, and salt. Gently stir with a fork or your fingers to mix well.
5. 5
   Add olive oil and vanilla extract to medium bowl with almond paste mixture and stir until it reaches a gritty smooth state.
6. 6
   Add eggs, one at a time, to medium bowl, stirring well after each egg.
7. 7
   Sprinkle half of the flour mixture over wet ingredients and stir gently, just to combine. Do not over-mix. Repeat with remaining flour mixture.
8. 8
   Divide batter evenly between your two prepared ramekins. Bake cakes for approximately 45 minutes or until the tops reach a deep brown color and spring back when pressed in the center.
9. 9
   Remove cakes from oven and run a knife around the perimeter of each ramekin to loosen the cakes.
10. 10
    Allow cakes to cool completely in ramekins and they should slip out easily. Peel away parchment paper and you are all set. Dusting with confectioners sugar is optional. Each cake can be sliced into 4 petite slices.