Swiss Rueblitorte: Moist Aargau Carrot and Almond Cake with Lemon Glaze and Marzipan

Heat the oven to 350 F (175 C). Butter a 9-inch (24 cm) springform pan and line the base with parchment.

Serves 12

Ingredients

• 5 large eggs, separated
• 1 1/4 cups (250 g) granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 1/2 cups (250 g) finely ground almonds (almond flour)
• 2 1/4 cups (250 g) finely grated carrots (about 4 medium), squeezed lightly
• 1/2 cup (60 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 tablespoons kirsch or apple juice
• For the glaze: 1 1/2 cups (180 g) powdered sugar and 2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• For decoration: 3 oz (85 g) marzipan, orange and green food coloring

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350 F (175 C). Butter a 9-inch (24 cm) springform pan and line the base with parchment.
2. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar and lemon zest in a large bowl using an electric mixer for 4 to 5 minutes, until thick, pale and ribbony. Beat in the lemon juice and kirsch.
3. Fold in the ground almonds and grated carrots. Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves and salt over the top and fold gently until combined. The batter will be thick.
4. In a clean bowl with clean beaters, whip the egg whites to soft, glossy peaks. Stir one-third into the carrot batter to loosen it, then fold in the rest in two additions, keeping as much air as possible.
5. Scrape into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until deep golden and a skewer in the center comes out clean. If the top browns too fast, tent loosely with foil for the last 15 minutes.
6. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, release the sides and cool completely on a rack. For the best texture, wrap and rest the cake overnight; it becomes moister and the flavors deepen.
7. Make the glaze: whisk the powdered sugar with enough lemon juice to form a thick but pourable icing. Pour over the top of the cake and nudge it toward the edges so it drips down the sides. Let it set for 30 minutes.
8. Knead orange food coloring into most of the marzipan and green into a small piece. Shape 12 little carrots with green tops and arrange them around the edge of the cake, one per slice.
9. Slice with a hot knife and serve with whipped cream or a cup of coffee. The cake keeps, covered, for 4 to 5 days and only gets better.
10. Rueblitorte, literally little carrot cake, comes from the canton of Aargau in northern Switzerland, where it was first written down in a Kaiseraugst cookbook in 1892. Long before carrot cake became an American cream-cheese-frosted dessert, Swiss bakers were using grated carrots and ground almonds, with almost no flour, to produce a cake that stays moist for days. It is a staple of autumn harvest tables and Swiss birthday parties alike, and the row of marzipan carrots on top is as traditional as the cake itself.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 395 kcal
• Protein: 9g
• Fat: 17g
• Carbohydrates: 53g
• Fiber: 4g
• Sugar: 44g
• Sodium: 120mg