It hasn't been a good week. I've been feeling a little down getting myself to face the reality of just how unfit I am. Well that's the reality I've been facing for the past 15 years of my life. Usually I just laugh it off, but when sometimes the failure is right smack in your face, for me, it becomes a little hard to take in. 

And well not so happy weeks call for food. Like melty goey chocolate chip oatmeal cookies or dark chocolate brownies. Or really any sugary, sweet, rich comforting food. The kind of food that makes the world feel like a better place. Sometimes only vanilla pound cake will do. 

What makes this cake different is that it uses whipped egg whites- the combination of ground almonds that makes a cake dense and whipped egg whites that makes a cake lighter make for a cake that is both dense and light, kind of somewhere in between. It's sort of that pound cake type of dense with the perfect amount of moistness and buttery flavour. 

And I'm already thinking of so many other ideas. A chocolate hazelnut cake with ground hazelnuts and cocoa powder. Or a brown butter raspberry almond cake (oh. my. gosh). Or matcha red bean almond cake. Or orange almond poppy seed. Okay you get it don't you. I think I'll be dreaming of cake tonight.

2 egg whites, at room temperature 

Pinch of salt 

70g sugar 

40g ground almonds 

50g self raising flour 

1 tsp vanilla extract 

35g butter, melted 

5g vegetable oil 

Flaked almonds 

 

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius. Line the loaf tin with parchment paper. 

In a large bowl, whisk together the egg whites and a pinch of salt until soft peaks form. 

Gradually add in the sugar and whip until medium stiff peak. 

Sift in the ground almonds and flour, fold into the egg white mixture until completely combined. 

Fold in the vanilla extract, butter and vegetable oil. 

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin and top with flaked almonds.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.