Almond Croissant Traveling Cake

An amped-up almond cake with moistness for days.

Hi Bakers!

It’s kind of ridiculous to call anything as classic as an almond croissant a trend, but this is one mash-up that I could not resist. Since we all know I’m in my loaf cake era, I layered and swirled almond frangipane with a buttery pound cake batter to make this ultra plush, incredibly moist Almond Croissant Loaf. 

What is being referred to as almond croissant cookies or even almond croissant ‘Pop Tarts’ are really recipes made with almond cream, or frangipane. Frangipane is what’s used to fill day-old croissants to turn them into almond croissants. Although it sounds fancy, it’s actually quite simple and used often in the French pastry repertoire. 

Frangipane is a mixture of softened butter, ground almonds, sugar, a tiny bit of flour, and eggs. We add a little almond extract for a more pronounced flavor. It is then spread over brioche to make Bostock, spooned into tart shells and topped with stone fruit, or slathered in the center of a croissant. Recipes that included frangipane are baked - resulting in a rich, almost custard-like, almond filling. 

Swirled into cake batter, almond cream works so well in this loaf. It is hard to see the difference since they are the same color, but you will certainly taste it. The result is like a super-powered almond cake with amped up flavor and moistness for days. 

I love the toasted almonds on top. And while a traditional almond croissant doesn’t have a glaze, it just works here. 

In true traveling cake form, this almond cake stays fresh at room temperature for several days. It packs well and can easily be taken to go. I imagine it will be perfect for taking to a beach picnic once it warms up. Allow the glaze to dry before wrapping.