This elegant cake harnesses the magic of an unassuming ingredient you may have missed on trips down the baking aisle at the store: almond paste. Made by finely processing blanched almonds and sugar into a paste and typically sold in tubes or small jars, almond paste is a one-stop shop for adding moisture, richness, sweetness, and (duh) huge almond flavor to all kinds of baked goods. A scant tipple of optional almond extract in this cake further enhances the lovely nut flavor. The cake itself has a fine, plush crumb and crunchy toasted-sugar edges, and it doubles as chic dinner party dessert and breakfast-appropriate slice. While delicious on its own, it absolutely sings when topped with a spoonful of softly whipped cream and your seasonal fruit of choice: macerated strawberries, ripe apricots or peaches, cherry compote, fresh figs with honey, poached pears—you get the idea. Cake + fruit = good. —Christina Chaey
