Today I’m bringing my EMILY WILDE’S ENCYCLOPEDIA OF FAERIES menu to a close with the iconic mini cakes the Ljoslanders serve throughout the story. This dainty dessert is sometimes described as being spiced and sometimes as being glazed, but it’s ALWAYS delicious. What’s most intriguing to me is that both the humans and the faeries eat variations of this dish, making it a regional delicacy that spans species and dimensions.

I couldn’t find any recipes for mini cakes specific to Ljosland (or Norway, where Ljosland is located), but I did find recipes for Swedish mini almond cakes. I combined recipes from Food and Journeys and Adrian Roselli to make the cakes below, topping them with a simple powdered sugar glaze to make them true to the story.

These cakes were a fun new experience for me. I had never used almond paste in a cake batter before, but I love the effect it had on the final product. The cakes were fluffy and soft in the middle with a firmer exterior, very nutty, and delicately sweet.

Needless to say, my kids gobbled these up. They’re great for feeding a crowd if you want something a little different from standard cupcakes or cookies. They’re also an amazing gift if you want to thank a professor for reviving the ancient tree in which you’ve made your faerie home. 😉

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Glazed Mini Cakes

“Poe reappeared within the hour with a basket . . . I had to take the basket away from [Bambleby] and found within half a dozen glazed cakes not unlike those I had seen the Ljoslanders consume on special occasions.“

— Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries

 

INGREDIENTS:

• FOR THE ALMOND PASTE
  • 100 g almond flour (about 1 cup)
  • 50 g granulated sugar (about 1/4 cup)
  • 50 g powdered sugar (about 1/3 heaping cup)
  • 6 tsp milk, divided
• FOR THE CAKE
  • 3/4 cup flour (118 g)
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 stick butter, softened
  • 6 Tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract
  • 2 eggs
• FOR THE TOPPING
  • 3/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp milk
  • 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
    • To toast, spread almonds on a baking sheet in a 325°F oven for 5-7 minutes or until light brown and fragrant.

 

Makes 12 mini cakes

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a food processor, process the almond flour and sugars on low for about 1 minute until combined. Add 4 tsp milk and run on low for 1-2 minutes until an even paste forms. If the paste is dry and crumbly, pulse in the rest of the milk 1 teaspoon at a time as needed, checking consistency after each addition. The finished paste should hold its shape when pressed into a ball and be slightly tacky but not wet or gooey. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a muffin pan with shortening and dust with flour, tapping out the excess. Set aside. In a bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. Set aside.
3. To a large bowl, add the butter, granulated sugar, cardamom, and extract. Grate in the chilled almond paste using the thick side of a cheese grater. Beat with a hand mixer on low speed until well combined. Beat in the eggs until well combined. Fold in the flour mix. Evenly distribute the batter between the wells in the muffin pan and bake for 25 minutes until they are golden and spring back when tapped with a finger. Allow the cakes to cool for 5 minutes in the pan or until easy to handle. Transfer to a wire rack. Allow to cool completely upside down.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and milk. Drizzle 1-2 tsp over each cake. Top with almonds.
5. Serve to Emily Wilde and Wendell Bambleby as a thank you for their help with your faerie troubles.

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Check out my other EMILY WILDE recipes!

Bambleby’s Marinated Mushrooms from EMILY WILDE’S ENCYCLOPEDIA OF FAERIES