Mexican recipe for the almond sponge cake:

- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 lb. of almonds with skin
- 1 cup of sugar
- 4 eggs, at room temperature then beaten
- 1 teaspoon almond essence
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup white flour
- 1 pinch of salt
- some more butter, to butter-up the pan
- Icing sugar, to sprinkle over the cake
- Sliced and roasted almonds to garnish the cake

Preparation:

1- Soak the whole almonds in hot water for 6 hours; once this is done remove their skins as it should come off easily.

2 - Butter-up the sides and bottom of a cake pan, often mexicans will use a round pan, of approximately 8 inch diameter, and line it with parchment paper.

3 - Cut the almonds until you obtain a floury paste; reserve.

4 - Beat the butter with the sugar in a bowl until it becomes soft and spongy. Add the eggs, the almonds and two types of essence, and it mix all good.

5 - add the flour and the salt and mix it quickly, until the flour is well incorporated in the dough.

6 - Preheat the oven to 350˚F Spread the dough in the pan and smooth the surface. Cook the cake in the preheated oven 350˚F, from 40 until 50 minutes or until it is spongy on having pressed it lightly.

7 - Pull the mexican sponge cake out from the oven and allow it to cool down on a metallic grill. To serve it, place it on a nice colorful plate and sprinkle it with the icing sugar; decorate with the roasted almonds slices.