Burnt Almond Cupcake Recipe

It sounds weird, I know. I first tried Burnt Almond Cake at my current job. I work in San Jose and there is a bakery called Dick's nearby. Their Burnt Almond Cake is life changing. It's a vanilla cake, with a yummy frosting, toasted caramelized almonds and by request they will layer the cake with pastry cream! I scoured the online galaxy in hopes to find something to base my recipe off of. With very little luck, I'm assuming it's deliciousness is top secret.

Like usual, you can substitute a homemade cake for a box cake. Like usual, I won't tell. So grab a box of vanilla cake or whip up a batch of your own! Regardless of the cake you decide on, add extra vanilla and almond extract! It's all about the almonds, people!

For the frosting, I used a stick of butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla creamer. I used 3/4 of a bag of powdered sugar and 1/4 cup of vanilla creamer. (I'm still experimenting with different frosting components.) This turned out really good! Make sure you whip it good (lol), so it isn't grainy!

Now for the almonds. I bought a standard bag of sliced almonds from the store - I think it was 6 ounces? This was more than enough for 24 cupcakes. You pour the almonds into a pan. Spread them out, as flat as you can. Sprinkle 1 cup of powdered sugar over the almonds. Use a spatula or rubber scraper to stir the almonds. You don't want to let them sit for too long or they will burn! It takes awhile, so be patient! I was worried that I was doing something wrong, but it is just a slow process. I added a little butter, in hopes that would help the melting process. What can I say? I panicked. Adding the butter is optional. After the cup of powdered sugar is melted, add another half cup! Stir until melted. I put a paper towel on a plate and poured the almonds on that to cool.

Once your cupcakes are cooled and frosted, sprinkle those sugary almonds and enjoy!! I turned the cupcake all the way over and just dipped the frosting into the almonds. I still had extra almonds, so I put them in a Ziploc and my dad has been snacking on them since!

I've decided the real name  for these should be Delicious, Caramelized, Sugary Almond Cupcakes. Burnt just doesn't do them justice.