Tarta de Santiago (Galician Almond Cake)
In short: A moist, dense almond cake scented with lemon and cinnamon, made with no flour or butter and dusted with powdered sugar in the shape of a cross. It takes about 1 h in total and makes 10 servings.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Resting
- 1 h
- Total
- 1 h
- Servings
- 10
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 284 kcal
Tarta de Santiago is the almond cake of Galicia, named for the pilgrim city of Santiago de Compostela. It contains only ground almonds, sugar and eggs with a little lemon and cinnamon, and no flour or butter, so it is naturally gluten-free. The texture is moist and dense, and the top is dusted with powdered sugar around a stencil of the Cross of Saint James. A thin slice goes well with coffee or a glass of sweet wine.
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease a 23 cm (9 in) springform pan with oil and line the base with parchment.
- Whisk the eggs and sugar with an electric mixer for 5 to 6 minutes, until pale, thick and doubled in volume.
- Fold in the almonds, lemon zest, cinnamon, salt and brandy with a spatula, just until no dry streaks remain. Do not beat out the air.
- Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden and a skewer comes out clean. Cover loosely with foil if the top browns too quickly.
- Cool completely in the pan on a rack, then release the sides.
- Lay a paper stencil of a cross over the top, dust with powdered sugar through a sieve and lift the stencil away carefully.
Tips
- Use blanched ground almonds for a pale crumb. If you grind your own, pulse them with a spoonful of the sugar so they do not turn oily.
- The cake keeps for 4 days wrapped at room temperature and tastes better on day two. Dust with powdered sugar only just before serving.
Questions and answers
Is tarta de Santiago gluten-free?
Yes, as written, because it contains no flour. If you are coeliac, check that the ground almonds and brandy are labeled gluten-free.
Why did my almond cake sink?
It was probably underbaked or the oven door was opened early. Bake until a skewer comes out clean and avoid opening the oven in the first 25 minutes.
Can I make tarta de Santiago ahead?
Yes. Bake it up to 4 days ahead, wrap it well and keep at room temperature. Stencil the powdered sugar just before serving.
How long does it take to make Tarta de Santiago (Galician Almond Cake)?
About 1 h in total: 20 min of preparation and 40 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Tarta de Santiago (Galician Almond Cake)?
About 284 kcal per serving, with 8 g of protein, 27 g of carbohydrates and 16 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 284 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 8 g |
| Carbohydrates | 27 g |
| Fat | 16 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 24 g |
| Sodium | 40 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
