A trip to Ikea isn’t complete without a plateful of meatballs and a bag of mini Daim bars, hastily picked up at the checkout. Daim bars are under-rated, but they’ve got so much to offer: crunchy almonds in caramel covered in milk chocolate, and even better straight from the fridge. I’ve put all this in cake form with a fluffy sponge and a rich Daim buttercream, covered in a nutty chocolate glaze.
Daim almond cake
Prep 15 min
Cook 1 hr
Set 1 hr
Serves 12
For the cake
150g unsalted butter
150g golden caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
160g egg whites (from about 5 eggs)
130g plain flour
30g ground almonds
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
For the buttercream
5 egg yolks
90g golden caster sugar
200g unsalted butter, softened
½ tsp vanilla bean paste
¼ tsp salt
2 Daim bars, finely chopped
For the chocolate glaze
160g dark chocolate, chopped
1 tbsp neutral oil
30g chopped almonds, toasted
1 Daim bar, finely chopped
Heat the oven to 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4. Grease two 23cm cake tins and line with baking paper.
Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla in a bowl for three to four minutes, until very pale and fluffy. Pour in the egg whites a little at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add the flour, ground almonds, baking powder and salt, and mix to a smooth batter. Split the batter evenly between the two tins and bake for 18-20 minutes, until lightly browned and springy to the touch. Leave to cool completely.
To make the buttercream, add the yolks, sugar and a tablespoon of water to the bowl of a stand mixer or heatproof bowl. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and heat the yolks, whisking constantly, until hot to the touch and silky – four to five minutes. Remove from the heat.
Whisk the yolks on high speed until very pale and thickened – the bowl should be cool to touch. With the mixer still running, add the softened butter a little at a time, waiting a few seconds before adding more. Add the vanilla and salt, and continue to whip for another minute until the buttercream is smooth and silky. Stir in two chopped Daim bars with a wooden spoon and set aside.
To assemble, put one cake on a board or plate. Spoon half of the buttercream on top and sandwich put the other cake on top like a sandwich, top side down. Spread the remaining buttercream on the top and sides, then chill in the fridge while you make the glaze.
Put the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set it over a pan of simmering water. Once melted, stir in the oil. Mix in the chopped nuts and set aside to cool to room temperature.
Stir the remaining chopped Daim into the chocolate before pouring it all over the cake, nudging it down the sides. Leave for an hour to set before serving.
