Recipe from The Art of the Cake

Almond Pound Cake
--Pain de Genes
(For 6 to 8 servings)
At first it was called gateau d'ambroisie because Napoleon had nicknamed Massena "l'Ambroise," ambrosia being the food of the gods of Olympus, which, according to legend, rendered anyone who tasted it immortal. During the nineteenth century, the name of the cake was transformed to gateau de genes and eventually to pain de genes (literally "Genoa bread"), which has stuck.Despite the circumstances which inspired its creation, pain de genes is a very luxurious cake, with almonds making up one quarter of its weight and butter nearly the same proportion. It was invented by a pastry chef named Fauvel at the patisserie Chiboust, which was located on the rue St. Honori in Paris.

The Art of the Cake:
Modern French Baking
and Decorating
By Bruce Healy
William Morrow & Company

Equipment:

8-inch (20-cm) fluted tarte mold or deep quiche pan (or substitute a plain round cake pan)
brush with melted butter
sprinkle about 1 tablespoon (10 g) sliced almonds over the bottom of the mold
Heavy baking sheet
Electric mixer, preferably a stand mixer with flat beater and wire whip

Batter:

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon ( 4 1/2 ounces / 125 g) unsalted butter, softened
2 1/2 cups (12 ounces / 340 g) almond-and-sugar powder
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tablespoons + 1 tsp (3.5 cl) European kirsch or dark Jamaican or Haitian rum
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces / 45 g) potato starch

Preheat the oven to 320 F (160C).

1. Cream the butter in the mixer, using the flat beater if your mixer has one. Beat in half of the almond-and-sugar powder and continue whipping at medium-high speed for about 5 minutes to make the mixture very white and light. Beat in the remaining almond-and-sugar powder.

2. Beat in one egg (still with the flat beater if you are using it). Then switch to the wire whip and beat in the remaining eggs one at a time, whipping until the batter is smooth, light, and fluffy before adding each successive egg. When all of the eggs have been added, continue whipping for a few seconds longer, then gradually whip in the kirsch or rum.

3. Sift the potato starch onto a sheet of wax paper, and fold it into the batter using a wire whisk.

4. Scoop the batter into the prepared tarte mold. Smooth the surface from the center out to the sides of the pan, making a depression in the center. Place the tarte mold on the baking sheet.

5. Bake until the top of the cake is light brown and firm to the touch and the cake just begins to shrink from the sides of the mold, about 45 to 55 minutes. When the cake is done, the tip of a paring knife inserted into the center will come out clean.

6. Place the cake on a wire rack and let it rest for 5 minutes. Then unmold the cake onto a wire rack and let it cool right side up (that is, with the sliced almonds on top). Serve at room temperature.

Storage:

Covered airtight with plastic wrap, for up to 3 days at room temperature (or refrigerated in hot weather).

Or, freeze for as long as 3 months. If frozen, defrost overnight in the refrigerator, then unwrap the cake and let it stand at room temperature for at least 2 hours before serving to allow condensation produced by defrosting to evaporate.