Almond Slice

One of my all time favourite bakes, this easy almond slice recipe features a crisp pastry base, raspberry jam layer, and is topped with a soft almond frangipane topping. Perfect for afternoon tea, picnics, and bake sales, it is a favourite with young and old.

As I published my bakewell blondie recipe, inspired by the bakewell slice and with very similar flavours to this almond traybake slice, I realised I hadn’t shared one of my childhood favourite cakes! The almond slice was always my choice of cake when out for afternoon tea with my mum and grandmother. Even overtaking a brownie or chocolate cake. Sweet from almonds and raspberry jam, with a topping of crunchy flaked almonds, this almond traybake is an almond lovers dream! (If you have memories of this childhood cake, you may also remember school cake with its colourful sprinkles.)

Jump to:

• Why we love this recipe
• Ingredients Notes and Substitutions
• How to make this recipe
• FAQ
• My recipe tips
• Storage
• Variations
• More almond recipes
• Almond Slice

Why we love this recipe

• A thin layer of crispy sweet pastry, generous layer of jam topped with a soft and moist almond sponge layer make this almond slice look impressive, but it is actually easy to make (and you don’t need to be too neat for it to still look great 😉 )
• The slice travels well, making it a popular recipe for picnics and bake sales.
• The four ingredient pastry recipe is made with icing sugar, which not only provides a hint of sweetness but gives the pastry a nice crunch.

Ingredients Notes and Substitutions

• Pastry – the simple pastry base is made from non salted butter, plain flour and icing sugar (confectioners sugar). If you don’t like making pastry then you could use bought shortcrust pastry instead. I encourage you to make it yourself for that lovely crisp texture!
• Ground almonds – also known as almond meal or almond flour. Use bleached almond flour.
• Jam – raspberry jam is traditionally used in this slice recipe. However you can use strawberry jam, or blackberry jam, peach jam, apricot jam, plum jam… they all go so well!
• Margarine – I have used margarine in the almond sponge, as a nod back to this being some thing of a retro cake. You can use unsalted butter instead if you prefer.
• Caster sugar – superfine sugar. These smaller sugar crystals help make a finer textured sponge. If you don’t have caster sugar you can use white sugar / granulated sugar but be aware the sponge texture may not be the same.
• Almond essence – almond essence, for me, makes this a true almond bakewell slice. It adds a sweet strong hint of almond that makes the sponge taste like the ones in the cafes and coffee shops. If however you are not a fan of almond essence, leave it out.
• Flaked almonds – flaked almonds add a delicious crunch and extra almond flavour as they become toasted as the slice cooks in the oven, however you can top the slice with nibbed almonds, or bake the slice without any almonds on top.

How to make this recipe

1. Make the pastry: Mix flour and icing sugar together in a medium bowl, then grate in the chilled butter.
2. Mix the butter in to the flour lightly with your finger tips until it resembles breadcrumbs.
3. Add cold water and mix to form a dough. Knead lightly, then cover in cling film and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.

4. Take the pastry out of the fridge and roll out in between two sheets of lightly floured baking paper / baking parchment.
5. Carefully place the rolled out pastry in to the lined tin, using any leftover pastry scraps to fill any holes (this will be covered by the almond sponge so it doesn’t matter if it’s not super neat.) Place in a preheated oven for 7-10 minutes until lightly golden.
6. To make the almond sponge: Beat the margarine and sugar together until light and fluffy.

7. Add the flour, ground almonds and baking powder. Whisk the eggs with the almond essence then add them to the flour and mix well to combine.
8. Spread the raspberry jam out in an even layer over the cooked pastry.
9. Spoon the almond sponge on to the jam and gently spread out in an even layer with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle with flaked almonds and place in to the oven to bake.

FAQ

My recipe tips

• Make the pastry using butter straight from the fridge, and grate the butter straight into the flour with a coarse grater. This helps keep it as cold as possible, which is good for making crisp pastry.
• The pastry for this almond jam tart is thin and fragile – the best way to roll it out without sticking is between two sheets of baking paper. If you prefer you can roll it out and then press it in to the lined tin with your fingers.
• Cook the pastry until lightly golden as this will provide a slightly crunchy base. If you undercook the pastry it can become soggy when you add the jam and sponge.
• Wait until the slice is cold before you cut it, otherwise it can be crumbly. If you want a very clean slice, use a sharp knife – this will make it easier to cut through the flaked almonds.

Storage

• Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
• Freeze. You can freeze this traybake, cool completely then wrap the slice well (either whole or in individual slices) and freeze for up to 2 months. Defrost at room temperature

Variations

• Jam – you can adjust the jam to suit your tastes, strawberry, cherry, blackberry and apricot jam would all work well.
• Chocolate – add a layer of Nutella or other chocolate spread in place of the jam, or drizzle some melted chocolate over the top of the slice once cold.

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