Gâteau Nantais (Nantes Cake) Recipe

Cake

• 125 g half-salted butter, softened
• 150 g white granulated sugar
• 100 g almond flour
• 3 eggs
• 40 g flour
• 2 tablespoons rum

Soak

• 2 tablespoons rum
• 2 tablespoons water

Glaze

• 2 tablespoons rum
• 50 g icing sugar

1. Cream the butter and sugar for 2–3 minutes by hand or using a mixer at low speed.
2. Add almond flour, and mix to combine.
3. In a large bowl, beat the eggs with a fork. Incorporate them into the butter and sugar mixture.
4. Add the flour and 2 tablespoons of rum.
5. Pour the batter into a buttered cake pan.
6. Bake for 45 minutes at gas mark 5 (150 °C).
7. As soon as you take the cake out of the oven, sprinkle the cake with mix of 2 tablespoons of rum and 2 tablespoons of water. Cool completely, then unmold.
8. When the cake is cold, make the icing by combining the icing sugar and rum. Add a few drops of water if necessary, stirring well between each addition of water, to make a thick but flowing glaze.
9. Pour the icing on the cake, and spread it well.