Swiss Almond Carrot Cake (Aargauer Rueblitorte)

This dairy-free carrot cake is a classic Swiss cake that is traditionally decorated with marzipan carrots - a great cake for your Easter brunch or for guests.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 40 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins
• Calories: 439 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 4 eggs, separated
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
• 5 ounces marzipan
• 1 drop orange gel food coloring, or as needed
• 1 drop green gel food coloring, or as needed
• 2 ¼ cups peeled and grated carrots
• 2 ¼ cups ground almonds

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9-inch springform pan.

Step 2

Beat egg yolks and sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in carrots, almonds, lemon juice, and lemon zest.

Step 3

Mix flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl and add to the batter. Stir well to combine.

Step 4

Beat egg whites in a glass, metal, or ceramic bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold into the cake batter with a spatula. Pour batter into the prepared springform pan.

Step 5

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Run a table knife around the edges to loosen. Remove carefully and place on a serving plate or cooling rack. Let cool, about 30 minutes.

Step 6

Knead marzipan until soft and pliable. Pinch off 1/5 and add a little green food coloring using a toothpick. Knead until marzipan is uniformly green. Color the remaining marzipan orange using the same method. Shape orange marzipan into 12 little carrots and make tiny indentations on top with a paring knife. Shape the green marzipan into little leaves. Stick 2 leaves to the top of each carrot with a little water.

Step 7

Combine confectioners' sugar and enough lemon juice to make a thick icing. Coat cake with the icing. Place marzipan carrots on top around the edges in such a way that each piece of cake has a marzipan carrot. Let icing dry before slicing and serving.