Chocolate Almond Cake

Do try this. It's beautiful to look at, easy to make, and delicious to eat. Perfect for special occasions like Mother's Day, 4th of July, family reunions, teatime, and showers. I also like to serve it during the winter holidays - a promise of Spring to come. Use your food processer to mix ingredients and to fold-in the beaten egg whites by gently pulsing them into the chocolate mixture.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup almond paste
• 3  eggs, yolks and whites separated
• 1⁄2 cup butter, softened
• 1⁄3 cup flour
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 cup  canned  chocolate syrup (I use Hershey's)

• Garnishes

• 8  ounces Cool Whip or 8  ounces  sweetened whipped cream
•  fresh strawberries
•  chocolate syrup

Directions

1. Grease an 11" tart tin or pie plate.
2. Preheat the oven to 350*.
3. Beat together well the almond paste, egg yolks, and butter in a large bowl.
4. Add the flour and baking powder and mix in well.
5. Mix in chocolate syrup.
6. Beat egg whites until stiff.
7. Fold into the chocolate mixture.
8. Spread mixture into the greased pan.
9. Bake for 15 minutes.
10. Cool thoroughly.
11. Just before serving, spread sweetened whipped cream or Cool Whip over cooled cake; arrange strawberries attractively on top.
12. Drizzle 2 Tbsp chocolate syrup over the top of all.
13. Store leftovers (if there are any) in the frig.
14. This is a good recipe for the food processor - To fold in the egg whites, pulse with on-off bursts just until whites are no longer visible.
15. Can be made a day ahead, but garnish with Cool Whip, berries, and chocolate syrup just before serving.
16. Leaving stems on the strawberries adds a nice touch to the presentation.