Advent is a very special time in our Community.  To me, it symbolizes not only waiting, but also preparation– preparing our hearts and our homes to receive the Christ-Child. We welcome ​Advent with a festive weekend open to the public.  ​One of the highlights is our candlelit service of Advent Lessons and Carols – a service steeped in English tradition. Throughout the weekend, we serve an elegant afternoon tea at Bethany Guest House situated in scenic Rock Harbor, Orleans. This tradition was started by one of our founders, Mother Cay.  She took great pride in entertaining and hospitality, and her sharp and loving eye for beauty and detail has been passed down to all of us.  Bethany becomes a magical place at Christmastime.  Throughout the weekend, our gift shop, Priory Books and Gifts is bustling with activity.  We stock our shop with home baked goods From a Monastery Kitchen – our famous Kentucky Bourbon Cakes, Fresh Baked Cinnamon Rolls, Cranberry Pear Chutney and English Toffee are just a few of the items sold throughout December in our shop.

For years now, it has been my ​responsibility​ to get the Monastic Bakeshop “ready” for Advent.  We start preparing in the summer – sampling recipes, making lists of ingredients and then going to companies to see if they would be able to “gift” items to us. In turn, we offer our prayers on their behalf, as well as a tin of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies.  It has been such a blessing to see the response.  Year after year, we have faithful donors that have given of themselves to support our outreach – sugar, flour, oats, chocolate chips, nuts, raisins and yes, even Jim Beam Bourbon, have been generously given to us – enabling a profit of the sales to help support our community.

A few years ago, I became friends with a woman who frequented our bakeshop.  She told me of a wonderful almond cake that I really should try sometime – and perhaps even sell in our shop.  She came back a couple days later with a gift for us – the special Scandinavian Almond Cake pan and recipe.  What a touching gift that was!  This has become one of our favorite cakes to make at Christmas time – or anytime.  We now share it with you.

A blessed Advent to you and yours,

The Gourmet Nuns

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Scandinavian Almond Cake

SERVINGS 8-10people CHANGE SERVING SIZE people

COOK TIME 40-50min

PREP TIME 10min

READY IN 1hr

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg(s)
• 1 1/2 tsp pure almond extract
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 stick melted butter 1/2 cup
• powdered sugar for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Generously grease a Scandinavian almond cake pan or rectangular tart pan with removable bottom.​​
3. ​In a large mixing bowl, beat together sugar, egg, almond extract and milk
4. Add flour and baking powder and mix​ at low speed to blend.​
5. Add melted butter​ and mix well.​
6. Pour batter into ​prepared ​pan and bake from ​30-45​ min. or until edges are golden and cake springs back to the touch.
7. Cool​ cake​​ completely​ in pan before removing​.
8. Say a prayer and turn the cake out of the pan.​
9. Sprinkle with ​powdered​​ sugar before serving​​

**Variation – before pouring batter into pan, sprinkle sliced almonds on the bottom (or top of cake)