I admit that when I think of Scandinavia, the first thing that pops into my mind is furniture.

All that blond wood. All those sleek designs. The timelessness of it all.

This cake has similar characteristics. It’s covered in classic white. It has no superfluous flourishes that get in the way. And it’s satisfying in a way that you’ll never tire of.

“Scandinavian Gold Cake” is from the new paperback edition of “The King Arthur Flour Baker’s Companion”

The sizable book contains more than 350 recipes that span everything from breakfast treats to fried doughs to crackers to Viennoiserie.

This bundt-style cake is infused with vanilla and plenty of almonds in the form of almond flour and almond extract. I even added a sprinkling of sliced almonds over the glaze, too, for more almond goodness.

With six eggs and a cup of butter in it, the cake bakes up soft, nutty and sandy in texture. Be careful not to over-bake it or else it may get dry. In fact, next time I make it, I might sneak in 1/4 cup or so of buttermilk in the batter to give it just a little more moistness.

The glaze is a simple mixture of confectioners’ sugar, heavy cream, vanilla extract and almond extract. While the cake is mildly sweet, the frosting is definitely sugary. My husband suggested he might actually prefer a cream cheese frosting instead for its slight tang.

There’s a simple elegance to this cake that would make it the perfect centerpiece for an Easter buffet. Especially if it’s displayed on a lovely Danish sideboard. Of course.

Scandinavian Gold Cake

(Makes 1 cake, 20 to 22 slices)

For the cake:

1 cup (2 sticks, 8 ounces) butter

1 1/3 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon almond extract, or 3 drops bitter almond oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup (3 1/2 ounces) toasted almond flour (see Note)

1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

6 large eggs, at room temperature

For the glaze:

2 cups confectioners’ sugar

1/4 cup heavy cream or evaporated milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract or 1 drop bitter almond oil

For decoration:

Sliced almonds (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan or 12-cup bundt-style pan.

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter until it’s soft. Add sugar, salt, baking powder and flavorings. Beat them together until well blended.

Add flours and mix; it will be crumbly. Beat in eggs one at a time, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl after each addition. The batter will become fluffy after the third or fourth egg has been added.

Scrape batter into the pan and level it with a spatula. Bake the cake for 50-60 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean and the edges  pull away from the pan.

Remove the cake from the oven and place it on a rack to cool. Turn it out of the pan after about 10 minutes to cool completely.

Mix all the glaze ingredients together, adding a bit of water if needed to make it spreadable. Use a spatula to spread it over the top of the cake. Sprinkle sliced almonds over the top, if using. Let the glaze set for a few minutes before serving.

Note: To toast almond flour, place flour in a saute pan over medium heat. Stir frequently until it starts to give off a nutty aroma. Allow to cool before adding to the cake batter.

Per 1/20 of cake without sliced almond garnish: 392 cal, 21g fat, 11g complex carbohydrates, 37g sugar, 1g dietary fiber, 132mg cholesterol, 160g sodium, 102mg potassium, 180RE vitamin A, 1 mg iron, 65mg calcium, 104mg phosphorous

Adapted from “The King Arthur Flour Baker’s Companion”

More King Arthur Flour Recipes: The Essential Crunchy Oatmeal Cookie with Dried Mullberries

And: Triple Play Peanut Butter Cookies