Ingredients
5 large eggs
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup coarsely ground roasted almonds
2/3 cup finely ground blanched almonds
1 cup all-purpose vegetable oil
1 tablespoon baking powder
Finely grated zest of 1 small lemon mixed with 1 tablespoon sugar*
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
For decoration
about 1/4 cup icing sugar
*Orange zest can be substituted, and/or one can use half orange and half lemon, depending on one's personal preferences
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease a tubular coffee cake pan.
3. In a bowl mix flour, salt and baking powder
4. In another bowl mix un-roasted finely ground blanched almonds with coarsely ground roasted almonds.
5. Using an electric mixer beat eggs.
6. Add vanilla extract to the eggs and mix.
7. Add almond extract and mix.
8. Add sugar to the egg mixture and beat until the mixture is a touch creamy (about 3 minutes).
9. Add vegetable oil and mix well (about 3 minutes).
10. Add the almonds and mix well.
11. Add the flour and mix well.
12. Pour the batter in a greased tubular pan (The smaller the pan, the higher the cake will be).
13. Bake for about 55 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the cake comes out clean.
14. Cool the cake for about an hour before attempting to remove it from the pan.
15. Before serving dust with icing sugar.
Notes
The ingredients for this cake are similar to those traditionally used to make sweet taralli in the Campania region. I put them together, added more eggs and oil, and viola I came up with a dairy-free cake for my niece who was asked by her daughter's pediatrician not to eat any foods with dairy products in it. The end result, I believe, was satisfying -- everyone who tried the cake liked it.... Photo: by the contributor. | 
