Pittsburgh Hot Plate

I had never heard of a burnt almond torte before I moved back to Pittsburgh. The first time I saw one of these cakes was at a party one evening. I noticed the square cake with shaved almonds on it and asked, “What’s that?”

“That’s a Burnt Almond Torte from Prantl’s, you’ve never had one?”

Why was it called a burnt almond torte? The almonds were barely toasted, but they were coated with a thick layer of sugar. Beyond that, I could see the white buttercream that coated the cake. Well, I was in, because as everyone knows, I’m a huge fan of anything with frosting on it.

My first bite of a burnt almond torte was delicious; the crunchy-sugared almonds provided a beautiful texture against the creamy, sweet frosting. Beyond the first layer of goodness lay an extremely fluffy, almost angel-food like cake that was light, but moist. Between the two layers of cake is a thick coating of vanilla-flavored custard. The combination of flavors and textures provide a unique experience, and if you haven’t had one, is worth trying.

Besides the Burnt Almond Torte, Prantl’s has a wide selection of other baked goodies like coffeecakes, cookies, pies and donuts. I’ve had an opportunity to try some of the other selections at Prantl’s bakery, and they’re equally as good as the Burnt Almond Torte.

Prantl’s Bakery has added a location, at 438 Market Street in Pittsburgh, PA. If you’re in Shadyside, you can visit the original location at 5525 Walnut Street.

If you would like to try a burnt almond torte, but don’t live in the city of Pittsburgh, you can order one here: Prantl’s Bakery