Elizabeth Skenderovic, of Dundalk, Md., was looking for a recipe she has misplaced for making an almond cake using almond paste.

Kay Berney, of Baltimore, shared a recipe for what she calls marzipan cake that is made with almond paste. She said she has been making this cake for many years, and it was a favorite of her late husband and her father, who both loved the taste of marzipan.

Both marzipan and almond paste are made with ground almonds and sugar, but in different proportions and with different uses. And while they have a similar flavor profile, the two are not entirely interchangeable.

In this country, almond paste is what is most commonly used as an ingredient in cakes, tarts and pastries. Marzipan is more typically used as candy filling. And because it has a smooth, supple texture, marzipan is also used to shape and mold candy figures, and can be used as an alternative to fondant in covering cakes.

Berney said she always made this cake for her husband’s birthday and other special occasions.

Don’t be fooled by the plain appearance; this cake is moist and sweet with a wonderful almond flavor.

Requests

Joan Metcalf from Westminster, Md., is trying to find the rest of a recipe for a fat-free cookie called Chocolate Bliss Bites from the February 2007 issue of Prevention magazine. Unfortunately, she is missing part of the recipe.

Edwin and Eleanora Kues from Rosedale, Md., are looking for a recipe for making pickled onions or sour pickle onions. They said they do not have access to a computer so they are not able to research this on their own and would appreciate if someone could provide them with a good and easy recipe.