Feed Your Body Friday: Gluten Free Apple Almond Cake
National Dessert Day is coming up on October 14th, Feed Your Body Friday friends, and have we got a great fall treat for you to try!
I personally have no problem with gluten, but when I have relatives over, I adapt my cooking to make it gluten-free. I have been making this recipe for many years as it’s a crowd favourite and I often forget it’s gluten-free! Before, I used to make this cake with sour cream and regular flour. For the gluten-free version, there are just as many apples, but the cake dough is made of almond powder, gluten-free flour and almond milk! The texture is still fantastic and the taste is unparalleled!
You will love this apple and almond cake, ideal with a good cup of tea or a glass of milk. This recipe, which yields a generously-sized cake, is easy and quick to prepare. Plus, the apples and sweet almonds will make your home smell like fall. Bonus! Let’s get started!
Preparation Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Servings: 8
Ingredients for Cake:
- 2 cups almond flour
- 3/4 cup gluten-free flour or regular flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 tbs. cinnamon, plus 1 tsp. to sprinkle on apples
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/3 cup almond milk+ 1 tablespoon. lemon juice
- 1/4 cup honey
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 tsp. brown sugar to sprinkle on apples
- 3 apples, peeled and sliced
Ingredients for Icing:
- 3/4 cup flaked almonds
- 5 tbsp. brown sugar
- 1/4 cup water
Preparation:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Place a rack in the center of the oven.
- Grease a 9” hinge pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, mix almond flour, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon. Reserve.
- In a measuring cup, combine almond milk and lemon juice. Reserve.
- In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, mix eggs for 4 minutes until the mixture thickens.
- Add maple syrup, honey, vegetable oil, vanilla, and almond milk mixture. Mix well.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula.
- Pour half of the mixture into the prepared pan. Arrange the apple slices on top of the mixture. Sprinkle with a little sugar and cinnamon. Add the rest of the mixture with a spatula, spreading the mixture over the apples.
- Bake 45 minutes or until the tip of a knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. The cake will brown quickly near the end of cooking; I recommend putting a sheet of aluminum foil on the top until the cooking is complete.
- Meanwhile, prepare the frosting: in a saucepan, mix the sugar and water, then heat until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the almonds, bring to a boil, and stir constantly until the mixture thickens (about 5 minutes).
- When the cake is cooked, pour the icing on it and put the cake back in the oven, this time to brown the almonds. This takes less than 5 minutes.
- Let cool before unmoulding.
This gluten-free apple and almond cake is very simple, flaked with almond glaze for a little more fun. The icing is optional, and so are the gluten-free modifications. If you want, you can make this recipe with flour. In this case, simply make sure to adjust the amount of almond milk because regular flour needs less liquid than the almond flour used here, so you will have to use less milk. You can keep the cake at room temperature for about 2 days, or store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
I encourage you all to take full advantage of apple season! Apples are very easy to come by and to prepare and the whole family will get to enjoy a healthier dessert option. What’s your favourite way to enjoy apples in the fall?
Related Article: Feed Your Body Friday: Coconut Milk Banana Bread
