Today I am super, super thrilled to share another gluten free recipe with you. My incredibly delicious Autumn Apple Almond Cake. Because if you cannot have gluten in your diet, that shouldn’t mean missing out on treats such as this cake. Can you imagine what Marie Antoinette would have to say about that? Also, this cake can be made using regular, plain white flour. Most importantly it tastes scrumptious either way.
Free Organic Fruit
Inspiration for making this cake was as the result of chatting to a friend who is gluten intolerant. Since I always have gluten free flour in the cupboard and plenty of apples, I decided to create this cake. Both apple trees in our garden are currently laden with delicious green and red fruits. While we happily munch our way through them as a family, they are also great to bake with. Especially, bruised and blemished windfall apples, that aren’t suitable for the fruit bowl.
The apple trees were already established when we bought our house, along with a plum, pear and cherry tree. I feel very blessed to have a mini orchard at the back of our garden. Both apples trees produce red/green fruits. One of the trees is a Spartan variety, producing smaller and sweeter apples than the other tree. These apples are perfectly sized for little people’s hands. Also they shine when polished with a tea towel, placed in a bowl they create a stunning and free, table centrepiece. In contrast, the other tree’s apples taste very similar Granny Smiths. Larger in size, predominantly red in colour and with a crisp, sharper flavour. Although the variety remains a mystery we enjoy eating the fruit!
As a rule, we eat and give away as many unblemished apples to neighbours and friends as we can, leaving a few on the ground for the blackbirds. Yet, with so many windfall apples this year I decided to start putting them to good use in new recipes.
Getting The Recipe Right
While creating new recipes I have to admit my first try resulted in an EPIC FAIL! Wanting to make a variation of my Sticky Pecan Sultana Buns I adjusted the recipe to incorporate fresh, grated, apple. While delicious, most of the buns stuck and once I’d managed to prise them out of the pan the majority promptly fell apart. So, I definitely won’t be making those again!
I knew next time I baked with the apples I wanted to grate them. Since grating the peeled fruit ensures that the apples cook into the cake batter. As a result, this Autumn Apple Almond Cake is incredibly moist, primarily due to the grated apple and helped by adding ground almonds into the mix. Adding Demerara sugar and flaked almonds to the top of the cake results in a crunchy, contrasting texture to the cake crumb.
Recipe: Autumn Apple Almond Cake serves 8-10
225g/8oz Caster Sugar
225g/8oz Unsalted Butter
1tsp Vanilla Extract – I use Nielsen-Massey
1/4tsp Salt – I use Maldon
4 Large Free Range Eggs
2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
2 tsp Baking Powder
150g/5oz Ground Almonds
150g/5oz Gluten Free Flour – I use Dove’s Farm alternatively you can use the same quantity if regular wheat, White Plain Flour
2tbsp Demerara Sugar
50g/2oz Flaked Almonds
350g/12oz Grated Apple – approx 4 large/5-6 medium apples once peeled and cored
Note : Any apple except Bramleys (cooking apples) can be used for this recipe. I used half sweet and half sharp apples.
Making the cake
Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan, 350F, gas mark 4
Grease a 25cm/10″ cake tin and line the base with baking parchment – I used a springform cake tin.
For this cake it is important to read through the recipe before starting.
First of all, place the butter and sugar into a large bowl.
Add the salt, vanilla extract and 2 eggs. Whisk until incorporated.
Next add half of the dry ingredients: flour, ground almonds, baking powder and cinnamon. Whisk until just incorporated.
Repeat the last 2 steps.
I made the cake batter before preparing the apples. Since the apples I used turn brown within a few minutes of grating.
Peel and grate the apples using a box grater. Add the grated apples and any juice to the cake batter.
Baking the cake
Place the cake into the middle of a preheated oven and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
If, as I found, the cake is browning too quickly, cover the top with foil or baking parchment after 50-60 minutes. Continue baking for a total of 1 hour 15 minutes – 1 hour 30 minutes.
Because if the apple content, inserting a skewer to test if the cake is baked could give a false result.
The cake is baked when it is firm to touch in the centre.
As soon as the cake is baked remove from the oven and leave to cool completely in the tin.
Once the cake is completely cooled, carefully remove from the tin and serve.
This beautiful cake is delicous eaten as is, however, to make a dessert you could easily slice this cake when slightly warm and serve with homemade custard – see my recipe here, pouring cream, or even a scoop of ice cream!
Should you have any cake left it can be stored in an airtight container for 3 days. Keep refrigerated during warmer weather.
If you have enjoyed this recipe for Autumn Almond Apple Cake you may also like these:
Where the recipes below state that they can be made gluten free, I have successfully substituted Doves Farm gluten free flour instead of wheat flour.
Maple Syrup Frosted Apple Cupcakes
Maple Drizzled Apple Blueberry Loaf Cake
Cinnamon Drizzle Apple Walnut Cake Bars
I love creating recipes that more people can enjoy and it is an important part of why I started this blog. While I also firmly believe that all food tastes better when shared. Therefore, making recipes that can be shared by more people makes sense. As a food allergy sufferer myself, I understand, albeit in a limited way, how food intolerances can affect people. Especially when eating in a group, or at larger social occasions. And since food is essential for our survival and health, creating an environment where everyone can relax while eating is important to me.
So, whatever you are making, baking and creating in your kitchens, have fun preparing and sharing your feast.
Sammie xx
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