Sunday 14 September 2008

Buttery almond and coconut cake (gluten free)

This falls into the category of cakes that couldn’t be easier to make or tastier to eat. Hopefully you can see that this is a GOOD category!


The cake itself isn’t hugely impressive to look at; as it doesn’t have any flour it remains reasonably flat but oh what a texture! Inside the cake is sticky, buttery and packed with flavour. The crust manages somehow to be chewy and crumbly at the same time.

Look how juicy and moist the cake is:


I served the cake with a cup of tea, but it would also be lovely as a dessert with some whipped cream or maybe even some fruit.

If you look up the phrase “buttery almondy coconuty goodness” in the dictionary it shows this photo:


Ingredients:
200g unsalted butter, melted and left to cool
180g ground almonds
60g desiccated coconut
250g caster sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 handfuls flaked almonds

How to make:
- Preheat oven to 180°C/fan oven 160°C/350°F/Gas mark 4.
- Line a 20cm springform tin with baking paper.
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan then put to one side to cool. You don’t want the butter to colour so melt on a low light and remove from the heat as soon as possible.
- Put the ground almonds, coconut, and caster sugar into a bowl and whisk a little to combine and get some air into the dry mixture.
- In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs, vanilla and almond extract until well combined. Gradually beat in the cooled butter.
- Tip the dry mix into the butter mix and stir until totally combined. The batter is loose and slightly lumpy looking so don’t panic!
- Pour the batter into the tin and scatter the flaked almonds over the top.
- Bake for approximately 40 minutes or until a skewer comes out reasonably clean – as the cake is so moist and sticky it will never come out clean but as long as the batter on the skewer doesn’t look raw the cake is done. Mine took 45 minutes.
- Cool in the tin on a wire rack. The cake sinks a smidgen on cooling but this is the squidginess forming so is a good thing!
- Once completely cool, remove from the tin. The cake will keep for a few days but needs to be kept in the fridge.
- Bask in glory at the wonderful thing you have made.
- Eat.

18 comments:

Quinn said...

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

I have been gluten/soy-free for several weeks now, and have been enjoying cake(s) only vicariously :(

I will make THIS cake SOON!!!

anudivya said...

It looks pretty good to me. Moist and simple.

Dee said...

Ooh lovely! But my heart belongs to the Damson tart. I'm not sure I've heard of cobnuts, but I'm certain I won't find them here. No matter, I'll just sub with hazelnuts, and the damson with tofu *she jests*

Cakespy said...

I think I like the last step best: "EAT"!

It looks delicious!

Maria said...

I love almond everything! I am sure this dessert wouldn't let me down!

Gloria Baker said...

This look absolutely yummy and really nice!! beauty picture too!xGloria

Ling's Passion said...

You read my mind. Been looking for a flourless cake and this is a perfect fit.

Cakelaw said...

This looks fabulous - I love almond cakes!

Michaela said...

I was given the following some time ago from a gluten intolerant person. To substitute flour use a blend of 6oz rice flour, 2oz potato flour and 2oz soya flour. I have used this mixture many times in cakes and it is a very good substitute - just bear in mind that this is like plain flour, if you want self-raising, add baking powder.

Patty O. said...

This looks wonderful. I am going to share it with a friend whose child is on a GF diet. I'm pretty sure she will be very happy to have an alternative to the high-priced GF cake mixes she has to buy. Thanks.

glamah16 said...

Oh wow. This is a great gluten free recipe. Its all the best elements.

Rosie said...

This looks just wonderful C.C. with great buttery, almond & coconut flavours I'm sold on this cake mmmm

Rosie x

Rosie said...

Hi c.c. me again :)

I have an award waiting on my blog for you :)

http://rosiebakesapeaceofcake.blogspot.com/

Rosie x

Swati said...

Wow, the cake looks so tempting..Love the almonds on top!! Lovely flavors!!

Anamika:The Sugarcrafter said...

hi crusader
this is really innovative and looks good.Moist and especially gluten free,wow....well done and thanks for sharing it.

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry, but this is almost evil! I made it, and am now alone in the house with more than half left in the fridge... It is dead simple and absolutely de-li-ci-ous!

IndonesiaHAI said...

yummy... it looks so delicious. I love the slices of almond on the cake... wow, great taste i think.

greeting
enrichco

Anonymous said...

Have a very similar recipe in my Great Grans book.....well worth the effort