GF Almond & Pear Cake

Gluten-Free Almond & Pear Cake - looks can be deceiving: this was crazy easy & super tasty to make.

Inspiration:

I feel like I am just dipping my toes into the gluten-free (GF), dairy-free, low-sugar, baking world. There’s so much to learn, and there’s a LOT of healthy treats that taste very MEH. Also, for full transparency, I believe everything is good *in moderation*. Most of the time, when I go for a treat, it’s the real deal. With that said, there’s a time and a place for whole-food & healthy baking, and if I can figure it out: I’m here for it.

I tinkered around with this GF healthy Almond Cake recipe a la Amy Chaplin yesterday and it was awesome. Don’t let the looks fool you - it may look fancy, but it was super easy to make and is definitely going to be appearing in my baking rotation. The longer it sat on the counter (It didn’t last but a few days!) the better it tasted. This recipe is also super adaptable & lends itself to my style of cooking: a little of this and a little of that, using what you have on hand.

I highly recommend you give it a go.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 c. almond flour
1/4 c. oat flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. sea salt
Dash of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger (optional)

1/2 c. maple syrup (use the real deal!)
1/4 c. melted coconut oil
2 eggs (room temp., preferred)
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. almond extract

2 medium pears - peeled (optional), quartered & cut into 1/2” slices
1/4 C. sliced or chopped almonds

Instructions:

Pre-heat the oven to 350 F

Line your pan of choice (9” square or 9” round) with parchment paper.

Lightly toast chopped or sliced almonds over medium heat for 5’ or so. Save for the end.

Combine all the dry ingredients and mix together.

Combine all of the wet ingredients in a separate bowl and whisk well.

Combine mixed wet ingredients into mixed dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined.

Pour batter into prepared pan & spread out evenly.

Top with sliced pears & toasted almonds.

Bake for 35-40 minutes until the cake is golden on top & a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10’ before serving.

A quick note:

Serves 8.

When combining the wet ingredients: I usually melt the coconut oil first, next add the maple syrup, next add the extract; make sure the oil + syrup are relatively cool & add the eggs in last. Just know that if the eggs are cold; they will re-solidify the coconut oil.

Get creative with this one! Any type of nut can be used (or omitted), and you can experiment with different fruits for toppings - next on the list for me is blueberries.

This will keep on the counter or in the pantry for 2-3 days, or in the fridge for a week.