It's astonishing how buttery this cake tastes, given that there is not a gram of butter in it. The flour is replaced with ground almonds - and cooked, cooled, pureed fruit provides moistness and flavour.
It's astonishing how buttery this cake tastes, given that there is not a gram of butter in it. The flour is replaced with ground almonds - and cooked, cooled, pureed fruit provides moistness and flavour.
As featured in
FEAST
2004
Photo by James Merrell
As featured in
FEAST
2004
Ingredients
Makes: 12 slices
MetricCups
For the Apple Puree
3 tart eating apples (such as Braeburns)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons caster sugar
For the Cake
1 splash of vegetable oil to grease tin
8 large eggs
325 grams ground almonds
275 grams caster sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
50 grams flaked almonds
To Decorate
1 teaspoon icing sugar
For the Apple Puree
3 tart eating apples (such as Braeburns)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons superfine sugar
For the Cake
1 splash of vegetable oil to grease tin
8 large eggs
3¼ cups almond meal
1¾ cups superfine sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ cup slivered almonds
To Decorate
1 teaspoon confectioners' sugar
Method
Peel, core and chop the apples roughly. Put them in a saucepan with the lemon juice and sugar and bring the pan to a bubble over a medium heat. Cover the pan and cook over a low heat for about 10 minutes or until you can mash the apple to a rough puree with a wooden spoon or fork. (You should have about 285g / 1 generous cup of puree.) Leave to cool.
Preheat the oven to Gas mark 4/180ºC/350ºF; oil a 25cm / 10 inch springform tin with almond or a flavourless vegetable oil and line the bottom with baking parchment.
Put the cooled puree in the processor with the eggs, ground almonds, caster sugar and 1 tablespoon - or generous squeeze - of lemon juice and blitz to a puree. Pour and scrape, with a rubber spatula for ease, into the prepared tin, sprinkle the flaked almonds on top, and bake for 45 minutes. It's worth checking after 35 minutes, as ovens do vary, and you might well find its cooked earlier - or indeed you may need to give a few minutes longer.
Put on a wire rack to cool slightly, then spring open. This cake is best served slightly warm, though still good cold.
As you bring it to the table, push a teaspoon of icing sugar through a fine sieve to give a light dusting.
Peel, core and chop the apples roughly. Put them in a saucepan with the lemon juice and sugar and bring the pan to a bubble over a medium heat. Cover the pan and cook over a low heat for about 10 minutes or until you can mash the apple to a rough puree with a wooden spoon or fork. (You should have about 285g / 1 generous cup of puree.) Leave to cool.
Preheat the oven to Gas mark 4/180ºC/350ºF; oil a 25cm / 10 inch springform tin with almond or a flavourless vegetable oil and line the bottom with baking parchment.
Put the cooled puree in the processor with the eggs, almond meal, superfine sugar and 1 tablespoon - or generous squeeze - of lemon juice and blitz to a puree. Pour and scrape, with a rubber spatula for ease, into the prepared tin, sprinkle the slivered almonds on top, and bake for 45 minutes. It's worth checking after 35 minutes, as ovens do vary, and you might well find its cooked earlier - or indeed you may need to give a few minutes longer.
Put on a wire rack to cool slightly, then spring open. This cake is best served slightly warm, though still good cold.
As you bring it to the table, push a teaspoon of confectioners' sugar through a fine sieve to give a light dusting.
I've just made this cake using the suggestion to separate the eggs. Very light, moist and tasty. I did a lot of gluten free cooking for my teashop customers in cornwall. This would have gone down well even for those who do not require gluten free. Tested it on my Mum but did not tell her it is GF. She loved it. I will be trying some more recipes even though I don't need GF myself.
Posted by meadowsprite on 1st February 2016
Works really well, delicious cake- I whipped up the egg whites and folded in, result is a lovely light cake, works well every time! Lined the cake tin with baking parchment, no problem sticking. Very quick and easy to make. Love it!!
Posted by lhr on 5th February 2016
This cake is delicious, easy to make and the ingredients are things you'd already have in the cupboard. Lovely dense, moist texture. Really pleased to have found this recipe.
Posted by fitsinashoe on 4th December 2014
I make this cake often, people never guess it's gluten and dairy free. I have also made it with xylitol for diabetics and it tastes just as good... The ultimate in cakes for those with allergies etc :)
Posted by MirandaB on 22nd November 2014
Just made this cake for everyone at gideonhartphotography - it is the most buttery delicious cake, without butter! I served with clotted cream within some lemon rind and it was fab. Made it just for fun but ended up photographing it in the studio. Delicious.
Posted by gideonhartphotography on 6th October 2013
I prepared this cake and it was just awesome. I loved it as there was no need to use butter or flour. Everyone loved it!
Posted by Dhee on 3rd June 2013
This cake is fabulous! Serve with cream or fruit coulis for a real treat.
Posted by LisaRichards on 2nd June 2013
In case anyone else doesn't have a springform pan handy: I used a muffin tin with paper liners to make small cakes. I filled each cup with about an inch of batter and made 28 cakes. I baked it at the same temp for about 20 mins. Much easier for children to enjoy this size.
Posted by CG on 31st March 2013
I made this twice. tasty both times but much higher and lighter the second time when i separated the eggs, beat the whites till peaked but not dry and folded pureed everything else into whites then to pan.
Posted by susaryan on 10th September 2012
Made this a couple of times. Very good. A bit expensive due to the eggs and ground almonds. Not taxing to make at all. Kind of drooling just thinking about it.
Posted by manonlescaut on 4th April 2012
Simply delicious, recipe works like a dream, everyone loved it! It was our Easter cake this year, usually make a Simnel Cake which we also love, but this was very quick, and scrummy warm and at room temperature.
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What 11 Others have said
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Posted by meadowsprite on 1st February 2016
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Posted by lhr on 5th February 2016
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Posted by fitsinashoe on 4th December 2014
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Posted by MirandaB on 22nd November 2014
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Posted by gideonhartphotography on 6th October 2013
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Posted by Dhee on 3rd June 2013
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Posted by LisaRichards on 2nd June 2013
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Posted by CG on 31st March 2013
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Posted by susaryan on 10th September 2012
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Posted by manonlescaut on 4th April 2012
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Posted by joolie on 9th April 2012
Show more commentsI've just made this cake using the suggestion to separate the eggs. Very light, moist and tasty. I did a lot of gluten free cooking for my teashop customers in cornwall. This would have gone down well even for those who do not require gluten free. Tested it on my Mum but did not tell her it is GF. She loved it. I will be trying some more recipes even though I don't need GF myself.
Works really well, delicious cake- I whipped up the egg whites and folded in, result is a lovely light cake, works well every time! Lined the cake tin with baking parchment, no problem sticking. Very quick and easy to make. Love it!!
This cake is delicious, easy to make and the ingredients are things you'd already have in the cupboard. Lovely dense, moist texture. Really pleased to have found this recipe.
I make this cake often, people never guess it's gluten and dairy free. I have also made it with xylitol for diabetics and it tastes just as good... The ultimate in cakes for those with allergies etc :)
Just made this cake for everyone at gideonhartphotography - it is the most buttery delicious cake, without butter! I served with clotted cream within some lemon rind and it was fab. Made it just for fun but ended up photographing it in the studio. Delicious.
I prepared this cake and it was just awesome. I loved it as there was no need to use butter or flour. Everyone loved it!
This cake is fabulous! Serve with cream or fruit coulis for a real treat.
In case anyone else doesn't have a springform pan handy: I used a muffin tin with paper liners to make small cakes. I filled each cup with about an inch of batter and made 28 cakes. I baked it at the same temp for about 20 mins. Much easier for children to enjoy this size.
I made this twice. tasty both times but much higher and lighter the second time when i separated the eggs, beat the whites till peaked but not dry and folded pureed everything else into whites then to pan.
Made this a couple of times. Very good. A bit expensive due to the eggs and ground almonds. Not taxing to make at all. Kind of drooling just thinking about it.
Simply delicious, recipe works like a dream, everyone loved it! It was our Easter cake this year, usually make a Simnel Cake which we also love, but this was very quick, and scrummy warm and at room temperature.