Gluten-Free Apple Almond Cake

This gluten-free apple almond cake is an old favourite. I used to bake a version of this apple almond cake as a slice over 15 years ago when I lived back in Australia. I recently transformed this recipe into a gluten-free round cake with a pretty apple patterned top. My flourless apple almond cake is quick and easy and is made with rice flour as I wanted a gluten-free flourless cake recipe though, it would also work substituting the rice flour for regular flour, spelt flour or your favourite flour blend. This cake is even more moist the next day. It keeps for about 3-4 days in a sealed container.

Takes = 15 minutes
Bakes = 30-35 minutes
Makes = 8 to 10 pieces
Keeps = 3-4 days in a sealed container (I haven't tested freezing)

Ingredients

• Unsalted softened butter – 125g (about 1/2 cup)
• Caster Sugar (you could use white too) – 100g (about 1/2 cup)
• Large Eggs – 2
• Vanilla extract or paste – 1 tsp
• Grated lemon or orange zest (from half an orange) – about 2 teaspoons
• Baking powder – 3/4 tsp
• Rice flour  – 100g (about 2/3 cup)
• Ground almonds (or almond flour) – 100g (1 packed cup)
• Red Apples 1 medium or 2 small – leave the skin on thinly sliced for the top & finely chop 1/2 cup for the batter. (see video for cutting tips)
• White sugar –  1 tsp for the top
• Milk – can add a little milk if you think your batter is too thick –2 tbsp
  

Method

Step 1
PREHEAT oven to 180˚C fan, then grease all over and paper line the base of a 23cm (9") spring form paper.

Step 2
BEAT butter and sugar until soft. Add in eggs one at a time, vanilla and zest, then beat well in short 30-second bursts.

Step 3
WHISK flour, ground almonds and baking powder in a large bowl mix in the butter mixture for short bursts for 30 seconds and then fold in the 1/2 cup of finely chopped apples.

Step 4
SPREAD the mixture into the prepared tin. Lay other thinly sliced apples creating a flower pattern starting on the outside with the curved part of the apple facing out, and continue until you reach the centre. Then sprinkle the top with sugar.
Bake for 30 minutes, until golden brown and the cake skewer comes out clean.

Step 5
Cool for 10 minutes then remove the outer ring. We served this after 10 minutes as a warm pudding with vanilla ice cream. Dust with icing sugar to make it a little fancy. The cake will be fragile but still delicious. Even moister the following day.

Sue Maree P Baking Tips

• Flour alternatives – I haven't tested these but you could try a store-bought gluten-free blend, potato flour or tapioca.