As I said in my last post, I’m into grain-free, low glycemic foods right now, and actually can’t imagine going back to eating grains. I feel so much better. My mind is clearer, and my energy is great. There are a few grain-free cookbooks that are amazing, and I’m going through them so I can share the best recipes with you. This is from Danielle Walker’s Against the Grain.
The first day I made this coffee cake it was literally gone in an hour. The next day I made two more. Luckily they lasted a few days, but they went quickly. It’s great plain, but of course everything is a little better with whipped cream. The whipped cream recipe from my last post is perfect with it. Once again, as with many grain-free desserts, there are eggs and honey, but my vegan friends can whip out there substitutes with this one.
I’m not going to lie, the first time I made it, it kind of seemed like an ordeal. There’s a few more steps than I usually like in a recipe, but the second time through it was a breeze. It’s actually a simple recipe, so don’t get intimidated by it. It’s easy and worth it.
This is definitely what I’ll be bringing to holiday dinners!
INGREDIENTS:
For the cake
- 2-1/2 cups blanched almond flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/2 cup honey, liquified
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 pound gala apples (peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
For the cinnamon swirl
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1-1/2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
- 2 tablespoons honey
For the glaze
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil, softened but not melted
- 1/2 tablespoon unfiltered apple juice
- 1 tablespoon raw honey, in its solid state
- 2 tablespoons coconut cream (the solid fat that rises to the top of a can of coconut milk)
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Place a round piece of parchment paper at the bottom of a round cake pan, then lightly oil all sides with a little coconut oil.
- Toss together the apples and lemon juice. Set aside.
- Mix the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt in a medium sized bowl.
- Mix the coconut oil, eggs, honey, and vanilla in another small bowl, then incorporate the wet into the dry ingredients.
- Fold in the apple mixture, then spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Use a spatula to spread it into an even layer. The batter will be pretty thick.
- Mix the cinnamon swirl ingredients in a small bowl, then drizzle around the cake. Use a toothpick or a skewer to drag the mixture around and make swirly patterns in the batter.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool on a wire rack, then use a knife to loosen the sides from the pan. Invert the cake onto the rack and peel off the parchment paper.
- Flip the cake so it’s right-side-up, and continue cooling either on the rack or by placing in the refrigerator.
- Mix together all of your glaze ingredients in a blender or small food processor. If it’s a little too runny, place in the fridge for 5-10 minutes to thicken it up a bit.
- Drizzle over the cake, then serve immediately or store in the fridge for 1-2 days.