Citrusy Almond Cornmeal Cake (Gluten-Free)

Amarante

Mon, Feb 19 2024, 12:40 pm

I needed a dessert for a gluten free eater - this was very good. I love almond flour anyway so this was no hardship. Very Happy

Citrusy Almond Cornmeal Cake (Gluten-Free)

Excerpt From: Yossy Arefi - Snacking Cakes

This gluten-free cake is dense, moist, and super citrusy. The pan is lined with almonds and sugar, making a perfectly crisp topping. Don’t skip the syrup—it is sweet, tart, and packed with lots more citrus zest to make this cake a puckery treat. The syrup also extends the shelf life of the cake a bit, although I’m sure you won’t have a problem polishing this off in a couple of days. You’ll need two lemons and two tangerines for the cake and syrup.

1 cup (90g) sliced almonds
¾ cup (150g) plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 lemon
1 tangerine or small orange
3 large eggs
½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, melted - I used Miyokos European Creamery Plant Butter.
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
1½ cups (165g) almond flour
½ cup (65g) finely ground yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons baking powder

Citrus Syrup

¼ cup (50g) sugar
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons finely grated tangerine or orange zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons tangerine or orange juice

1. Position a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 350ºF. Very generously butter an 8-inch square baking pan, line it with a square of parchment paper, and then butter the paper.

MAKE THE CAKE:

2. Arrange the almonds over the parchment paper in an even layer (there will be some overlap) and then sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the sugar over the almonds.

3. Zest the lemon and tangerine (or orange) into a large bowl and add the eggs and the remaining ¾ cup (150g) sugar. Whisk until pale and foamy, about 1 minute. Add the butter and salt and whisk until smooth and emulsified.

4. Add the almond flour, cornmeal, cornstarch, and baking powder. Whisk until well-combined and smooth.

5. Gently pour the batter over the almonds in the pan, tap the pan gently on the counter to release any air bubbles, and smooth the top of the batter with an offset spatula.

6. Bake the cake until puffed and golden, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Set the cake on a rack to cool for 15 minutes.

MAKE THE SYRUP

7. Combine the sugar, lemon zest, tangerine zest, lemon juice, and tangerine juice in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat.

8. After the cake has cooled for 15 minutes, carefully invert it onto a serving plate, remove the parchment, and spoon the syrup over the top. Let the syrup soak into the cake for 1 hour, then serve the cake warm or at “room temperature. (Store the cake, well wrapped, at room temperature for up to three days.)

Use Another Pan

ROUND: Bake in a 9-inch round pan until puffed and golden, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes.

Dress It Up

Serve slices of cake with Crème Fraîche Whip (this page) or Honey Whip (this page)

Amarante

Tue, Feb 20 2024, 9:20 am

luftmaidel wrote:

I do, and I'm a big fan! Have also really enjoyed some of Yossy Arefi's recipes for NYTimes Cooking - the Cranberry-Pear Crumble Bars are a favorite!

That combo sounds good - cranberry - pears - you had me at crumble Very Happy

I didn't meant to seem to darn the cake with fake praise - just meant that I might not have picked that specific recipe without the gluten issue.

As I wrote, I love baked stuff made with almond flour - flourless chocolate cakes, Italian Three Colored Cookies and almond horns. Not to mention Linzer Tarts and Linzer Cookies Smile