Honey Almond Cake

Here's the thing when you have a big week and a big surprise like I did last week: where do you go from there? I mean, it's pretty hard to share a recipe that will even come close to garnering the same sort of reaction as my Friday post. But try I must, so here's the latest thing I've created in my kitchen. It is a dessert, so that is bound to garner a little excitement, right?

Early in February we gathered my extended family together and celebrated two birthdays. Anytime you have a large family party, there are bound to be dietary restrictions, but this one had the following:

Gluten Free
Dairy Free
No Refined Sugars
No Artificial Anything

I love a good challenge so I started brainstorming. My first thought was to make my Chocolate Flourless Cake, but this recipe has sugar (strike one) and butter (dairy--strike two).

Back to the drawing board...

I started googling ideas and came across an idea at one of my favorite food magazine websites, EatingWell.com a recipe Flourless Honey Almond Cake.

Excited, I made a few tweaks and whipped up the honey cake. It was delicious! The perfect (fairly) healthy dairy and gluten-free dessert.

Honey Almond Cake (based on a recipe from Eating Well magazine)

1 1/2 cups slivered almonds, plus more for sprinkling on top
4 eggs at room-temperature, separated
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons honey, divided use
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour (use GF flour or cornstarch) a springform pan, and line the bottom of the pan with parchment or wax paper, being sure to grease the paper too.

In a food processor, process the almonds until they resemble the consistency of sand.

In a mixer, mix the egg yolks, 1/2 cup honey, vanilla, baking soda and salt. Add the almond meal until well combined.

In a separate bowl, beat the whites until white and foamy, but not too stiff, about 2 minutes.

Using a spatula, gently fold (bring the bottom of the contents of the bowl up and over to the top with the spatula) the egg whites into the almond mixture:


Once the mixture is fully combined, pour into the springform pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Let cool for 5 minutes or so, then run a butter knife around the edge to loosen, and then release the side of your pan.

Heat the 2 tablespoons of honey in the microwave for 20 seconds. With a pastry brush, brush the top and sprinkle with more slivered almonds, if desired.

Serves 12


Life is sweet,
SPC