Italian Pine Nut and Apricot Cake
This gluten free Apricot Cake with Pine Nuts is an Italian-style dessert that is ever so moist and decadent. You would never know it, but this cake is completely grain free!
Servings: 16
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup almond meal
- 1 1/4 cup gluten free flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
- 1/2 cup pine nuts
- 4 large eggs
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 sticks butter melted (12 tablespoons)
- 1/3 cup unsweetened almond or coconut milk
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/2 cup dried apricots chopped (about 15 whole)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 9" cake pan with organic baking spray, or coat with extra virgin coconut oil and dust with flour.
- Place almonds and 1/4 cup of pine nuts on a baking sheet, separated. Bake for 4-5 minutes until nuts are toasted.
- Place toasted pine nuts in a food processor and grind into a coarse meal.
- Place ground pine nuts, almond meal, flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
- Place butter in a medium bowl and melt in microwave.
- Mix sugar into butter, then add in milk, eggs, and almond extract.
- Pour wet ingredients into dry and stir to combine. Add in chopped apricots and stir till blended.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and top with almond slices and remaining 1/4 cup of pine nuts.
- Bake for 50-55 minutes, golden brown and cake tester comes out clean.
- Let cool for 30 minutes and dust with powdered sugar.
Notes
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- Flour: This recipe is grain free as long as your gluten free flour blend is grain free, so avoid flour blends with rice, corn, or other grains. PaleoIf you don't mind making this cake with grains, you can use any all-purpose flour that you like!
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- Mixing: While you should not overmix cake batter that is made with regular flour, gluten free flours don't react the same way, so feel free to mix this one well to get a smooth, creamy texture.
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- Apricots: If you don't have dried apricots, you could substitute another chopped, dried fruit such as golden raisins, dried mango, or dried figs.
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- Powdered Sugar: I love a dusting of powdered sugar on top of the apricot cake, but you can also serve the cake just as it is, without any topping.
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- Whipped Cream: Whipped cream would be a great addition to this recipe, whether you are serving it for dessert or for brunch. Yum!
- Storing and Freezing: To freeze, cool the cake completely and wrap it in two layers - one of plastic, and one of foil. Then freeze for up to two months. To refrigerate, cover tightly and store in the fridge for two or three days.