When my grandma was recently diagnosed with coeliac disease, it changed how I thought about baking. She’s always been a big presence in the kitchen, especially when it came to buttery homemade shortbread and old-school baking. So when gluten was suddenly off the menu, I started experimenting with recipes she could still enjoy!This flourless lemon, blackberry and toasted almond cake was an instant hit. It’s tangy and zesty, tender, buttery and naturally gluten free (without needing any tricky substitutions). The base is made with ground almonds, which give the cake a rich, moist texture. Whipped egg whites help keep it light, while lemon zest and lots of lemon juice bring plenty of tang. Before baking, the tin is brushed with butter and coated with crushed flaked almonds, which toast in the oven and create the most deliciously golden crust. While the cake is still warm, it’s soaked with a sharp lemon syrup that adds flavour, as well as keeping it perfectly moist. Once cooled, it’s finished with a thick lemon glaze and a few spoonfuls of stewed blackberries. I like to scatter over some thyme leaves too, just to make it feel a little fancy! It’s a cake that feels special enough for a celebration, but simple enough to make on a rainy Sunday. Most importantly, it passed the Grandma test - she had two slices and didn’t miss the gluten one bit!!

Whether you're baking for someone coeliac or just after a delicious dessert, this cake is a total joy to make and eat!!

Tangy Flourless Lemon, Blackberry & Toasted Almond Cake

INGREDIENTS

Flourless Lemon Cake

• 50g flaked almonds, crushed
• 4 free range eggs, separated
• 120g butter, softened + extra for brushing
• ¾ cup caster sugar
• Zest of 1 large lemon + 1 tbsp lemon juice
• ¼ cup full-fat cows milk
• 2 ½ cups ground almonds
• 1 tsp gluten free baking powder

Lemon Soak:

• ½ cup lemon juice
• 4 Tbsp caster sugar

Icing & Topping:

• 1 ½ cups gluten free icing sugar
• 2- 3 Tbsp lemon juice
• ⅓ cup stewed blackberries
• Lemon zest & thyme leaves, to garnish

METHOD

To make the cake:

1. Preheat your oven to 175°C bake. Grease and line the base and sides of a 20cm cake tin with baking paper.
2. Flourless lemon cake: Using a pastry brush, brush a thin layer of softened butter over the baking paper in the prepared cake tin. Tip the crushed flaked almonds into the tin. Carefully rotate the tin around so that the flaked almonds spread and stick to the butter on the baking paper. Tip out any excess flaked almonds. Set aside.
3. Separate the egg whites from the yolks and set both aside.
4. In a large bowl, beat together the softened butter and caster sugar until fluffy and pale, about 2 minutes.
5. Add the egg yolks and beat again, until combined.
6. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, milk, ground almonds, baking powder and ¼ tsp fine salt. Beat again, until combined.
7. Place the egg whites into a separate medium bowl and whisk until soft peaks. Fold the whipped egg white into the butter/ground almond mixture, until combined and no streaks remain.
8. Spoon the cake batter into the almond-crusted cake tin and spread out into an even layer.
9. Bake on the lower-middle oven rack for 35-40 minutes, until golden and cooked through.

Lemon Soak and Icing

1. While the cake is still hot, make the lemon soak. Whisk the lemon juice and sugar together until the sugar has dissolved. Pour evenly over the hot cake. Set aside to cool completely before removing the cake from the tin.
2. Add icing sugar to a large bowl. Add 2 Tbsp of the lemon juice and mix well, until combined. Add additional lemon juice, 1 tsp at a time, mixing until the icing reaches a very thick but spreadable consistency. Spoon the icing on top of the cooled cake and gently spread out over the top, letting some of the icing drizzle down the sides. Dollop over some stewed blackberries if using, and garnish with lemon zest + thyme if desired.

Article and recipe provided by Amelia Ferrier of Melies Kitchen