We’ve reached the time of year when our schedules fill up and life moves at lightning speed. Over the last few years, I’ve tried to intentionally slow down at the beginning of the holiday season and not take things too seriously. After all, we’re not celebrating stress and frustration, right? This year, I’m turning off the electronics (except for background music) and baking with the kids. I want to relish the days that can pass so swiftly.
We enjoyed rain in the desert this weekend. A rainy day is a special event out here, and is usually combined with very strong winds to make things extra cold. The girls and I spent the weekend at home, baking and enjoying the sound of water pattering on the windows. We tried new recipes and got into our pajamas early, talking about our plans for the rest of the year.
After last month’s grain-free challenge, I’ve continued eating a grain free diet - mainly because I like it so much. I experimented with many Thanksgiving favorites this weekend (look for my Thanksgiving menus/plans in a few days). We also baked a few cakes with almond and coconut flour until we got them just right. I’m still amazed that ground almonds can be the foundation for wonderful cakes, cookies, muffins, etc. When you combine it with this rich, flavorful buttercream, it’s astonishing!
Almond Cake with Maple Buttercream
I prefer to make my own baking powder to ensure that it’s grain-free. Here’s the recipe: 1 part baking soda + 1 part cream of tartar + 2 parts arrowroot. I make the baking powder in large batches and store it in a glass jar. Serves 10
For the cake:
3 cups almond meal or flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon grain-free baking powder (see above)
1/2 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
2/3 cup maple syrup (I use grade B for the flavor and because it’s a bit cheaper than grade A)
1/2 cup coconut oil (I used Wilderness Family Naturals)
4 large eggs
1/2 cup plain whole yogurt
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350ºF and adjust rack to middle position. Butter two 9-inch cake pans and dust with arrowroot (this will keep the cake from sticking).
Whisk together almond meal, coconut flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and sea salt in a large mixing bowl. Blend together the maple syrup, coconut oil eggs, yogurt, almond extract and vanilla in a blender or food processor. Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. Divide batter evenly between the two cake pans and spread evenly with an off-set spatula. Bake for 20-23 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Cool cakes for 10 minutes, run a knife around the edges and then remove the cakes from the pans. Cool completely.
Maple Buttercream
You can substitute the maple sugar in this recipe with organic whole cane sugar or sucanat. It won’t have a maple flavor, but will be just as decadent.
For the buttercream:
4 large eggs
1 cup maple sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
pinch of Celtic sea salt
1 pound unsalted butter, softened, each stick cut into tablespoons
Directions:
In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine eggs, maple sugar, vanilla and pinch of salt. Set the bowl over a pot of simmering water. Whisk constantly until the egg mixture reaches 160° F, about 3 – 5 minutes. Put the bowl back in the standing mixer and beat the egg mixture on medium-high with the whisk attachment until light and billowy, about 5 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium and add butter one tablespoon at a time. When all of the butter is added, whisk entire mixture for 1 minute on high until light and fluffy.
To assemble: Place one cake layer on a cake stand and top with half of the frosting. Spread frosting evenly on the cake. Place second cake layer on top and use remaining frosting to frost the top of the cake.
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I rave about myself every night at the dinner table, “Honey, can you believe I made this??” And it’s all thanks to you!! (and teaching me that organic butter is welcomed and embraced! No more fat free, yay!!
{ 59 comments… read them below or add one }
Oh, man. Now I can’t move, think or breathe straight.
Do what?
So yummy!!!!! I love try different kind of flour, and I’ve never tasted almond flour so it will be my next “must”. Great recipe, and beautiful photos. I would like to have one of this in this rainy afternoon, here in Spain!!!!!
Oh you have me at maple buttercream! Anything maple and I am sold!
That frosting looks so rich and decadent!
This looks wonderful! One question, ingredients say whole yogurt, but the directions say sour cream. Does is matter which one is used?
I am so glad that you are doing all of the experimenting! Even though it is pure enjoyment for you, I know there are still lots of dirty dishes to wash up. I’m thankful that you get it just right and pass it on to us. I am planning on your Carrot Souffle for our holiday meals this year, and this cake looks like a must, too!
That was a typo. Sorry! It should be plain yogurt. I’ll correct it. Thanks for pointing that out!
It looks delicious. It’s grain free which makes the recipe even better!
I too am planning to slow down for the holidays – although by that I mean after mid December – looking forward to baking with the kids, making gifts and generally enjoying family life.
This combines so many of my favorite flavors into one delicious cake!
I saw you talking about this cake this weekend…it looks amazing & I love that it is grain free too
Looks fantastic! I’m going to try making cupcakes with this recipe! By the way I love your meal plans
Happiness. That’s all I can say. Hugs to you and your girls all the way from Alabama for perfecting this recipe! I can’t wait to try it!
Gorgeous! Slather anything in maple buttercream and I am all over it!
I can’t wait to try this!!
When you click to print, only the buttercream recipe shows…
I fixed it. Wordpress has been funny lately. Thanks for pointing that out!
Beautiful cake! I would love a slice!
I love the idea of using cocoa powder in your cake. I can only imagine how light this cake is.
I can’t wait to try this. I imagine almond and maple taste so well together!
What a beautiful cake, Carrie. This is exactly the kind of thing I’d love to have on hand when friends and neighbors drop by during the holidays.
I think that sounds like the perfect weekend! I love getting cozy in my pj’s on a rainy day and putzing around the kitchen.
The cake is a must for the holidays, but not sure I will be ready for it. So happy to hear you have decided to stay grain free. I am feeling much better since starting the Gaps diet. I have known for years grains put weight on me and cause arthritis flair ups, but not until I started reading the book “Wheat Belly” did I understand why. I am so happy food bloggers, like yourself, are conscious and aware of some of the non conventional research out there. It’s such a great feeling to read other people’s progress who are grain free because most people in my daily life want nothing to do with giving up the food they so love. By the way, you look great!!!
I love this idea! I’ve never had an almond cake before. Yum!
Yes! I saw your opening sentences in preview on my Google Reader and I clicked over right away. I have been feeling that sinking feeling — like there is much to do, get going, you are running out of time!!! But I’m glad to have a reminder that this time should be enjoyed.
I will definitely make this cake and help myself to continue remembering with every bite! What a great recipe.
I am usually in charge of desserts for our family get togethers, and I think I will make this for Thanksgiving!
This truly is the best almond flour cake I have eaten and I have made several myself in the past. The texture was consistent throughout the cake which it sometimes a challenge when baking with almond flour. It somehow, despite being grain-free, harkened me back to my childhood at my grandmother’s house. It has an old-fashioned quality…..maybe it’s that butter
Great cake Carrie! Thanks 
wow! So delicious!!
Carrie, my three year old is licking her lips in hopes that we bake today, I can’t wait to try this recipe… Maybe in cupcakes.
Love the ingredient line up!
I also tested this recipe in a cupcake pan, and it works great! Just cut the baking time down to about 18 minutes.
I’m so excited, just picked up some maple sugar!! Can’t wait to try this! Thanks!
Hi! I just purchased your book and 4 out of 4 recipes I’ve tried are AMAZING! I’m so glad I got yet another cookbook. So far, my favorite.
Anyway, I have an unrelated question from this post, but I can’t find brown arborio rice anywhere, even amazon. Where do you purchase it from? Thanks, Jen
Thank you for the kind words. I’m thrilled that you have enjoyed the book and the recipes. I buy Lundberg short brown rice (same thing as aborio). I usually buy it at my local health food store (like whole foods) or through Azure Standard.
I love almond as a base for cakes. I think it may be my favorite. This is something my grandma would love, maybe I’ll bring it to her : )
I am definitely going to make this! I’m thrilled that you have continued grain-free. I’m at 5 wks being grain-free and LOVE it! I’m not going to back, it doesn’t even appeal to me anymore. Keep sending out the great recipes, I’ll be looking forward to them!
Maple buttercream? I could just have THAT and die very happy!
Just saw Helene’s post and that you were at her event. I am so bummed I couldn’t attend$$. I really, really wanted to. I would love to hear about your experiences. It sounds..amazing. I have taken workshops with Matt A., Diane & Todd, but never Helene. Want to!!
Can I use something else besides coconut flour? We don’t have it here? I know it wouldn’t be grain free but I am trying to improvise but don’t want to waste all the ingredients if you know already it would be a flop with other flour. Just curious.
You could replace the coconut flour with 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour, or 1/4 almond flour. If you use all almond flour in the recipe I’d reduce the yogurt to 1/4 cup. If you try it, let me know how it turns out!!
This cake is incredible-just enjoyed, rather DEVOURED for my son’s bday today. Almond four never ceases to amaze me, and Carrie you are amazing! Thank you for all the yumminess and all healthy recipes you have shared.
I’m so glad you all enjoyed it on your son’s special day!
Wow, this cake was delicious! I used almond meal but next time I think I’ll try almond flour to see if the texture would be a little better. I used sucanat in the buttercream frosting and it was THE best frosting I’ve had…will definitely make this again and again!
I’ve baked with almond flour, but not 100% grain free. The idea of baking grain free does intrigue me. I haven’t had much luck with coconut flour (most likely because I was also baking egg-free). Have you tried baking egg-free when you use coconut flour? I know it absorbs a lot of liquid, but not sure if it requires eggs to work.
I haven’t tried egg-free baking with coconut flour, except for my latest cookie recipe that uses almond flour and coconut flour. I read everywhere that you “need” to use lots of eggs, but I’m not convinced about that yet. The less eggs I use when baking with coconut flour, the better the end product is (in my opinion). So, the jury is still out!
I made this this weekend and it was FABULOUS! Thank you for such a well-tested, well-balanced recipe.
Looks amazing & I would like to give it a try, i’m in Australia and not sure i’ve seen Maple Sugar (although i will try to get it) i already have coconut sugar, can the maple sugar be replaced by coconut sugar, do you know? THANKS
I haven’t tested it, but I think coconut sugar would make for a nice substitute.
Planning on making this in to cupcakes for my son’s first birthday. Any idea how many cupcakes one batch makes? Also, I would like to go sugar free on the frosting as well. Do you have any frosting recipes that don’t have sugar or could this recipe be reworked? Thanks
I haven’t tried this recipe for cupcakes, so I don’t know how many it will make. I don’t have a frosting recipe that doesn’t use any sweeteners. You could use 3/4 cup maple syrup in this frosting recipe, instead of maple sugar, but I don’t have any ideas for a sugar-free frosting.
I thought I saw where you had previously posted that you tried the recipe in a cupcake pan?
I’ve made the coconut cake as cupcakes, but I don’t recall making this almond cake in a muffin pan. Sorry I can’t be of more help!
Darn! I was really hoping to figure this out. On November 8, 2011 you did reply to someone that you made it in a cupcake pan. It says to cut down the baking time down to 18 minutes. Obviously, that was over a year ago though so I’m sure it might be hard to remember. Thanks
I apologize. I didn’t remember answering that question. So then, I would reduce the baking time to 18 minutes.
Okay, yeah I wanted to know how many a batch of batter makes. Twelve? Twenty-four?
Hey Carrie!
Made this cake yesterday for after lunch with the family today. We all loved it! The cake had a delicious chocolate-almond flavor and great crumbly consistency, and the frosting… wow! I was a bit nervous about all of the butter but it was so worth the calories!
I was surprised at how easy it was to bake with the flour combination. I had always thought gluten free baking would be much more work…
I discovered that I am sensitive to gluten a few weeks ago, (I had been having symptoms for months, but didn’t want to give it up and was afraid of all of the extra work I thought it would be) I finally had to after my symptoms were worsening, and now I feel great, so much more energy and I feel like my waistline has decreased already! The only thing I was really missing were pastries. I knew after following your blog and using many of your recipes over the last two years that your blog would be the perfect source for my gluten free baking. I am just so thankful that you provide the resources you do! Everything I have made from your blog has been perfect, and I have learned so much about eating organically and how to use different ingredients and techniques. Thank you for sharing everything that you do!
God bless,
Jess
I’m sorry to hear of your allergies, but I’m glad you’re finding recipes that you can enjoy! Thank you for the kind words.
I’m going to make this frosting for my son’s birthday. Can I substitute honey for maple sugar? I just picked up honey from the farm and have A LOT!
Thanks.
Just an FYI. I used maple syrup in mine. It came out perfect the day I made it ( I did it a day ahead of time). The next day was a different story. It started separating horribly. It was a disgusting, liquidy, goopy mess.
Oh no!!! Were you able to salvage it? I, too, was planning to make the frosting the day before the event.
I haven’t tried honey in this recipe, so I can’t say for sure how it would turn out. You can make the frosting ahead of time and store it in the fridge. Let the frosting come to room temperature before icing the cake.
Somewhat. It was pretty unappetizing.
I wonder if honey crystals would work. I don’t have any but my son goes haywire when he eats maple syrup.
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