Amazingly Easy Healthy Almond Cake With Stewed Strawberries
So my kids have chickenpox.
Yep, that’s my life right now.
Oh, but it gets better…
Because my own autoimmune disease means that although I’ve had both chickenpox and shingles in my life, my body still feels the need to fight the virus now with more extreme than usual measures. Namely, waking me up at 2am every night for a week with uncontrollable shaking and other fun symptoms.
I get to stay home with itchy sick kids in the daytime, unable to go far during our quarantine period, and stay up at night watching Brooklyn Nine-Nine while I try to ignore the way my body has chosen to fight this particular infection.
So… almond cake. Because my life needs cake at the moment.
And when I am exhausted from lack of sleep and over-exertion of my muscles and the muggy heat that our part of the world gets to enjoy this summer, well, it needs to be an easy almond cake.
And this is about as easy as it gets.
A summery, sweet, rich almond cake that is packed with nutrients and filling good fats and no gluten, dairy or refined sugar in sight. Made in 35 minutes from start-to-finish and in one blender and cake tin (and a saucepan if you want the strawberries… and trust me, you want them).
So enjoy the:
- lack of gluten, dairy and refined sugar
- filling fibre, energy-boosting protein and blood-sugar-balancing spices
- dense but delicious texture
- sweet and summery strawberries
- minimal washing up
- energy boost without the sugar crash
I don’t know if I’ll be getting a full night’s sleep anytime soon, but at least I know that if we want a summer treat, there’s at least one I can make when I can’t keep my eyes open for the length of yet-another-kids’-movie.
See you on the other side!
This almond cake is made in one blender in 5 minutes, cooks in 30, is gluten, dairy and refined sugar free, and is delicious! Perfect for a summery treat with minimal effort. It is filling, packed with nutrients and naturally sweet.
- 125 ml (1/2 cup) melted coconut oil (a neutral, not-extra-virgin olive oil will work here, too)
- 70 g (1/4 cup) rice syrup + 4 drops liquid stevia or 100g (1/2 cup) xylitol
- 2 medium eggs
- 150 g (3/4 cup) unsweetened applesauce* (alternatively, use the same amount mashed banana or Greek yogurt)
- 200 g (2 cups) ground almonds (almond meal)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 300 g (2 cups) fresh or frozen strawberries
- 1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped out (optional, but delicious)
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Preheat oven to 190C/375F/gas 5. Lightly grease and line an 8" (20cm) cake tin. Blitz all the ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour into the prepared cake tin and bake for 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.
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Meanwhile, put the strawberries in a saucepan with the vanilla pod seeds (I like to add the pod itself as well and take it out before serving) and a splash of water and simmer until softened (you want the strawberries to still have a little shape and texture but not be hard). Allow to cool and serve with the cake.
* I like to use my 5-minute microwave veggie-loaded applesauce here
Many of my recipes are made in one bowl or blender – why not check some more out here.
