Name: Gluten Free Vegan Almond Cake
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 cup coconut cream; 1 cup cashews (soaked for a couple hours); 1/4 cup maple syrup; 2 tablespoons coconut oil; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 1/2 teaspoon almond extract; 1 cup almond flour; 1/2 cup oat flour; 1/4 cup tapioca flour; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup; 1/4 cup apple sauce; 2 tablespoons coconut oil (melted); 1 teaspoon vanilla; 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

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Explore gluten-free baking with our Vegan Almond Cake, combining nutty almond flavors with a rich, moist texture.

This cake is delicious, easy to make, and perfect for gluten-free or vegan diets. Each carefully chosen ingredient ensures a fluffy, moist, and flavorful dessert, ideal for any occasion or special treat.

This is one of my favorite recipes that I love to make. I love the idea of it being so easy to make and so adaptable. I can change the flavor of the base easily, and I get to top it with whatever fruits I choose. For example, I could add orange zest, juice and top with orange slices for an orange cake.

I love to use a combination of cashews and coconut cream for my frosting, see my Carrot Cake Recipe.

Ingredients For Almond Cake

Almond Flour: Made from finely ground almonds, this flour is the star of the cake, providing a rich, nutty flavor and a moist texture. It’s also gluten-free and adds a protein boost.
Oat flour adds a mild, slightly sweet flavor and helps to bind the cake together. It’s a great source of gluten-free fiber, enhancing the cake’s heartiness.
Tapioca Flour: This light, fine flour helps to add a chewy texture and works as a thickener, ensuring the cake holds together nicely while baking.
Baking Powder: Acts as a leavening agent, helping the cake to rise and achieve a light, fluffy texture.
Salt: Just a pinch enhances all the flavors of the cake, balancing the sweetness and bringing out the almond flavor.
Maple syrup: used both in the cake and the frosting, it provides natural sweetness with an earthy depth that complements the nuttiness of the almond flour.
Apple Sauce: replaces eggs in this vegan cake, adding moisture and binding the ingredients without altering the flavor.
Coconut oil adds richness and moisture to the cake, ensuring it doesn’t dry out. Also used in the frosting for a smooth, creamy texture.
Vanilla Extract: Infuses the cake and frosting with classic, aromatic sweetness, enhancing the overall flavor profile.
Almond Extract: intensifies the almond flavor, adding an extra layer of nutty essence to the cake

Frosting Ingredients.

Cashews: Soaked and blended to form part of the frosting, they create a luxuriously smooth and creamy texture, adding a slight nuttiness.
Coconut Cream: The thick, rich part of canned coconut milk, used in the frosting to add decadence and a tropical hint.
Additional Coconut Oil and Maple Syrup for the Frosting: These add sweetness, richness, and a glossy finish to the frosting, making it irresistibly smooth.

Back to the recipe. I used Bob’s Red Mill Super-Fine Gluten Free Almond Flour, and I made my own oat flour in a high-speed blender. I started out making the recipe with the intent of making a fruit pizza but the texture came out more like a cake, one of those things I found in experimenting.

How To Make The Gluten Free Vegan Almond Cake

To Make The Frosting

Place 1 can of full-fat coconut milk in the refrigerator overnight.

The following day, invert the can, cut it open, drain the liquid into a bowl, and reserve it to add to curries or smoothies.

Place the remaining coconut cream (1 cup) in a food processor along with cashews, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla, and almond extract.

Process until smooth, pausing to scrape down sides. Transfer to a bowl and apply to the top of the cake. Top with fresh fruits.

To Make The Almond Cake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease or line the cake pan with parchment paper (I used a springform pan).

Combine almond flour, oat flour, tapioca flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.

In a smaller bowl, mix maple syrup, apple sauce, coconut oil, vanilla, and almond extra.

Whisk the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients until fully combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a fork inserted in the center comes out clean.

Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cool rack to cool completely before applying frosting.

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