I teach gluten-free cooking classes at a local olive oil and vinegar store and this month I will be presenting among several other recipes, a gluten-free olive oil cake. If you’ve never tried one, you need to! The moistness in this cake is superb. I decided to create a cake that represented autumn in its taste, so I came up with this gluten-free autumn spiced olive oil cake finished with a browned butter glaze. For fall, the perfect blend of spice is cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg. I like to buy whole nutmeg pods and grate my own fresh nutmeg. The aroma is amazing!
Using a fine mesh to add a dusting of powdered sugar on top finishes the olive oil cake perfectly. And the taste is truly delicious. My son and daughter-in-law were visiting this past weekend when I decided to make it for the first time. My son was not convinced that this cake would taste good. He was afraid it would just taste like a bunch of olive oil. Well, that does make sense. Olive oil does have a very distinct flavor and they also have many different flavors. Some olive oils are peppery in flavor, while others may taste a bit more like a green olives. The best is to use an olive oil that is slightly buttery in flavor. A light extra virgin olive oil is good.
One bite and my son was sold. Not only did he forget it was made with olive oil, he even forgot it was gluten-free! When topped with the sweet browned butter glaze it makes a perfect marriage of sugar and spice.
Once the batter is mixed pour it into a prepared bundt pan or square Pyrex dish. I love this cake because it is simple to make but tastes so moist and yummy. I can guarantee it will not last long around your house! At least it didn’t around mine.
The cake will bake for approximately thirty minutes. It should be slightly springy to the touch as well as just beginning to pull from the edges. If using a bundt pan, you will want to allow the cake to cool for about five minutes before inverting onto a cooling rack.
The glaze is easy but you have to be a little careful if you have never browned butter before. It is easy to over-cook and end up burning your butter. While the butter cooks it begins to separate (the casein and whey rise to the top while the clarified butter stays on the bottom). You will want it to look like the picture below. Once it does, remove from the heat immediately.
Many people who are dairy-free are actually allergic to this part that floats on the top, the casein. Separating the butter is also how ghee is made. Again, many dairy-free allergies can tolerate eating ghee because the casein and whey are removed.
Slice up a gluten-free autumn spiced olive oil cake with browned butter glaze and see if your friends don’t rant and rave over the taste, texture and moistness. Like I mentioned above, my son completely forgot it was gluten-free as he ate it; a true test of gluten-free success in my book!
Gluten-free Autumn Spiced Olive Oil Cake
Print recipe
| Serves | 12-16 |
| Prep time | 30 minutes |
| Cook time | 30 minutes |
| Total time | 1 hour |
| Dietary | Gluten-free |
| Meal type | Dessert |
Ingredients
cake
- 1 cup gluten-free flour blend (I used Bob's Redmill gluten-free 1 to 1 flour blend)
- 1/2 cup almond meal
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (freshly grated)
- 3 Large eggs (room temp.)
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 3/4 cups coconut palm sugar (or granulated sugar)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
glaze
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (browned)
- 1 cup confectioner's sugar
- 1-2 tablespoon whole milk
Directions
| cake | |
| Step 1 | |
| Preheat oven to 350 degrees. | |
| Step 2 | |
| In a large mixing bowl combine sugar, eggs, olive oil, milk, and vanilla. Blend until fully incorporated. | |
| Step 3 | |
| In a separate bowl add flour, almond meal, baking powder, salt, and spices. Blend completely. | |
| Step 4 | |
| Using a paddle mixer, slowly add flour mixture to liquid mixture until fully incorporated. | |
| Step 5 | |
| Pour into a greased bundt cake pan or into a greased 8x8 pan. | |
| Step 6 | |
| Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or until center is springy to the touch (cake should pull slightly away from the sides of the pan). | |
| Step 7 | |
| Remove from oven and let cool. If using a bundt pan, invert onto a cooling rack five minutes after removing from oven. | |
| Step 8 | |
| When cake is completely cool apply glaze. | |
| glaze | |
| Step 9 | |
| Melt butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Swirl sauté pan in a circular motion above heat until butter starts to brown. Remove from heat. Do not allow butter to burn. | |
| Step 10 | |
| Place confectioner's sugar into a bowl and add browned butter. Stir. Add one to two tablespoons of milk to gain the right consistency (slightly runny). | |
| Step 11 | |
| Pour glaze over the top of the cake. Slice and serve. | |
This recipe was shared on the these blogs: TheChickenChick Gracehttp://www.graceandgoodeats.com/2015/11/04/crafty-and-delicious-party-44/
sorry, where is the recipe?
Eek! I’m so sorry. This is what happens when I write when I’m tired! I have attached the recipe. Thank you for pointing this out!
This is my first time visiting here and I am so happy that I did. This cake sounds so good. Anything with brown butter is yummy. Never thought to top a cake with it. Thanks for sharing. Please stop by if you get a minute. Have a great week.
~ ~ ~Ahrisha~ ~ ~
Thank you, Ahrisha, and I whole-heartedly agree, browned butter can make anything taste yummy! This cake goes together fast and doesn’t disappoint. Thanks for stopping by.
This looks SO yummy! I’ve never head of olive oil cake before, but will have to try it for Thanksgiving!
It really is an easy and delicious cake to make. I hope you do get a chance to try it!
This looks incredible. Thanks for sharing!
It tastes pretty incredible too, if I do say so! Thanks for stopping by and I hope you try it sometime.
Beautiful cake! I just might try this recipe 🙂 We have a niece which is gluten free, and I’m sure she’d looooooooove this cake
My family, who is not gluten-free, gobbled it down! I bet you would like it too. 🙂
What can you use in place of almond meal as nut allergy in the house.
Hello Lisa, I would the same cup for cup flour blend, so instead of 1 cup gf flour and 1/2 cup almond meal, use 1 1/2 cup gf flour. I would use either Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 GF flour or King Arthur’s GF blend.
Olive oil cake works really well, I’m a fan. I like how you made this a little more healthy (and flavorful) with the coconut sugar. Freshly grated is the only way I use nutmeg, it’s really no extra trouble to keep whole nutmegs and grate them instead of keeping ground nutmeg.
Hi Mary, so nice to hear from you! Yes, I think any spice that you can grind fresh is always best 🙂
Oh my goodness!!! This Olive Oil cake is outstanding!!! It definitely leaves you wanting more. It was easy to make and SO yummy. Thanks again Laurie!!
You’re welcome, Kim! I’m so happy you enjoy my recipes. 🙂
I’ve made this cake many times now. Love it so much!
Hi Michael, Thank you so much! It is one of my favorite go-to recipes.