Gluten-Free Goddess Lemon Yogurt Cake
Perhaps, like me, you have been craving a cake infused with a bright citrus taste- not too sweet and not too spongey. A true cake with old fashioned character and heft. Something akin to a lovely simple cake I remember liking as a child, a store bought bakery cake called Louisiana Ring made by the famous Freihofer's bakery here in Connecticut. The cake featured a hint of orange.
The day I decided to bake, I did not have oranges in the pantry- but I did have some lemons, organic Greek yogurt, and plenty of blanched almond flour. And this simple home baked lemon cake was born.
In time for Spring.
Love,
Karina xo
For this recipe I used blanched almond flour which is slightly softer and more flour-like than straight almond meal processed from raw almonds. I've made cakes with both. I thought the blanched almonds worked well in this cake. The lemon peel imparts a little chewiness.
Ingredients:
1 cup blanched almond flour
1/2 cup sweet rice flour or cassava flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of fine sea salt
1 cup packed organic light brown sugar
5 medium free-range organic eggs
4 oz. light cream cheese (or butter or vegan margarine), softened
1/2 cup organic Greek yogurt- plain or lemon
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Lemon zest (fine grated peel) from 1 fresh lemon
1 teaspoon bourbon vanilla extract
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line the bottom of a 9-inch Springform or cake pan with buttered parchment paper.
In a bowl whisk together the blanched almond flour, sweet rice flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt and sugar.
Beat the eggs in separate large mixing bowl until they are light and foamy. Beat in the cream cheese and yogurt until combined.
Add in the lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla; beat to combine.
Add in the flour mixture a bit at a time and beat on medium speed for a minute or two.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake in the center of a pre-heated 350ºF. oven for about 40 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center of the cake emerges clean.
Cool on a wire rack; and release from the pan. Dust with powdered sugar.
Makes 10 servings.
This cake freezes well. I just ate a piece warmed slightly. It's moist and tender.