We’ve been soaking up the long summer days and eating so many sweet, fruit-showcasing desserts recently. I’ve been dying to find a gluten-free layer cake recipe I loved, and this is it. I based it on this blood orange matcha cake recipe (if you haven’t tried it, please do. It’s SO good!). Bits of strawberry and apricot are gently folded into an almond cake batter and the cake is layered with creamy whipped mascarpone and fresh strawberries. I topped it with some seriously beautiful fresh roses, but fruit would be equally lovely.
In other news, we are house hunting and I’m currently dreaming of gardens, fruit trees and llamas (I seriously want some llamas…I’ve been stalking @rojothellama on instagram and dying over the fluffiness)…as stressful as this process can be I’m loving driving all over rural areas outside Seattle to find us the perfect little corner of dirt. Cross your fingers for us?
- 2½ cups (360 grams) white rice flour
- 1 cup (100 grams) almond meal
- 1¾ cups (350 grams) granulated white sugar
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum
- ¾ cup whole milk, at room temperature
- ¼ c lemon juice
- zest of 1-2 lemons
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 1½ cups strawberries, peaches, apricots, or other summer fruit cut into bite-sized pieces
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Butter 3 x 6 inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Dust with flour and tap out the excess.
- Combine the milk and lemon juice and set aside.
- Combine the rice flour, almond meal, sugar, butter, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or handheld mixer and beat on medium speed until the mixture is the texture of brown sugar, about one minute.
- Add the baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, milk and lemon juice, lemon zest, eggs, vanilla bean paste and beat on medium-high speed for two minutes.
- Using a spatula, scrape the sides of the bowl down and beat for one more minute, until the batter is smooth and fluffy. Gently fold in the fruit.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 20 minutes. Rotate the pans and bake for an additional 10 or so minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Place the pans on a cooling rack and allow the cakes to cool for about 15 minutes, then run a sharp knife around the edges of the cake and turn out onto the cooling rack to come to room temperature.
- 8 oz mascarpone, at room temperature
- ½ cup (100 grams) granulated white sugar
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- pinch lemon zest
- pinch salt
- In a mixing bowl, whip the marscapone and sugar together on medium speed until combined, about 5 minutes.
- Add the whipping cream, vanilla bean paste, lemon zest and salt and whip until light and fluffy. Fill and decorate the cake as desired.
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Gorgeous cake! Good luck with house hunting 🙂
Thank you so much, Shauna! We found one! Yipee!