Nigella’s Almond and Apple Cake – gluten and dairy free

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This delicious, soft, moist almond and apple cake is full of fresh flavours, incredibly simple to make and naturally gluten and dairy free. The only difficult thing is remembering to make the apple puree slightly ahead of time, so it has time to cool before blitzing with the remaining ingredients in a food processor. You will want to eat it at any time of the day: it works as well with yoghurt and fruit for breakfast, as it does with cream or ice cream for dessert. It is also wonderful served simply with a cup of tea or coffee.

Where is this recipe from?

This is a Nigella recipe, so you know it is going to be fabulous. I came across it on-line but it is also featured in her ‘Feast’ cookery book. Nigella’s original recipe serves 12; I rarely need a cake that big so I halved the ingredients and made it in a smaller cake tin. Please see here for Nigella’s original post and recipe.

How to make Nigella’s Almond and Apple Cake

Collect all your ingredients together:

Apple Purée –

• tart, medium eating apples such as Braeburns
• caster sugar
• fresh lemon juice

Cake –

• butter or oil to grease the cake tin
• eggs
• ground almonds
• caster sugar
• fresh lemon juice
• flaked almonds

Decorate –

• icing sugar

How to make this wonderful cake:

1. Apple Purée – peel, core and roughly chop the apples. Add to a saucepan with the sugar and lemon juice. Cook, covered over a medium to low heat, until the apples are very soft and collapse when pressed with the back of a fork. Stir from time to time whilst cooking. Set aside to cool. You should have around 150g cooked apples.
2. The cake – when the apple is cool, tip into a food processor and add all the remaining cake ingredients, except the flaked almonds. Pulse until everything is thoroughly mixed, but do not over-mix. You may need to scrape down the sides of the processor bowl in between blitzes.
3. Pour into the prepared cake tin and scatter over the flaked almonds.
4. Bake in the centre of a preheated oven for 35 – 45 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and springs back in the centre when lightly pressed with a finger. Start checking the cake at 25 – 30 minutes though, as ovens vary considerably. Leave to cool for 10 minutes and then remove from the tin.
5. When you are ready to serve, lightly sieve over some icing sugar. This cake is best served warm, either as it is or with some ice cream, crème fraîche and/or some fruit compote. It is delicious served for dessert or afternoon tea.
6. Storage – store in a sealed container for up to 3 days or up to 5 days in the fridge. If storing in the fridge, make sure the cake is at room temperature before serving.
7. Freezing – this cake freezes well for up to 3 months. Wrap in a double layer of cling film and then cover with kitchen foil. Defrost in the fridge overnight and make sure the cake is at room temperature before serving.

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Made this recipe?

If you make this recipe, do please tag me on instagram @daffodil_kitchen. You could also leave a comment in the box directly below the recipe.