A light blueberry almond cake with a crunchy topping of flaked almonds and brown sugar crumbs, combined with pockets of juicy blueberries. The perfect way to celebrate spring.
The weather is warming up and the sun is staying out longer. This only means one thing, springtime is well and truly here. And with spring, comes all the blueberries!
When I walk into the supermarket and see cheap blueberries, I am one happy person and I feel that it becomes my personal mission to eat as many as I can before the prices goes back up to $8 a punnet. Seriously, does anyone ever actually pay that??
Now is the time, it is peak blueberry season and I have a MUST make cake to celebrate this spring.
This cake is both dairy-free and gluten-free making it a great option to take to any gathering as having something super delicious and allergy friendly in your back pocket can make these sorts of situations so much less stressful. This cake is perfect for work morning teas, or for lunchtime BBQs. Really anytime you want something sweet but still light and fresh.
The champion of this cake is it’s topping. A combination of fresh blueberries, flaked almonds, and a buttery, sugary, crunching crumb takes this cake to the next level. A level where every mouthful has a little tart from the blueberries, a little pocket of sweet from the brown sugar, and a soft, light, moist almond cake to bring it all together.
In place of flour, we are using almond meal, sometimes labelled as almond flour. This of course make the cake gluten free, but instead of a dense cake that is often associated with gluten free, this cake is beautifully light. The lightness and the texture comes from the high quantity of eggs in this recipe.
The eggs are separated first and added to the cake batter in two different steps. The egg yolks add richness and bind everything together while the egg whites are whipped before adding to the batter. Incorporating the air from the whipped whites makes the cake soft and light.
For this cake, I use a springform pan making it really easy to release the cake without damaging the topping. This cake will stick to make sure you line the pan (both bottom and sides) with baking paper to ensure this doesn’t happen. I also like to include a light spray of cooking oil on the pan so the baking paper sticks, and another spray on top just to be safe. Doing this, the cake 100% does not stick and slides out without any effort.
While this cake is split into a few steps, it really does come together really quickly. I love the spongy almond cake flavoured with vanilla and a little almond extract. The almond extract here is optional as I know some people find the taste a bit intense, but in this cake I find it quite subtle but just lifts the overall flavour.
This gluten and dairy free blueberry almond cake really celebrates the season and helps us to make the most of all the beautiful fresh blueberries. Plus it is quick and easy to make, and with a light dusting of icing sugar, is sure to impress at your next morning tea.
If you do make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and rating below! And tag any of your creations on Instagram with #eightforestlane as I would love to see.
Blueberry Almond Crumb Cake
Ingredients
Topping:
- ¼ cup almond meal
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon dairy-free spread , melted
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup flaked almonds
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
Cake:
- 4 eggs , separated
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract , optional
- 1 ½ cups almond meal
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C, and line a round springform pan with baking paper and cooking oil spray to ensure an easy release from the pan.
- Make the crumb topping. Mix together almond meal, brown sugar and cinnamon with the melted dairy-free spread in a small bowl and place in the fridge to chill.
- Place the egg whites in a clean, dry bowl and beat with an electric mixer just until stiff peaks begin to form. Be careful not to over whip the egg whites.
- In a separate bowl, mix together egg yolks, sugar, vanilla and almond extract (if using).
- In a third bowl, mix together dry ingredients. Slowly add dry ingredients into the egg yolk mixture, ensuring it is completely combined. Using a spatula, add the egg whites to the batter and fold through until mixture is light and creamy.
- Pour cake batter into the prepared pan. Dot blueberries evenly over the top of the cake batter. Sprinkle over the chilled crumb topping ensuring it is evenly spread. Finally, sprinkle over the flaked almonds.
- Bake cake for 30-35 minutes. Top will be golden and springy when done. Allow cake to cool for at least 10 minutes in the pan before releasing the side. Cake may sink a little while cooling - that is normal. Top with a dusting of icing sugar and serve warm if desired. Once cool, store cake in an airtight container at room temperature. Best consumed within 3 days.
Notes
Nutritional information is provided as a guide only and is calculated using automated online tools, therefore we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We encourage you to make your own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
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Dairy-Free Blueberry Muffins
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Coconut Chocolate Cake with Raspberries (Dairy Free, Gluten Free)
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Jenny Champness
Hi, haven’t made this yet but I plan to. Am wondering though, if the temperature of the oven is convection or fan forced. Also plan to make your date and nut bars. Have only just seen your website and you have a lot of great recipes. Thanks.
Sally
Thanks so much Jenny! Generally the temperature stated will be convection however all ovens are different and sometimes temperatures and cooking times may vary. If you’re unsure, just keep an eye on it while you bake and keep it in until it’s cooked through. Hope you enjoy this one as much as I do 🙂