Mark Bittman's Almond Cake from "How to Cook Everything Vegetarian" Gluten Free

I almost cried when I took the first bite of this cake--I haven't had a cake this good since I went gluten-free in 2002. And maybe I'm not remembering all the cakes I had before that time, but it might be the best non-chocolate cake I've every had. I'm partial to pound cakes, and this cake does have that richness, but the ground almonds keep it from being too dense. And it's because of the use of almonds that I think of this as more of a torte than a cake. 

I hope you enjoy this Mark Bittman recipe, which I've modified to my tastes and to be gluten free. I've made about a dozen recipes from his "How to Cook Everything Vegetarian" cookbook, and I highly recommend it. It's not a gluten free cookbook, but I'm pretty used to adapting recipes by now.

Ingredients 

8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened, plus butter for the pan
1 cup unsalted almonds (raw recommended)
1 cup flour (125 grams), all-purpose or gluten free (see gluten free flour note below)
1/8 tsp xantham gum, gluten free version only
--If you don't have on hand, fine to omit. Cake will be a bit more crumbly, but still tasty.
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, room temperature (I took them out of the fridge when I took the butter out to soften)
1 tsp vanilla extract 
1 tsp grated lemon zest (about one medium sized lemon)
1/4 cup milk of your choice, almond recommended

Frosting/Glaze

Your choice--I sifted confectioners sugar over the top and served with fresh raspberries. 

Gluten free flour mix: 

For baking, I highly recommend Annalise Robert's brown rice flour mix. I blend up a big batch so that I always have some on hand and don't have to measure three different flours out while baking (I upcycled an old 2lb protein powder container for this purpose). I stock up on potato and tapioca starch at Asian markets, where it is much less expensive than a grocery store. The brown rice flour that she recommends is really pricey (though high quality), so I just use the affordable Bob's Red Mill brand--I sift this with the other flours to get a finer texture. 

Steps

1. Set oven to 350 degrees. Grease one 9-inch layer or springform cake pan with some butter. I only had a 10-inch springform cake pan. Cake turned out great--I just had to keep a closer eye on the time.
2. Pulse almonds in a food processor until finely ground. I actually let my Cuisinart run for about a minute and then pulsed until it was fine enough. Mix the almond flour with the dry ingredients.
   
3. Use an electric mixer to beat the stick of butter and sugar together until creamy (3-4 minutes), then add the eggs one at a time and beat until thick and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the mixing blow as necessary (another 2-3 minutes).
4. Add the extract and zest and beat (about a minute). 
5. Add the dry mixture (lower mixing speed for about 2 minutes). Mix until smooth.
6. Add milk and mix on low speed until well blended (about 2 minutes).
7. Pour batter into greased pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30-40 minutes. 
8. Cooling: Leave in pan for 15 minutes and then invert onto a rack. Cool completely before glazing or frosting and slicing. 
9. Storing: Regular flour: Covered with wax paper at room temperature, fine for up to a day or two; use plastic wrap and it will keep for an extra day or so. Gluten-free flour: Store in airtight container in fridge for 2-3 days. If you know you aren't going to eat it all in that time period, cut cake into slices, individually wrap slices in aluminum foil and then store in freezer-proof container or plastic bag for up to one month. This cake is very delicate, so I recommend eating within 2-3 days of making. 

Photos from a Saturday Drive

Matt and I spent about six hours driving east and north of San Diego last weekend. We were able to fit in a meal at Miner Diner in Julian, our favorite (somewhat local) unsuccessful mining town (where the temperature was a markedly chillier 50 degree), before heading north on route 79 and eventually winding our way back west around Cleveland National Forest. San Diego County has 10 climate zones, and I think we drove through at least half on our outing.

MASTERS OF MID-CENTURY CALIFORNIA MODERNISM — Evelyn and Jerome Ackerman

If you come to visit us in San Diego soon, we recommend stopping by the Mingei Museum in Balboa Park to see the exhibit MASTERS OF MID-CENTURY CALIFORNIA MODERNISM — Evelyn and Jerome Ackerman.

Anza Borrego

Last weekend we decided to catch the tail end of the desert wildflowers in Anza Borrego Desert State Park. After a stop in Julian for a bison burger at the Miner Diner, we headed southwest into the park. We didn't do much hiking, just a walk through a trail leading to a number of palm groves (we made it only to the second grove), but it was a lovely, mild day in the desert. Julian was actually chilly, as a storm was predicted to drop rain on the mountain town.

The desert wasn't in vibrant technicolor, as I'd hoped/imagined, but cacti and other plants were flowering. Here are a few images from our day.

Simple, Well Made, Modern, Functional Design

Two new additions to our household--one a bit easier to accommodate in 900 sq ft.

Russell Wright Sugar Bowl--now that I'm using sugar in my morning coffee, I felt a sugar bowl was warranted. For years, I've coveted the sugar bowls and creamers he designed. I'd go to eBay occasionally and see what was being offered. When my sister asked what I wanted for my birthday, this year there was no hesitation. Luckily, she and I share similar design sensibilities, so there was no explaining what I was looking for. The Russell Wright stamped, cream sugar bowl with loop handle arrived within a week.




Vintage Danish Modern Table and Chairs--we went to Klassik, a vintage modernist furniture store in downtown San Diego, to look for a desk. Once we sat in the chairs of this dining set, all thoughts of desks left our minds. Matt was sold immediately and felt territorial when others came into the store. He later told me that he wanted us to move away from the table so that others wouldn't be interested in it. One of the aspects that we both loved was that the two extensions were housed in the table--one just pulls them out from underneath. Smart design works well when lack of storage is an issue.

We took just about 24 hours to decide--which is lightening quick for us. It helped that we have guests coming and family moving to town, and we only had a small, high, retro soda shop table, which maxed out at three people, to dine upon. We were able to do some negotiating, so we felt that we got a deal and supported a local merchant. The owners are nice and didn't charge us for delivery. They said they would just rather have us come back and buy more. We'd prefer that as well.

Celebrating Presidents and Love in San Francisco

Blogger, Flickr, Facebook--so many place to upload photos. Will uploading them to only place work? We'll see.

Mariposa Bakery

Another reason to love the Bay Area is Mariposa Baking: "Our mission is simple -- create gluten-free baked goods that are indiscernible from the finest, high-caliber gluten-based products available."

I came across their gluten-free, sour cream coffee cake in a market in Mill Valley last weekend, and I was giddy at how good it was. It pretty much tasted like my grandma's recipe, which I've had great success at making gluten-free. Matt loved it, of course. But even our gluten-loving, Italian friend didn't miss the gluten. After taking a bite, which he clearly was not expecting to enjoy, he looked at me, eyebrow raised, and asked, "This is gluten-free?"

While Mariposa does sell some of their goods online, it's not going to be economically feasible to purchase many items. I just need to swing by their store in Oakland on our next visit to the area. In the meantime, I'll have to make Grandma Welling's sour cream coffee cake to fill the craving. The danger with that is neither Matt nor I can stop at just one piece. I made a batch last night, and we've devoured half the pan.