Main dough autolyse (top photo)Preferment (below) Wild Yeast Water baking is simpler than sourdough! Why?…
One Bowl Almond Cherry Snack Cake
Just in time for Passover*, but really an anytime one bowl cake. And, it’s gluten-free!
This cake recipe caught my eye in The Nosher, a non-profit Jewish foods newsletter that’s packed with fabulous recipes. The original recipe is called One Bowl Blueberry Cake created by Sonya Sanford who kindly allowed me to share with a twist of my own.
When I read the recipe, a container of wild yeast water cherries in my fridge was waiting to be used…If you follow my posts, you know my nearly most favorite baking is wild yeast water breads, made with a fermentation of cherries, dates, or raisins, instead of sourdough starter. Using wild yeast water means no sourdough feeding or discard. yeah! (read links above for info on the cherries)
But after baking several batches of bread, I’m left with ‘spent’ fruit which is removed before refreshing the water with new fruit, to keep the fermentation alive. The fruit (or even flowers and herbs) are the catalyst for yeast water fermentation. To make my breads a zero-waste process, I’ve been testing ways to use the yeast water ingredients in other recipes. Like my Apple Date Snack Cake made with wild yeast water dates.
While the sugars have been used up in the fermentation process, the fruit still offers fiber, moisture, and in the case of cherries, a subtle almost cocktail-like essence. I recommend using the full amount of almond extract in this recipe (not for strict Kosher) because almond is always a complementary flavor with cherries.
Whether you’re in my wild yeast water club or not, this Almond Cherry Snack Cake is a winner for several reasons:
- one bowl for mixing
- not too sweet
- very low in added fat
- gluten free
- flexible to wild yeast water cherries OR fresh or frozen blueberries OR let me know what fruit you use!
Baking Tips:
- Be sure the eggs are room temperature before whipping. Place in a bowl of warm tap water for 10 minutes if taking directly from the refrigerator. This will assure a fluffier whip.
- Whip until very fluffy. This creates the lightest cake.
- If you like marzipan, use the full 1/2 tsp almond extract to be rewarded with a marzipan-y like cake from all the almond flour and cherry flavors.
- If you haven’t made wild yeast water with cherries, use blueberries like Sonya’s original recipe!
Kosher observance
*Note: Depending on level of observance for Passover, this cake is not Kosher, because fermented foods and extracts are not Kosher. Yeast water is a unique one, but I’m going with it as a fermented food, per the list below.
Printed with permission from Susan Spungen, posted on her Pistachio Olive Oil Passover Cake recipe.
One-Bowl Almond Cherry Snack Cake
This is a gluten-free cake made with almond flour and cherries from wild yeast water (see recipes on my blog for wild yeast water). Or use fresh or frozen blueberries, or give coarsely chopped cherries and try and let me know!
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp (30g) oil
- zest of 1 lemon
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract recommended for cherries
- 2-1/4 cups (252g) fine almond flour
- 1 Tbsp potato starch, plus more for dusting fruit
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1-1/4 cups (125g) wild yeast water cherries, drained and patted dry before measuring or fresh or frozen blueberries
- 1 Tbsp course sugar, or 2 tbsp sliced almonds optional
- powdered sugar for dusting top optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F degrees. Generously grease or line a 9-inch round or square baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or in a large bowl using a whisk or handheld mixer, beat together the eggs and sugar until doubled in volume and pale yellow, 5-6 minutes. It makes a difference if the eggs are super fluffy, so don't skimp on the whipping!
- To the egg mixture, add the oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla, and almond extract. .Whisk together until just combined, being careful not to deflate the egg mixture too much.
- To the center of the bowl, add the almond flour. Place the potato starch, baking powder, soda, and salt on top of the almond flour. Lightly combine the dry ingredients before folding into the egg mixture until all the dry is fully incorporated.
- If desired reserve a couple tablespoons of cherries (or blueberries) and toss the remaining with about a tablespoon of potato starch then gently stir into the batter.
- Pour into the prepared baking pan. Top with remaining cherries (or blueberries) and coarse sugar or sliced almonds, if desired.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the top is evenly golden brown and a pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar if not observing strict Kosher. Serve plain or with lightly sweetened whipped cream.
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