Rhubarb Almond Cake with Amaretto Cashew Cream (Dairy Free)
OH YES. Ladies and gentlemen, THIS just happened. It’s glorious! It’s also quite possibly the best way to welcome rhubarb into the season. I mean, seeing rhubarb around means sunny weather and warm breeze is just a few weeks away, right?! It’s like a little beacon of light shining through.
This recipe is like a tamed marzipan treat with a citrusy-boozy twist. I know marzipan can be a bit overwhelming for some peeps, so this is like the goldilocks of cake; not too almond-y not too bland. Oh, and the cashew cream is so velvety, it makes me teary eyed.
The flavour combo of this whole thing is that of an amaretto sour (the cocktail) – which so happens to be one of my favourite drinks…along with anything in alcohol in it.
Go to the store, grab some sexy rhubarb stalks, rub them between your fingers and come over to the kitchen to make some damn tasty – and good looking – cake!
Rhubarb Almond Cake with Amaretto Cashew Cream (Dairy Free)
Makes one 9″ cake
Ingredients:
For the cake:
- 1 cup coconut oil at room temp (soft but not melted)
- 3/4 cup sugar extra to sprinkle
- 1 lb rhubarb stalks, trimmed
- 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup blanched almonds
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 vanilla bean split lengthwise, scrape the seeds (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup *cashew sour cream (see note below) OR greek yogurt if you’re ok with lactose
For the cashew amaretto cream:
- 1 cup cashews soaked for at least 4 hours
- 2 tablespoons amaretto liqueur
- zest of 1/2 small lemon
- 1 tablespoon honey
*Cashew sour cream: to make the sour cream, simply soak 1/4 cup of cashews for 2-3 hours, drain them, and puree them with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Use 1/4 of this mix as your cashew sour cream.
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven at 350F. Prepare a 9 inch pan with a removable bottom, grease it with coconut oil or canola oil and sprinkle with sugar, tap to get rid of any excess. Set aside.
2. Select the nicest pieces of rhubarb and save them to place on top of the cake, the rest can be sliced in small pieces (I sliced them in a fine julienne).
3. Place almonds in a food processor and pulse until they look like coarse meal. Place ground almonds in a small bowl with the flour, baking powder and salt and combine.
4. In a large bowl, place the coconut oil and 3/4 cup of sugar and beat on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Then add the eggs, one at a time, incorporating well first before adding the second. Beat on high speed again for about 4 minutes until pale and fluffy. Make sure the mix looks shiny and creamy.
5. Reduce speed to slow and gradually add the flour and almond mix until combined, add the vanilla seeds OR vanilla extract followed by the cashew sour cream and beat just until combined. Fold in the sliced rhubarb and place batter in the baking pan. Use the pretty pieces of rhubarb that you saved and place them on top of the cake. NOTE: try to work fast or keep the batter in a cool area as the coconut oil could melt and make the batter split. Bake for 50-65 minutes until top is golden brown and sides look brown and crisp.
6. To make the cashew amaretto cream, drain the soaked cashews, place them in a blender with the lemon zest, amaretto, and honey and blend on high speed for 3 minutes or so until it’s super creamy and there are no lumps left. You may need to scrape the sides in between (and even jerk the blender a little).
When the cake is ready, remove from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before cutting it.
To serve, place a nice dollop of the cashew amaretto cream on a plate, then place a slice of the cake on top and dig in!
Recipe adapted from April’s issue of Bon Appetite
