Toasted Almond Cakes with Creamy Almond Frosting

These are light & creamy little cakes with a hint of sweetness. Smooth coconut milk & the lightness of brown rice flour & almond meal are a lovely complement to the crunch of toasted almonds. These are wonderfully low fructose treats – a smidge of maple, alongside bursts of sweetness from the raisins.

I’ve included two frosting options – one using ricotta, the other dairy-free – both creamy & delicious, the perfect compliment to these delicate wee cakes.

¼ cup chopped almonds, plus a few extras to decorate

¼ cup coconut oil, melted

¾ cup coconut milk

1 large organic or free range egg

1 tsp vanilla

2 Tbsp pure maple syrup

1 cup brown rice flour

½ cup ground almonds

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp baking soda

½ cup raisins or sultanas

 

Choose your frosting…

Dairy-free Deliciousness:

150g tofu * (roughly half a block, preferably soft/silken)

1 Tbsp almond butter

1 Tbsp pure maple syrup

½ tsp vanilla

1 Tbsp melted coconut oil

 

Or if you enjoy a little dairy…

1 Tbsp almond butter

1 Tbsp pure maple syrup

6 Tbsp ricotta

 

* Trust me.

Preheat the oven to 175C. Then start toasting your chopped almonds: put the nuts on a dry pan or skillet over a medium heat and let them brown a little on each side. This will take a few minutes. Gently stir and turn them so each one gets a turn to be golden. Put aside and start the cake batter.

Whisk together the wet ingredients: coconut oil & milk, egg, maple, and vanilla. Then fold through the remaining dry ingredients, including the raisins and toasted almonds.

This makes 12 small cupcakes/muffins, so line your tray with paper cases or lightly grease the muffin holes with coconut oil (or oil of your choice). Fill up the tray with the batter mixture & bake for 15 minutes, or until an inserted knife/skewer comes out clean.

Allow them to cool in the tray while you make the frosting. If using the ricotta version, simply add all ingredients in a small bowl and mix, mix, mix. For the dairy-free version, whiz all ingredients in a high speed blender or bullet until smooth.

Once the wee cakes are cool, add a generous dollop of the creamy frosting to each one & sprinkle a few extra nuts on top if you like.