Mother’s Day is coming up on Sunday, May 14, and there’s no better way to appreciate the moms in our lives than by baking something with love and a little help from a few fresh and simple ingredients. If the perfect cake is what you’re after, look no further than this almond cake recipe from celiac chef and gluten-free educator Oonagh Williams.

An internationally-recognized expert on gluten-free cooking, Chef Oonagh understands how to cook for patrons with gluten intolerance and other dietary restrictions without calling on substitutes or sacrificing appealing flavors and textures. Her almond cake recipe is a masterpiece of substitute-free, gluten-free baking. Delicious, indulgent, and easy to make, the best part about this almond cake is that it is wonderfully adaptable to include your (or you mom’s!) favorite toppings and flavors.

The secret to these endless possibilities is in the cake recipe’s simplicity. Chef Oonagh uses Blue Diamond Almond Flour as the main ingredient in the one-hundred-percent gluten-free batter. Higher in protein and healthy fats than regular wheat flour, Blue Diamond Almond Flour lends the cake a slightly sweet and nutty flavor so you can use less sugar and butter. It also stays moist longer than most wheat flour recipes, so your mom can enjoy a second slice of her cake the next day.

If this sounds like something that would make your mom feel some mother’s day love, read on for the recipe and its variations to find the right cake for her.

Almond Cake Recipe

Simple, adaptable, and free of xanthan gum, this almond cake recipe is truly the mother of all almond cake recipes and sure to gather encores again and again.

Makes one 8 x 8-inch or one 8-inch round cake

Ingredients:

Cake

• ½ stick (2 oz.) very soft butter or 2 ounces very soft coconut oil
• ½ cup (4 oz.) sugar
• 2 large eggs
• Pinch of salt
• 1+ ¼ cups (4 oz.) Blue Diamond Almond Flour, slightly rounded
• ½ teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
• 2 teaspoons gluten-free almond extract

Topping

• Powdered sugar
• ¼ – ½ cups Blue Diamond Sliced Natural Almonds

Preheat oven to 350°F.

1. Place all ingredients in a 4-cup mixing bowl and beat until well blended and fluffy, about 2 minutes. The mix will turn lighter in color as you beat it.
2. Spread the mix in a buttered and gluten-free floured cake pan. Sprinkle with Blue Diamond Sliced Natural Almonds.
3. Bake for about 25–30 minutes until well-risen, golden brown and set but still soft in the middle. The texture should be similar to rolls of almond paste when cut, but cooked throughout.
4. Remove from oven. Serve warm or cold and sprinkled with powdered sugar.

Variation 1: Almond Cake Layered with Strawberries and Whipped Cream

One of the most beautiful versions of Chef Oonagh’s cake is the Almond Cake with Strawberries and Whipped Cream. For this variation, double the above recipe and use two 8-inch round cake pans. After baking let cool, then layer the sliced strawberries and whipped cream on top of the first cake. Place the second cake on top and add remaining strawberries and whipped cream for a full-on spring look and taste. These simple ingredients let you get creative by adding some festive flavor to the whipped cream with a liqueur. And for a final touch, top the center of the cake with some carefully arranged chocolate shavings.

Variation 2: Mango and Crystallized Ginger Almond Cake

This second variation on Chef Oonagh’s Almond Cake calls for twice the ingredients to make one dense and moist 8 x 8-inch cake. In addition to being both gluten-free and dairy free, this variation boasts the delicious combination of mango and ginger.

Ingredients:

Cake

• 4 ounces (½ cup) coconut oil, melted
• 1 cup (8 oz.) sugar
• 4 large eggs
• Pinch of salt
• 2 + ½ cups (8 oz.) Blue Diamond Almond Flour, slightly rounded
• 1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
• 2 teaspoons gluten-free almond extract
• Zest of one large orange (optional)
• ½ cup (2 oz.) dried mango, cut into small pieces
• ¼ cup (1 oz.) crystallized ginger, cut into small pieces
• ¼ cup macadamia nuts, roughly chopped (optional)

Topping

• ¼ – ½ cup sliced almonds
• Powdered sugar

Serving

• Sliced mango or mango coulis

Preheat oven to 350°F.

1. Place all cake ingredients (except mango, ginger, and macadamia nuts) in a mixing bowl and beat until well blended and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
2. Add mango, ginger, and chopped macadamia nuts. Mix well.
3. Spread the mixture in a buttered or oiled and gluten-free floured 8 x 8-inch baking pan. Sprinkle with Blue Diamond Sliced Natural Almonds.
4. Bake for about 45–55 minutes until well-risen, golden brown, and set but still soft in the middle. The texture should be similar to rolls of almond paste when cut, but cooked throughout.
5. Remove from oven. Serve warm or cold and sprinkled with powdered sugar. For a buffet, cut into squares and plate with sliced mango and/or mango coulis.

Go ahead and show Mom the thought and appreciation she deserves with Chef Oonagh’s gluten-free almond cake recipes. In the meantime, check out this site for more practical and delicious almond flour recipes and be sure to check out Chef Oonagh’s tips and recipes for a gluten-free kitchen at Gluten Free Cooking with Oonagh on Facebook and www.GlutenFreeCookingwithOonagh.com

Photos provided by Chef Oonagh Williams.