{"id":4780,"date":"2013-04-17T12:35:34","date_gmt":"2013-04-17T10:35:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/?p=4780"},"modified":"2013-04-17T12:35:34","modified_gmt":"2013-04-17T10:35:34","slug":"lemon-almond-cake-recipe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/2013\/04\/17\/lemon-almond-cake-recipe\/","title":{"rendered":"Lemon Almond Cake (Gluten Free) Recipe and Making a Recipe your Own"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Michael<\/a>Do you feel confident enough to create a recipe from scratch?<\/strong><\/p>\n

That was one of the reasons I bought Michael Ruhlman’s “Ratio: The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everday Cooking<\/a>” so I could feel more confident dissecting a recipe and making it my own without messing up the right ratios (and turning a cake into a pudding, for example) or playing with some basic ingredients and building them up into a recipe that is all mine.<\/p>\n

Don’t expect a big colorful cookbook from Ratio. It’s more like a science textbook, analyzing ratios and providing some basic recipes, and it’s one I see myself referring to more and more in the future. I would even suggest the ebook version<\/a>\u00a0as it’s more of a reference and the photos are black & white in the hardcover version anyway.<\/p>\n

The weather this winter in Milan was unusually rainy, cold, and grey.<\/strong>\u00a0It can often be rainy, cold, and grey in Milan, but it was for far too long. I say was, since we’re technically in spring for more than a month, but it’s only been warm this past week that I’ve been able to feel it at all. For a while, I rebelled in my own “American in Italy” way – nixing the omnipresent scarf (which I love) but still having a completely zipped-up jacket, or trying not to wear 2 pairs of pants to the gym (like I do in winter) during my 100m walk out in the “elements.” Finally it looks like I can shed that heavy winter jacket for good.<\/p>\n

But while I was deep in the still-in-winter-blah (only last week), I started obsessing about lemons<\/strong>. Lemons are one of my favorite ingredients, and scents – I rub a lemon beeswax hand salve on my hands every day in my form of aromatherapy – and I wanted a lemony cake to snack on. LEMONS! I couldn’t stop thinking about lemons.<\/p>\n

I started jotting notes down in a moleskine (I have a small cahier where I write down weekly menus \/ recipes which you can see below) just to try and get it out of my head. But the lemons<\/strong> wouldn’t go away. I made a special trip down to the store to gather a few ingredients and over lunch, in a frenzy, I whipped up this Lemon Almond Cake.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Lemon<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

I have sacks of raw almonds in my house which is why I turned again to them as the “flour” for this cake (it’s a gluten-free cake!), and wanted to keep it really basic so that I could continue to tweak it as I moved on. Eggs, almonds, greek yogurt, and sugar.<\/strong> That’s it! Oh, and of course lemons<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

I wanted to post this, pre-tweak, in its basic form, to encourage you to make this recipe your own.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The tweaks I have thought about? Less sugar, more almonds, maybe add some coconut flour\/unsweetened flakes, more eggs, honey instead of sugar, whip egg whites with sugar? Leave the skins on the almonds? Poppyseeds? What about chia seeds? Obviously I won’t do all of those tweaks together, and I’ll think back to the ratios I want to achieve as I tweak, but those are some ideas to experiment with. Experimenting with the pan and cooking times, too!<\/p>\n

And as for Ratio? This cake is a hybrid because I’m still a bit of a rebel. It’s close to a pound cake, with some characteristics of a sponge cake, but still very dense and crumbly.<\/p>\n

\"Lemon<\/h3>\n

Lemon Almond Cake Recipe (Gluten-free)<\/h3>\n

Super moist, definitely crumbly which is why I recommend letting it cool completely before cutting (and it sticks together nicely even more the day after) with a slightly caramelized “crust.” \u00a0I also made a lemon sugar glaze (below) with a few teaspoons of lemon juice and confectioner’s sugar, but this cake is pretty sweet already and doesn’t really need it. Taste it and make it your own!<\/em><\/p>\n

170g<\/strong> (approx. 3\/4 cup) greek yogurt<\/strong> (i.e., one of Fage’s single serving containers)<\/em>
\n2 medium eggs<\/strong>, separated
\n180g<\/strong> (approx. 1 cup) dememara \/ cane sugar<\/strong>
\n225g<\/strong> (approx. 1 1\/2 cups) blanched almonds\u00a0<\/strong>(skins removed)
\n2 lemons<\/strong> (organic \/ unwaxed\/unsprayed skins)
\n1 pinch salt (optional)<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Preheat oven to 180C (about 350\/355F). Cut a round of parchment paper to fit the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan (optional – I left this step off the second time I made the cake and I liked the crusty bottom better<\/em>).<\/li>\n
  2. Zest the two lemons with a microplaner or zester, and mix the zest with the sugar, yogurt, and egg yolks. Beat with a whisk or hand mixer until well blended.<\/li>\n
  3. Pulse the blanched almonds in a food processor until finely ground (about a minute). Add the almonds to the wet mixture and mix well.<\/li>\n
  4. Taste the batter for “lemony-ness.” It wasn’t lemony enough for me, so I added the juice of 1\/2 a lemon as well (about 2-3 T.) and mixed well. I also added a pinch of salt here, because I wanted to. You can leave it out.<\/li>\n
  5. Whip the egg whites in a separate bowl until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the mixture with a spatula or wooden spoon until well incorporated.<\/li>\n
  6. Pour the batter into the springform pan and put into the oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes, checking for doneness after 20 minutes. The cake will brown quite a bit and the center will spring back when touched lightly. Let cake cool completely before serving. Run a knife around the edge of the springform pan before releasing the sides.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    \u00a0Are you a lemon fan? What about experimenting with recipes, or making your own? How would you tweak this cake to make it your own?\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

    \"Lemon<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Do you feel confident enough to create a recipe from scratch? That was one of the reasons I bought Michael Ruhlman’s “Ratio: The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everday Cooking” so I could feel more confident dissecting a recipe and making it my own without messing up the right ratios (and turning a cake…<\/p>\n

    Read More »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[106,3,11],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-4780","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-dessert","7":"category-food","8":"category-recipe","9":"entry","10":"has-post-thumbnail"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4uB1-1f6","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2978,"url":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/2011\/02\/05\/flourless-nutella-chocolate-cake-recipe-for-world-nutella-day-2011\/","url_meta":{"origin":4780,"position":0},"title":"Flourless Nutella Chocolate Cake Recipe for World Nutella Day 2011","author":"Sara, Ms. Adventures in Italy","date":"February 5, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Happy World Nutella Day! Five years ago, a little idea in my head grew into a big idea, loved by thousands of fans and bloggers alike. Michelle from Bleeding Espresso has been my co-host for the past 4 years and we have loved the response! 2,000 fans on Twitter @NutellaDay,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blog Event"","block_context":{"text":"Blog Event","link":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/category\/blog-event\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/World_Nutella_Day_Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2681,"url":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/2010\/10\/13\/classic-chocolate-mousse-and-espresso-coffee-chocolate-chip-mousse-cake-recipe\/","url_meta":{"origin":4780,"position":1},"title":"Classic Chocolate Mousse and Espresso Coffee Chocolate Chip Mousse Cake Recipe","author":"Sara, Ms. Adventures in Italy","date":"October 13, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday was my birthday. As you may have seen the past few years reading my site, in Italy it's custom for the birthday gal\/guy to bring treats & drinks into the office to share with colleagues. I usually bring something, and I enjoy a little indulgence in making something I\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Chocolate"","block_context":{"text":"Chocolate","link":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/category\/food\/chocolate\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Classic Chocolate Mousse and Espresso Coffee Chocolate Chip Mousse Cake Recipe","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4153\/5077761933_87f731bcce.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":5472,"url":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/2014\/10\/28\/dark-chocolate-fondant-birthday-cake-recipe\/","url_meta":{"origin":4780,"position":2},"title":"Dark Chocolate Fondant Birthday Cake Recipe","author":"Sara, Ms. Adventures in Italy","date":"October 28, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"As I usually do, this year I baked myself a birthday cake. While the idea of someone else making me or buying me a cake for my birthday is exciting, baking my own birthday cake is\u00a0actually something I look forward to as it's something I can make completely selfishly and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Chocolate"","block_context":{"text":"Chocolate","link":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/category\/food\/chocolate\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Birthday Fondant Cake, Ms. Adventures in Italy by Sara Rosso","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/BirthdayFondantCake_SaraRosso.jpg?fit=1000%2C1000&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/BirthdayFondantCake_SaraRosso.jpg?fit=1000%2C1000&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/BirthdayFondantCake_SaraRosso.jpg?fit=1000%2C1000&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/BirthdayFondantCake_SaraRosso.jpg?fit=1000%2C1000&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2046,"url":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/2009\/10\/12\/chocolate-brownie-birthday-cake-with-homemade-caramel-and-pistachios-recipe\/","url_meta":{"origin":4780,"position":3},"title":"Chocolate Brownie Birthday Cake with Homemade Caramel and Pistachios Recipe","author":"Sara, Ms. Adventures in Italy","date":"October 12, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"So if you've read about how celebrating birthdays in the US and Italy is different, you'll know that usually the birthday girl\/boy makes their own cake or brings food\/drink to celebrate a birthday with their colleagues*, I thought it only fair to give some presents to my readers, too! Remember\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Chocolate"","block_context":{"text":"Chocolate","link":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/category\/food\/chocolate\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Chocolate Brownie Cake with Homemade Caramel and Pistachios","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/farm3.static.flickr.com\/2527\/4004078338_88c305a163.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":5094,"url":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/2013\/11\/05\/introducing-moleskine-passions-dessert-journal\/","url_meta":{"origin":4780,"position":4},"title":"Introducing the Moleskine Passions Dessert Journal","author":"Sara, Ms. Adventures in Italy","date":"November 5, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Are you a\u00a0subscriber to my newsletter?\u00a0I\u2019m also on Twitter @rosso, on Facebook\u00a0Ms. Adventures in Italy, and\u00a0rossosara\u00a0on Instagram. Do you like secrets? Most people like hearing them. I don't mind keeping them\u00a0\u2014 bad secrets are uncomfortable to keep, but good secrets are even more uncomfortable because you wish you could just\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blog Event"","block_context":{"text":"Blog Event","link":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/category\/blog-event\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1254,"url":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/2009\/03\/31\/the-search-for-the-perfect-frosting-recipe\/","url_meta":{"origin":4780,"position":5},"title":"The Search for the Perfect Frosting Recipe","author":"Sara, Ms. Adventures in Italy","date":"March 31, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Make sure you get all the way to the bottom for a giveaway about your favorite cupcake and frosting flavors! I take it for granted that everyone has a favorite type of cake. The kind they hope to see on their birthday, that they enjoy making themselves or wish someone\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Chocolate"","block_context":{"text":"Chocolate","link":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/category\/food\/chocolate\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"10 Mini-Cakes for a Birthday","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/farm4.static.flickr.com\/3242\/3401173004_599cc5d383.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4780","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4780"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4780\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4800,"href":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4780\/revisions\/4800"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4780"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4780"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.msadventuresinitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4780"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}