Pantry adventurer Duncan White is eating his way through the out-of-date contents in his family’s cupboard. Here he whips up a gluten-free alternative to the afternoon tea classic, spiced apple cake.

Recipe: Duncan White

This spiced apple cake keeps well and can be modified with whatever is in season or in the pantry. This version is based on an Emma Galloway original.

INGREDIENTS

4 large eggs at room temperature
140g (2/3 cup firmly packed) raw sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Finely grated zest 1 lemon
80ml (1/3 cup) extra virgin olive oil
300g (2 ¾ cups) ground almonds
45g (1/3 cup fine brown rice flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon mixed spice
¼ teaspoon salt
2 apples grated (Granny Smiths work well so would pears)

Optional extras:
1 cup sultanas
1 cup blackberries or other berries
1 cup rhubarb mixed with 1/4 cup raw sugar and left to stand for 15 minutes
40g ground almonds for topping
icing sugar for dusting

METHOD

Preheat oven to 180°c and grease and line a 23 cm cake tin.

Beat eggs, sugar and vanilla for 5 minutes until pale and thick. Add lemon zest and beat to incorporate olive oil. Add ground almonds and salt. Sift in brown rice flour, baking powder and spices. Mix in grated apples and fruit with a metal spoon. Pour into prepared cake tin.

Sprinkle sliced almonds over the top if using. Bake for 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes in the tin then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.