Gluten-Free Fig Almond Olive Oil Cake (Paleo)

Olive oil brings a hint of fruitiness to this easy fig almond olive oil cake that's ready in under an hour.

I have to admit, I’m not much of a cake maker.  You won’t find me baking or frosting a multi-layered behemoth very often.

The cakes I prefer to bake are far simpler.  I’m talking about rustic cakes, the kind you don’t need to break out the stand mixer for or dirty every bowl in your kitchen, the kind that goes well with a cup of tea in the afternoon or even better for breakfast the following day.

This almond olive oil cake is one of those laid-back cakes, a one bowl affair that goes from counter to oven in less than fifteen minutes and from there to a cooling rack in about 30.  So for less than an hour’s worth of time invested, you’re rewarded with a wonderful snacking cake with a dense but tender crumb and the rich flavor of olive oil.

It’s a plain cake at its core, rich like a pound cake but not as heavy, easy like a quick bread but more presentable.  Almond flour and olive oil keep the cake satisfyingly soft and tender and along with a few fresh figs give it a distinct Mediterranean feel.

Using olive oil instead of butter or another kind of oil gives the cake a subtle but complex flavor that’s fruity and peppery and really quite nice when paired with sweet figs.  The figs are layered on top of the cake before going into the oven and get nice and soft, sinking slightly into the almond batter as they bake.

Out of the oven the cake is enticingly golden brown around the edges and glistening with jammy figs.  I usually eat mine plain but you could also serve it with a drizzle of honey across the top or a dollop of yogurt or coconut cream on the side if you’d like.

Enjoy!

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Yield: One 8-inch cake

Gluten-Free Fig Almond Olive Oil Cake (Paleo)

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Olive oil brings a hint of fruitiness to this easy fig almond olive oil cake that's ready in under an hour.

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Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons/30ml fresh lemon juice
• The zest of 1 small or half a large lemon
• ¼ cup/84g honey 
• ¼ cup/60ml extra virgin olive oil
• 2 large eggs
• A pinch of salt
• 1 ½ cups/168g fine almond flour 
• 1 ½ tsp grain-free baking powder
• 8-10 fresh figs, sliced

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350° F. Grease an 8-inch cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl whisk together the lemon juice, lemon zest, honey, olive oil, eggs and salt. Add the almond flour and baking powder; whisk again until combined.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and top with fig slices. Bake for about 35 minutes, until the top is golden and center is set. Transfer the cake to a rack and let cool.
4. Run a knife around the edge of the pan, invert cake onto a cooling rack and let cool completely.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Bob's Red Mill Almond Flour, 32 Ounce (Pack of 1)
• 
  Hain Pure Foods Featherweight Baking Powder, 8 Ounce

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 282Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 47mgSodium: 127mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 5gSugar: 20gProtein: 7g

Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.

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Sylvie

Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.