Equipment
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 240 g blanched almond flour
- 40 g cornstarch
- 8 g baking powder
- 2 g fine sea salt
Wet Ingredients
- 115 g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 2 lemons, zested
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 30 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 5 ml vanilla extract
- 2 ml almond extract
Add-ins
- 150 g fresh blueberries, washed and dried completely
- 5 g cornstarch
Lemon Glaze (Optional)
- 100 g powdered sugar, sifted
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 349 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbohydrates
- 38 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 26 g
- Sodium
- 155 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 6 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 25 mg
- Potassium
- 361 mg
- Calcium
- 103 mg
- Iron
- 1.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 8 mg
- Phosphorus
- 67 mg
- Zinc
- 1.0 mg
- Vitamin A
- 79 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 13 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 4 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.02 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.02 mg
- Niacin
- 0.2 mg
- Folate
- 7 mcg
- Water
- 50 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit). Line a 9x5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides for easy removal.
In a small mixing bowl, toss the washed and dried blueberries with 5 grams of cornstarch until evenly coated. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the almond flour, 40 grams of cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to ensure no lumps remain, then set aside.
Using an electric mixer in another large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and lemon zest together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Add the eggs to the butter mixture one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Mix in the lemon juice, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed just until combined. Do not overmix.
Gently fold the cornstarch-coated blueberries into the batter using a rubber spatula, distributing them evenly without crushing them.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake at 175 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit) for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Use the parchment paper overhang to lift the cake out and transfer it to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
If making the glaze, whisk the powdered sugar and lemon juice together in a small bowl until smooth. Drizzle over the completely cooled cake before slicing.
Chef's Notes
- Rubbing the lemon zest directly into the granulated sugar before creaming with the butter releases essential oils, dramatically intensifying the citrus flavor.
- Almond flour cakes rely heavily on eggs for structure since there is no gluten. Ensure your eggs are truly at room temperature so they emulsify properly into the batter without curdling the butter.
- Do not substitute almond meal for blanched almond flour in this recipe; the skins in almond meal will make the cake heavy, coarse, and prone to falling apart.
- If you only have frozen blueberries, do not thaw them first. Toss them in cornstarch straight from the freezer and fold them in quickly to prevent streaks in the batter, though baking time may increase by 5 to 10 minutes.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Store in an airtight container to maintain moisture.
Freezer: 3 months — Wrap individual slices tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer bag.
Troubleshooting
Blueberries sank to the bottom of the cake
Cause: Blueberries were wet or not properly coated in cornstarch, or batter was too warm.
Fix: Cannot be fixed, but the cake will still taste delicious. Serve upside down if desired.
Prevention: Ensure blueberries are bone dry before tossing them thoroughly with cornstarch.
Cake crumbled when slicing
Cause: Cake was sliced while still warm, or insufficient binding agents.
Fix: Chill the cake in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to firm up before continuing to slice.
Prevention: Allow gluten-free almond cakes to cool entirely to room temperature before slicing, as their structure sets as they cool.
Top of the cake is overly dark or burnt while the center is raw
Cause: Oven temperature was too high or almond flour browned too quickly.
Fix: Trim the burnt top off with a serrated knife and cover the cake with lemon glaze.
Prevention: Almond flour burns faster than regular flour. Tent the loaf pan with foil after 30 to 35 minutes of baking.
Cultural Context
The American loaf cake, historically derived from the classic European pound cake, has long served as a versatile canvas for seasonal produce. The marriage of indigenous North American blueberries with vibrant lemon is a beloved flavor profile deeply associated with warm-weather holidays and springtime celebrations across the United States. This specific adaptation utilizes almond flour, paying homage to traditional dense European almond tortes while aligning with modern gluten-free baking sensibilities.
