Almond and Coconut Cake with Raspberries, Dairy-Free and Gluten-Free

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Gluten-free and Dairy-free Almond and Coconut Cake with RaspberriesThere are times when baking is not only a pleasure but a necessity.

I’m not referring to the times when food needs to appear on the table because someone (ahem) is on the verge of turning into Cranky Starving Dragon Wo/Man. That’s a time of cooking-necessity, not baking-necessity.

The moments when baking is absolutely essential are the moments when heart and soul need respite from the world; when the simple acts of measuring, stirring, folding, sweetening, flavouring, rising, caramelising, and offering coalesce into a tangible representation of the world making sense, of love and contentment existing.

Gluten-free and Dairy-free Almond and Coconut Cake with RaspberriesThis weekend, I moved to my parents’ place to house-sit, worked at the office on Saturday and from home on Sunday, and spent a significant amount of time cleaning the carpet on my hands and knees, because, well, our family dog is getting very old.

I can’t be mad at her, though. How can I feel anything but love for the creature who, as I sit with my legs curled under me scrubscrubbing, silently pads up from behind and rests her head on my thigh, looking up at me sadly with her big brown eyes?

All she deserves is cuddles.

Gluten-free and Dairy-free Almond and Coconut Cake with RaspberriesAmidst the cleaningworkingcleaningworking, I set aside some time for just-me, and baked this Almond and Coconut Cake with Raspberries. It’s gluten-free, dairy-free, and truly wonderful. It’s moist, nutty, perfumed with coconut and vanilla, and jewelled with raspberries.

I took half to my grandparents, and we talked together over tea, laughing, hoping, pondering. “This cake is lovely, dear,” my grandma said. “No,” my grandpa interjected. “It’s scrumptious.”

And that’s good enough for me.

Gluten-free and Dairy-free Almond and Coconut Cake with Raspberries

Almond and Coconut Cake with Raspberries, Dairy-Free and Gluten-Free

Serves 8
Recipe found scribbled in a notebook, like a gift from a magic sugar fairy.

  • 1 1/2 cups (170g) almond meal
  • 1 1/4 cups (275g) caster sugar
  • 3/4 cup (70g) desiccated coconut
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 200g Nuttelex (dairy-free spread, or butter if that’s your thing), melted and cooled
  • 1/2 cup (55g) fresh or frozen raspberries.
  1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F), lightly grease a 24cm springform pan and line base and sides with baking paper.
  2. In a large bowl, stir together almond meal, sugar, and coconut.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and vanilla extract until combined. Slowly whisk in the melted butter.
  4. Add butter mixture into the almond mixture, stirring until smooth.
  5. Pour batter into the prepared pan, then dot the top with the raspberries.
  6. Bake 50-55 minutes, until the cake is golden and the top springs back (or, at least, doesn’t feel uncooked… fancy that) when you press it lightly.
  7. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool completely.

100 thoughts on “Almond and Coconut Cake with Raspberries, Dairy-Free and Gluten-Free”

  1. Mmmm these definitely look scrumptious, and I love that your grandpa used that word! For some reason I now feel like making friands on the weekend … oooh and adding some white and dark choc chips … drat that the weekend is so far away.

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  2. I agree with you completely – baking for the sheer hell of it is a necessity. That probably explains why I always end up with more cake than a human really needs.

    And I agree with your Grandpa too :)

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    • A human needs all the cake in the world and then some, so I’d say you’re right on track with your amount of baking.

      It’s hard to disagree with my Grandpa ;)

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    • It’s so worth it! Growing up in a wheat-intolerant household, almond meal desserts have long been a staple of ours, and phwoar. Good times.

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  5. Oh yes, the comfort of baking. The comfort of focusing on something practical, tangible, and measurable rather than the whirling world of worry. I’d be diabetic by now if I indulged in this distraction as often as I needed it.

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    • Which is just as well, because if you were diabetic, you’d have more whirling worries, which would lead to more baking, which would lead to more sugar crashes and more insulin injections, and more worry, and more baking, and… good grief, I’m getting myself anxious even writing this.

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  6. You are so nice to your family Hannah. Your heart and soul deserve every respite you can dish up. Time well spent I reckon. Love reading your blog. :)

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  7. Your poor old dog. How lovely that she was sold into a loving family who are taking the best care of her, even more so as she advances in years. I know how you feel! My two girls are nearly 13 and 11. Little Rosie, with the fractured pelvis, is the daughter of Ruby and I was the mid-wife when she was being born! It’s amazing how important these girls are to me so I can understand your love for your girl. This is a great looking cake. My mother is dairy-free and gluten-free and always on the look-out for great dessert recipes. I have emailed her your link. And I’m very much looking forward to making this myself xx

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    • Oh Charlie, it looks like we both commented on each others’ blogs at the same time, listening to each others’ dog woes and expressing our understanding, experiences, and sympathies! Somehow, this gives me comfort. As does the fact that you emailed this link to your mother! Both my mum and grandma and DF and GF. I really hope your mum (and you) enjoy this :)

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  8. I tasted a gluten free friend cake made with almond meal a couple of weeks ago and it was amazing. The texture and taste was way more exciting to me than ‘average’ cake. I’ve yet to bake one myself though but this may inspire me to do it:)

    Old dogs are beautiful. They are happy and full of a long and loved life.

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    • I highly recommend you follow that inspiration :) I’ve never been one for bog-standard cakes; I wonder if this is because I grew up in a DF/GF (technically wheat-free) household and so have always had the more-exciting nut-based treats on hand? I’m probably grasping at straws there though ;)

      Oh, yes, Jedda has been most certainly long-loved :)

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  9. I agree. baking is sometimes just NEEDED (oh and wanted, but more so needed) Cheaper than a shrink I say.

    Sounds lovely, almond meal is awesome in baked goods huh?

    I have the same problems as you, carpet cleaning wise, although the offender is usually a Misty. Man :)

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    • Cheaper, yes, but sometimes a counsellor is far better at getting a person back on track in the long run :) (I’m a definite advocate of having someone external to your life with whom you can talk about everything.)

      Nuts are just awesome full stop, really.

      Bahaha! I’m sure Misty gives just as lovely apologetic cuddles and faces as Jedda. Better, probably!

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  10. I can understand how this could take Best (home) Dessert of 2012 position :) It sounds wonderful Hannah – but even more wonderful is that you got to make it. Those times of freedom in the kitchen are sometimes more important than anything. I’m sorry you reached the ‘necessity’ stage of baking but am glad that you did get the baking in! I hope you have some cake left to get you through the week xo

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    • Thank you Kari. When I’m in the midst of working… wait, how many days in a row is it if you work straight through two weekends? 19 days by the end? And are up until midnight during the week, typing away? LIFE IS SO AWESOME RIGHT NOW Y’ALL.

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  13. …I think I’ll make that for my daughter who is going through her stomach troubles again – possibly a flare up of the weird, antibiotic-resistant infection that saw her miss so much school last year.

    At the moment she’s not allowed to eat any dairy and is craving something sweet. I’ll have to substitute the raspberries for apples (she can eat apples with the peels removed) but I think it’ll cheer her up.

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    • Having gone through something that seemed antibiotic-resistant myself (and also currently terrified it’s back), and as I’m just now taking a break from the research report about antibiotics resistance and overprescribing I’m writing for work, I am crossing all my fingers and toes that your wonderful daughter is already feeling better as I write this.

      I also desperately hope this does cheer her up. You could definitely leave the fruit out; the original recipe had no fruit and I simply threw in a handful of raspberries ’cause I felt like it :)

      Hugs to both of you xo

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  17. If only the kangaroos were still roo-ting about in the yard, they could have joined you and your dog for a spot of tea and some of this lovely cake.

    This looks really really good, Hannah. Am I only saying this because I haven’t had breakfast yet? I don’t think so. Butter’s my thing though, you know it is:)

    P.S. Working on the weekend is like a violation of nature. No wonder you needed to bake!

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    • Alas, the only roos I’ve been able to convince to eat from my hands are the ones that would hop by our cabins in Mandeni. But you’re right, cake just might’ve made all the difference!

      And you know that I would never bedgrudge you your butter. The original recipe used butter, fo’ sure fo’ sure!

      P.S. Last weekend, this weekend, typing away until midnight on weekdays… my soul is crumbling.

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  18. Oh my, that is an adorable grandparent moment. Isn’t it incredible how a nod from them just makes life feel that little bit more amazing. One of the happiest moments of my life is when my grandfather walked out of a meeting that had been going for far too long, telling everyone there that he simply had to leave because I was visiting and I’d baked a port and Stilton pie for dinner. I was so stoked. So I reckon it’s not so much “good enough,” but bloody perfect :)

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    • That. Story. Just. Made. My. Heart. Sing. Thank you. I always love reading about your visits with your grandparents, because I love knowing that the love I share with mine also exists in you and yours. (Did that make sense? Perhaps not. I’m very tired.)

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  19. Thanks for the recipe, Hannah, and, of course, for the cake which was scrumptious as Grandpa said. (PS You are also a great carpet cleaner – I would never have known.)

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    • I got this up quickly just for you, dearest grandma :) Thank you so, so much for your help this week. It means the world.

      P.S. Mum and Dad told me last night not to stress about the carpet, because they’re not going to replace it until after the unspeakable happens. Although their kindness may have been to do with the fact that I’d just spent 15 minutes sobbing about stress… :P

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  20. After my recent cake with almond meal and coconut I just know I would love this cake – so full of things I love. And food does feed us in so many ways – have you seen the marilyn keyes book saved by cake – I feel like that sometimes too.

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  21. Oh my good gracious, your grandfather sounds adorable / funny / kind. Lucky you. Not so lucky to be cleaning up after a dog, but that’s ok. Things happen and the ones we love (animal or human!) get messy sometimes. This cake sounds gorgeous.

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    • He is all of those wonderful things and more. As is my grandma, too! You’re right. Life is messy, but it’s also glorious even in the messy moments.

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  24. It’s exactly my type of cake, and I have all the ingredients at home.
    I appreciate the time and creativity you still put into your blog despite how busy you are. :) xxxx

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    • Thank you, Margaret. A part of me knows it might be wise to take a step back, but it gives me joy and I can’t cope with having nothing nice in my day/weeks. xo

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  25. “There are times when baking is not only a pleasure but a necessity.”- I completely agree, and for the same reasons you state!
    I love that third paragraph, your writing’s always so beautiful, and the cake combines three of my favourite things, almonds, coconut and raspberries, so I think I could maybe be persuaded to try it… :-)

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  26. Pingback: I'm Borrowing a Cake Recipe

    • *laughs* I don’t think you’d say “well done” if you knew about the 400 page word document of recipes in size 6 font… those will never happen :P

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  29. Cake looks delicious and even better that you got to enjoy with your grandparents! My grandparents live an hour away, but I try to visit them on the regular to have dinner or help them out.

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  30. Pingback: Weekend Reading | Melbourne Maharani

    • As soon as I made (and tried) this, I wanted to text you that I’d found your next Patchwork/Reading Group dessert :) (But then I knew you were out of range, so resisted.)

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  34. Pingback: » next instalment in the saga of healthy baked goods

  35. I just had to tell you, that I have made this twice now, once for work as birthday cake and everyone loves it. Thank you so much.

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    • *dances around the room* Thank you Karen! I’m so incredibly delighted that you like this cake so much :) And to be special enough for a birthday? Double hurrah!

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  36. Just made this for my gardener. She said it was amazing and so good she couldn’t stop eating it. Thanks for a great recipe!! I made mine in a 9 in. square pan that was lined in foil for easy removal. Beautiful with fresh raspberries from my own patch. Can’t beat that.

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    • Oh my golly, no, fresh raspberries from your own garden certainly to win the day! I’m so glad your gardener loved this. I’m dreaming of fresh raspberries now! :)

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  37. We are lucky in the Oregon area. We have berries from late spring to early fall. This is the first year I got such a harvest from my yard. I went out later to pick fresh blueberries to go with some fresh raspberries in another cake. Thanks for a great site for finding more recipes for my GF/DF People and fresh fruit for the season.

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    • Thank you for reading and commenting, Linda. It means so much. I’m also crazy-envious of your berries! Even when in season, raspberries cost $8 a punnet here.

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    • Hi Sanjana, I’m so sorry for the delay in responding! I didn’t receive any notification of your comment. I tend to grease the pan just a little bit so that the baking paper sticks, and then grease the baking paper a little so that it comes off easily from the cake. You may not need to do both; I just tend to think it’s better to be safe than sorry :)

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    • Thank you Bronwen. Unfortunately, she passed away last month, but we’re grateful she didn’t go through months of pain at the end.

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    • Hi Aimee! So far I’ve only ever made this with Nuttelex, which is a dairy-free/trans-fat-free margarine, so I can’t be absolutely definitive about how another substitute would work. I would probably start with trying coconut oil instead of another oil, as it’s solid at room temperature like butter is. Do let me know how you go if you try a substitute! :)

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  44. I have made this three times now. Soooo good! And so easy. I just love this recipe. Especially nice with home grown raspberries.

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    • Oh, I’m sorry to hear you felt that way, MJ. This is one of the most popular recipes on my blog and no one else has had that issue, but of course we all have different tastebuds! One thing I have found is that some ovens take longer to get this cooked through, which can make it seem very “moist” and, potentially, buttery-er if eaten when still a little undercooked. But hey, feel free to throw the leftovers my way! I’ll make cake balls or something out of them ;)

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  46. Thanks so much for this easy and tasty gluten-free recipe. Takes just like a ‘normal cake’! I just love baking and finding old, tested, hand-written recipes is just the best so I appreciate you sharing. I had the same problem with the buttery/moist taste and texture, then after checking the recipe realised in my excitement to make the cake that I had put 250g butter instead of 200g! I’m also fiddling with a new oven at the moment, so think the heat may have been a little high. As such, while lovely and golden and looking exactly like your picture, it may have needed a tad extra cooking on the inside. However, the cake was still gone in a couple of days! Thanks again

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    • Hi Christie,
      I’m so glad you enjoyed this cake as much as my family and I do! This does seem to be a recipe that sometimes needs a little extra cooking time depending on the oven, even without the extra butter ;) Have a fabulous week!

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  48. OMG! This is so good! I have tried so many different GF and DF recipes and so far I disliked them all (I hate the powdery taste the GF flour gives). Never thought to use nuts. This is an amazing tasting cake. Light, fluffy and chewy at the edges. Perfect!
    Absolutely delicious, definetly does not need icing!
    Thanks for sharing =)

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    • Oh Terri, I’m absolutely thrilled by your comment and by how much you enjoyed this cake! Personally, as someone who has grown up in a wheat-free household, I’ve always looked for dessert recipes that don’t rely (too much) on flour as I, too, haven’t always been impressed by GF flour. Nuts are the magical way to go for flavour and texture, I think! :)

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