Gluten-Free Chestnut Flour Cake

This gluten-free cake is a delicious variation on a traditional Italian recipe.

It is made with chestnut flour, which has a sweetness of it's own. You probably won't find chestnut flour in a local store. I ordered mine online from Allen Creek Farm.

It is similar to other "flourless" cakes in that it achieves it's loft from whipped egg whites.

It is made with olive oil, but tastes surprisingly buttery. When I took the first bite, the first thought I had was, "butter." I asked my husband, "Doesn't this taste like it has about a pound of butter in it?" and he said, "Yes." He couldn't believe there was no butter in this cake.

I used agave, but the original recipe called for honey. If you use honey, the cake will take on the flavor of the honey. You could probably use any sweetner for this. I like to use agave when making any kind of cake because it makes a very moist cake. If you use a dry sweetener, the cake will be drier, but still lovely.

I loved this cake just plain. The original recipe suggested a sprinkling of powdered sugar (use powdered evaporated cane juice, sold as "organic powdered sugar") or whipped cream and a sprinkling of chopped nuts. I think it would be divine with any whipped topping and a fresh fruit of the season (I'm thinking strawberries, raspberries...).

In Italy, this cake is called Castagnaccio and is studded with raisins, pine nuts, and chopped fresh rosemary leaves. Mmmmm! This is eaten in the winter, during chestnut season.

I can also taste in my mind adding lemon or orange zest for a citrus flavor, especially in the winter. Yum!

Because this cake doesn't rely on gluten for the rise, I think you could make it with any flour and any nuts. This is a good basic recipe for cake that you can experiment with if you don't eat the gluten grains.

makes 8 servings

1/2 cup mild olive oil
1 C chestnut flour (plus additional for dusting the pan)
1/4 cup almond meal
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, separated
1/2 cup agave 2 tablespoons organic powdered sugar

1. Place an oven rack in the middle position and preheat to 350 degrees F.
2. Oil a springform pan with olive oil and dust with chestnut flour.
3. Mix the chestnut flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, then stir in the almond meal.
4. In another bowl, beat together the egg yolks, oil, and honey until thick and pale -- about 5 minutes. Add the flour mixture and mix at low speed until well mixed.
5. In yet another bowl, beat the egg whites and a pinch of salt with clean beaters until they form soft peaks. Add organic powdered sugar a little at a time until the whites hold a soft peak.
6. Fold the egg whites into the cake mix one-third at a time until well mixed. Pour into cake pan.
7. Bake 30 minutes. Then loosely cover with aluminum foil and bake another 10-15 minutes. Be sure to cover it as the top will get quite brown before it is cooked through. The cake will rise quite high while baking, and then fall when you take it out of the oven.
8. Place on rack to cool. Remove the side of the pan.
9. Serve.