Grain Free Peach Pudding Cakes & Peach Muffins GF SCD
Peaches, who can resist these velvety, orange, red, plump, juicy and sweet fruit. An excellent source of Vitamin C and moderate source of Vitamin A and β-Carotene, peaches also provide the diet with potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and copper as well as the flavonoid poly-phenolic antioxidants - lutein, β-cryptoxanthin, and zeaxanthin. These compounds help scavenge harmful oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) from the body that play a role in ageing and various disease process.
Years ago, my favourite pudding was the Peach Pudding Cake recipe from Delia Smith's Book of Cakes. Since cooking grain-free I've always intended to try and adapt it because the flavours of the spices are just perfect with the sweet, luscious fruit.
However, it wasn't until I created my plain sponge cake recipe that I realised I could actually do it! These little cakes are different from the original recipe because I put the fruit in the bottom of the tin instead of laying them on top.
I decided to split the batter and make six muffins/cupcakes and six pudding cakes.
Peach Pudding Cakes GF SCD
250g Ground Almonds
3 large eggs
3 tblsps extra virgin olive oil
80ml acacia honey
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tblsp pure vanilla extract (alcohol, water and vanilla only)
pinch salt
1 - 3 tsps cinnamon
½ - 1½ tsps nutmeg
2 - 3 ripe peaches
about 60ml honey (1 tsp for every cake)
extra virgin olive oil or butter to grease the pan
This recipe will make 12 peach pudding cakes. If you use scales, the recipe will work fine but I can't guarantee the results if you use conversions to cups. Grease a muffin tin with some extra virgin olive oil or use butter if you can eat dairy. If you can find a tin with straight sided cups, I've noticed that the grain-free muffins and cup cakes rise much better.
Heat the oven to 170° C (fan oven). Peel and slice the peaches. If you use very ripe peaches the skins come away very easily. If not, place them in a bowl then pour hot water over them and let them sit for a couple of minutes.
Slice the peaches thinly.
Pour a teaspoon of honey into each cup.
Lay three or four slices of peach in the cup on top of the honey.
Measure out the spices and mix well together. Scatter some of the cinnamon and nutmeg over the peaches. You could also sprinkle some in the honey before adding the fruit. Be generous and if you run out, mix up some more, just remember to use the proportions of 2:1 cinnamon to nutmeg.
Bake in the bottom half of the oven for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.
You wouldn't believe it but the first time I made these I squealed with excitement when I saw how they turned out!
If necessary, loosen them gently with a knife around the edge and leave them to cool for a couple of minutes before tipping out. Quickly turn the pan upside down on to a plate or cooling rack. If some of the peaches fall off the top, just place them back on.
As an alternative, you could try the recipe with the spices can be added into the cake batter just remember to also add some on to the fruit as well for that extra spicy kick!
Peach Muffins GF SCD
Use the recipe for the Peach Pudding Cakes above. Peel and slice the peaches then chop them into small pieces.
Heat the oven to 170° C (fan oven). Following the instructions for my plain sponge cake, mix the cake batter, adding the spices to the almond flour. Vary the amount of spices to taste, I think they taste lovely with the larger measurements. Also, if you have read my post about cinnamon, the flavour can vary depending on which type of cinnamon it is. Add the chopped peaches and pulse a couple of times.
Line a tin with muffin cases and pour the batter into the cases until just over half full. Once more, I recommend the type of tin mentioned above.
Bake in the bottom half of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes until they bounce back when gently pressed or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Remove from the tin and cool on a cooling rack.
These are also nice warm.
