GLUTEN-FREE SANTIAGO CAKE
The original Torta de Santiago, or Cake of Saint James, hails from Santiago Di Compostela in northwestern Spain. This delicious, dense almond cake has a rich history and pages of photographs, recipes and facts about it can be found on the web. You could probably spend an entire afternoon expanding your knowledge of Spanish history as well as the pilgrim Camino and its culinary associations but my advice, rather, is to spend that time making the cake. Obviously I like to have my cake and eat it too.
If you’d like to be true to the origins of the Santiago Cake then procure a stencil of the Cross of St James (easily found on that handy web) and make a pattern of the cross on the cake with pure icing sugar. It will look very authentic, and pretty. Otherwise, any decorative pattern or a simple dusting of icing sugar will do.
The Santiago Cake is best eaten on the day it’s made. Combine it with some whipped cream or our Lemon Posset, fresh or cooked fruit such roasted strawberries or poached quince and you’ll have a dessert to make any pilgrim happy.
Caren
SANTIAGO CAKE
Serves 10-12
4 eggs
220 gm caster sugar
100 gm Revenge Gluten-Free Plain Flour link
1 teaspoon baking powder
175 gm unsalted butter, melted and cooled
250 gm almond meal
100 ml water
1 lemon, zest and 25ml juice only
Pinch of salt
Gluten-free icing sugar
Cream and fruit to serve, optional
Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 19-20cm cake tin and line with baking paper.
Beat eggs and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer for approximately 8 minutes until the mixture is pale and thick. Fold in the flour and baking powder, then the cooled butter until completely combined. Add the almond meal, water, lemon zest, juice and salt. Stir until just combined.
Pour batter into the prepared tin, smooth the top and bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 10 minutes before inverting onto a rack to cool completely.
Dust with icing sugar or use stencils to create the traditional Cross of St James or other decorative patterns.
Serve with fresh cream and fruit, optional.