Gluten‑Free Apple‑Almond Cake

• (½ cup) olive oil125 ml
• (½ cup) maple syrup140 g

  or agave syrup

• eggs↗2
• (½ cup) apple puree130 g

  (store-bought or homemade)

• (2 cups) ground almonds185 g
• baking powder↗1 tsp
• ground cinnamon↗1 tsp
• apple↗1

  with skin, cored, diced

• olive oil↗трохи
• maple syrup↗1 tbsp
• ground cinnamon↗½ tsp

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 190 °C (170 °C for convection, gas 5). Grease a 20 cm diameter pan with oil and line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper.

2. 2

   In a stand mixer or with a hand blender, beat the oil with the maple (or agave) syrup for 30 seconds. Add the eggs and beat for another 1 minute, then pour in the apple puree and beat for another 30 seconds. Add the ground almonds, baking powder, 1 tsp salt and ground cinnamon, mix for 30 seconds — the batter is ready. Pour it into the pan and bake for 30–40 minutes, until the top becomes a deep golden‑brown and the cake slightly pulls away from the sides; a skewer inserted in the centre should come out dry.

3. 3

   While the cake bakes, prepare the topping. In a small skillet, toast the apple cubes together with the remaining topping ingredients and ½ tsp salt, stirring constantly until the apple becomes soft and lightly caramelized.

4. 4

   When the cake is done, evenly sprinkle the toasted apple cubes on top. Optionally replace them with caramelized peaches, plums, cherry compote or any berries, pre‑softened in a skillet with a little water and maple syrup. Serve warm like a pudding with a spoonful of Greek yogurt, or chilled — with a cup of tea or coffee.