Strawberry Almond Flour Cake with Mascarpone Whipped Cream is perfectly and naturally sweetened, completely grain free, topped with a creamy mascarpone icing and the summer’s freshest strawberries. This cake is grain free, refined-sugar free (save the icing!), and dairy free. It’s filled with natural, wholesome ingredients you can feel good about!
This is it: THE dessert of the summer!
Back in April, I teamed up with some truly amazing bloggers on Instagram to bring you only the best strawberry recipes. Well, this Strawberry Almond Flour Cake happened to be one of them! I couldn’t WAIT to share the recipe, but I wanted to hold out until strawberries were truly in season. And they are now (finally)!! So you can get on this cake ASAP.
I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I am about this Strawberry Almond Flour Cake with Mascarpone Whipped Cream! It is SO fresh and so fitting for summer. Light and fluffy, it’s topped with the season’s freshest berries and a delicate coconut mascarpone icing. It sits lightly in the stomach so you don’t feel like you’ve eaten a giant load of sugar (not cool for summer).
Also perfect for summer is this Creamy Vegan Lemon Tart (you guys SERIOUSLY loved this one!) and this Coconut Raspberry Layer Cake (also vegan!). Okay, okay, cookies are definitely still a summer food, too.
But this cake, though!
It’s what dreams are made of!
The cake itself is made mostly from almond flour, making it grain-free and gluten-free. Because almond flour tends to be rather dense, we’ve also lightened it up by using tapioca starch and coconut flour. These are things you can find in most grocery stores now. Tapioca starch is what keeps this cake light and fluffy, offsetting the almond flour’s heaviness. Coconut flour can also be quite dense as well. It absorbs a TON of moisture, so eggs are necessary to keep the cake moist. Coconut flour and tapioca starch work together quite nicely in that they balance one another out.
Eggs are important in this recipe. Since coconut flour requires so much additional moisture, it is recommended that every ounce of coconut flour have one egg added to it to keep things moist and fluffy.
I learned the hard way that ratios in grain free baking are important. I adapted the flours in this recipe from this article. Becky really knows her stuff when it comes to grain free and paleo baking, so I love using her as a resource!
It’s also important to note that the eggs should be room temperature whenever you’re baking (and especially when baking with coconut oil). If the eggs are too cold, they can turn your melted coconut oil back into a solid state, making it impossible to incorporate your ingredients.
This Strawberry Almond Flour Cake with Mascarpone Whipped Cream is naturally sweetened with maple syrup, too. And only 2/3 of a cup! I really wanted this cake to reflect my love for natural ingredients. I didn’t want something so sugar-laden and heavy feeling. Yes, there’s powdered sugar in the icing, but… it’s necessary. Necessary and oh so delicious! Even though this cake is a little better for you (nutritional value-wise), nobody will ever know. It’s a total crowd-pleaser!
The texture is wonderfully light and airy, especially with all that Mascarpone Whipped Cream on top!
Mascarpone is SO great for baking and it’s kind of having a moment in my apartment right now. The flavor is so subtle, but it makes things incredibly creamy and soft. It makes this recipe! Whip it with coconut cream (don’t forget to refrigerate your coconut milk overnight!), organic powdered sugar, and just a little vanilla… and you have a to-die-for fresh summer whipped topping piled high on a delicate, fluffy almond-y cake. Of course, don’t forget the freshly sliced strawberries on top – the most important part!
So here we are, at the end of June, nearing the end of Michigan’s strawberry season. I’m smitten with strawberries and so sad that the season is over! They sure don’t last long around here. I’ve been buying out the Farmer’s Market berries like CRAZY all summer. Every weekend I’m out at the market, filling bags with fresh leafy greens, juicy fruit, and gorgeous flowers. Can summer never end please?
If you make this cake, I’d love to see it on Instagram! Make sure to tag me @well_fedsoul!
Pin this Strawberry Almond Flour Cake with Mascarpone Whipped Cream for later!
This delicate cake is filled with natural, wholesome ingredients and is sure to be a crowd pleaser!
- 2 1/2 c. finely ground almond flour
- 1/3 c. tapioca starch (also called tapioca flour)
- 1/4 c. coconut flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 2/3 c. pure maple syrup, room temperature
- 1/2 c. coconut oil, melted and cooled
- 1 c. almond milk
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 1 (14-oz.) can full fat coconut milk, refrigerated overnight
- 8 oz. mascarpone cheese
- 1 c. powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla (or almond) extract
- 1 1/2 c. sliced fresh strawberries
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Preheat the oven to 350 F and spray a 9" cake pan with nonstick cooking spray.
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In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, tapioca starch, coconut flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
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In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs, maple syrup, milk, cider vinegar, and extracts. Beat in the melted and cooled coconut oil.
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Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, being careful not to over-mix. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake at 350 F for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes, then turn the cake out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
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Remove the can of coconut milk from the refrigerator, being careful not to tip the can. Gently scoop the coconut cream into a small bowl, reserving the coconut water for smoothies. Add the mascarpone, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat, using a hand mixer, until smooth and creamy.
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Ice the cake with Mascarpone Whipped Cream, then pour the sliced strawberries on top. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
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