Description
Looking for a delicious and healthy dessert with fresh strawberries to make on repeat all spring and summer? This sugar-free strawberry cake with mascarpone frosting is light and fluffy and has a naturally sweet and nutty, delicate flavor. We love to portion this cake in tapas-size servings, making it a fun and delicious dessert for gatherings and parties. Not only this cake is gluten-free, lectin-free, and sugar-free, but it is also low-carb.
Ingredients
DRY INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cup tigernut flour (pressed down)
- 1/2 cup almond flour (pressed down)
- 3 tablespoons tapioca flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- pinch of salt
WET INGREDIENTS
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 4 pastured raised eggs (separate yolks from whites)
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sweetener (use your favorite granulated sweetener)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- zest of one organic lemon
- 3/4 cup chopped strawberries
FROSTING and TOPPINGS
- 200 grams Italian mascarpone
- 3 tablespoons organic sour cream (or Jersey/A2)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Optional: 1 teaspoon sweetener (inulin, monk fruit, etc)
- zest of one organic lemon or a dash of lemon extract
- about 1/2 cup chopped strawberries
- Optional: ground toasted walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F / 180C and prepare a 20cm x 20cm / 7.8 inch x 7.8 inch (or something similar) metal baking dish. Lightly oil it and line it with parchment paper.
- Mix well all the dry ingredients in a bowl.
- Toast the coriander seeds in a saucepan on medium-high heat until they become fragrant. Grind them in a mortar and pestle.
- Separate the eggs, adding the yolks to a larger bowl and the whites to a smaller bowl.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks with the sweetener, vanilla, and 1/2 teaspoon of ground coriander, until they become fluffy and creamy (use an electric mixer). Add the olive oil and continue to beat them for a little bit until all is incorporated and creamy.
- Beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks.
- Now, you will start incorporating the flour and the egg whites, gradually and alternating, into the egg yolk mixture. The flour needs to be sifted, so make sure to use a sifter when you add the flour. Start with some flour, incorporate it with a spatula, then add some of the egg whites, then continue with the flour, and so on, until you have incorporated all the ingredients. The last addition will be egg whites. The mixing here is minimal, just fold gently. You will get a fluffy, airy, pourable batter.
- Dust the chopped strawberries with a little bit of tapioca flour, then add them to the batter and gently fold them so they are evenly distributed. Pour the batter into the baking dish and bake for 35 minutes. The cake will not be soft to the touch; it will get golden brown on top. To check if it’s done, you can insert a toothpick in the center. If the toothpick comes out clean, it is done.
- In the meantime, you can prepare the frosting. Simply beat the mascarpone cheese with the sour cream, sweetener if using (I don’t), vanilla, and the lemon zest or lemon extract, until it’s thick (use an electric mixer). Refrigerate until the cake is ready and completely cold.
- When the cake is ready, let it rest on a cooling rack until completely cold. I like to slice and remove the edges to see the beautiful texture of the cakes on all sides, but it’s not a must. If you make it for a gathering or to impress guests, I recommend this step.
- Spread the frosting on top, then portion it into small squares. From the dimensions I had, I got 36 small tapas-style cakes. Decorate each cake with chopped strawberries and ground toasted walnuts if using.
Notes
For a dairy-free frosting, use coconut whipping cream.