Gluten-Free Almond and Buckwheat Cake... with Sliced Pears

Gluten-Free Buckwheat Cake... with Sliced Pears. Years ago, all-purpose flour and bread flour were probably the only flours I used in my baking... every once in a while whole wheat flour would find its way on the pantry shelf. But ever since I moved to Montana, I've used the big grinding machines available at the supermarket to grind Montana Whole Wheat kernels into flour. It has taken me some time to slowly add a variety of other flours as well...some I blend myself, others I buy. I've added quite a collection of different flours in my freezer and try to implement some of the flours in recipes that use just white flour. I've known about buckwheat flour for quite some time now... just never really used it myself.

Buckwheat is not related to wheat, so it is often used in gluten-free baking. Most often you will see recipes for buckwheat pancakes... as they are quite popular. But when I saw buckwheat flour being used in cakes.... well, I had to give it a try. And since I've had wonderful results when using Baking Obsession's recipes, I chose to use Vera's recipe as an inspiration...and tweaked it a bit.

This cake has plenty of cream cheese and butter, so it makes for a real tasty cake....you wouldn't know that you're actually eating a gluten-free cake. At all. Aside from the fact that the color might give it away... The cake isn't a dense cake, but rather a light and fluffy sort of cake. It's a real lovely dessert that can be served plain...or embellished with some sweetened whipped cream, creme anglaise, or some vanilla ice cream. I think it would be a beautiful cake...for an afternoon tea. Really, really liked this cake. Hope you enjoy...

Tips: Feel free to substitute the almond meal with all purpose flour or whole wheat/spelt flour.

~Try substituting the maple syrup with a bit less honey or use regular sugar or other sweetener of choice.

~Add almond extract instead of the vanilla( or right along with the vanilla)... or add some orange/lemon peel, etc.

~Exchange the pears with thin apple slices or cherry halves or other fresh fruit/berries of choice....or simply omit the fruit.

~Top with chopped nuts/chocolate pieces...

Note: In case you would like to read up on buckwheat...here is an interesting read.

You will need: inspired by Baking Obsession

1 cup buckwheat flour

1 cup almond meal*

1½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

pinch of salt

1/3 cup milk, room temp.

2 1/2 tsps pure vanilla extract

7 oz cream cheese, room temp.

½ cup packed brown sugar

4 TBS unsalted butter, room temp.

½ cup real maple syrup

2 large eggs, room temp.

1-2 pears, sliced

* I ended up grinding slivered almonds very finely and using it as the almond meal

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a 9-inch square/round cake pan with parchment paper and lightly oil/butter the parchment as well as the sides.

2. Whisk together the buckwheat, almond meal, baking powder, soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. Combine the milk and vanilla extract. Set it aside.

4. Beat the cream cheese and brown sugar with an electric mixer until smooth, creamy, and lump-free. Beat in the butter and mix until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Beat in the maple syrup and mix for another 2 minutes.

5. On medium speed, add the eggs, one at a time. Beat well after each addition.

6. Reduce speed to low and add the dry ingredients and milk mixture in 3 additions... starting and ending with the dry ingredients.

7. Beat only enough to incorporate the ingredients...scraping the bowl after each addition.

8. Transfer the batter into the prepared pan. Add sliced pears on top of cake batter..slightly pressing down into the batter. Bake until golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes.

9. Cool cake in pan...for 10 minutes. Remove and cool completely on the rack.