Almond meal cake with broiled icing is a spiced, golden snack cake finished under the grill with a bubbling honey-coconut-pecan topping. Soaked almond meal gives the crumb extra moisture while cinnamon and nutmeg keep it warmly aromatic. Nine squares that taste like a proper old-fashioned coffee cake.
SERVES 9
Ingredients
Cake
1 cup (240 ml) almond meal
¾ cup water, room temperature
¾ cup almond flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 tablespoons (60 ml) coconut oil, softened
1 cup (240 ml) palm sugar, divided
1 large egg, room temperature
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Coconut oil for greasing foil
Broiled Icing
¼ cup honey
1 tablespoon (15 ml) coconut oil, melted and cooled
2 tablespoons (30 ml) coconut milk
¾ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
½ cup pecans, chopped
Preparation
1.В В Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line an eight-inch square baking pan with a foil sling. Make a foil sling for an eight-inch square baking pan by folding two long sheets of aluminum foil so each is eight inches wide. Lay sheets of foil in pan perpendicular to each other, with extra foil hanging over edges of pan. Push foil into corners and up sides of pan, smoothing foil flush to pan. Grease the foil.
2.В В Combine almond meal and water in a medium bowl and let sit until most of the water is absorbed (about 10 minutes). In another medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together.
3.В В In a large bowl, beat the coconut oil and palm sugar together with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined (about 30 seconds). Beat in the flour mixture, in two additions, until just incorporated (about 30 seconds). Beat in the soaked almond meal until combined. Use a spatula to transfer the batter from the mixing bowl into the baking pan.
4.В В Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached (30 to 35 minutes), rotating the pan halfway through baking. Let the cake cool slightly in the pan (about 10 minutes).
5.В В While the cake is cooling, adjust an oven rack to be about nine inches from the broiler element and heat the broiler. In a medium bowl whisk the honey, melted coconut oil, and coconut milk together, then stir in the coconut and pecans. Spread the mixture evenly over the warm cake and broil until the topping is bubbling and golden (3 to 5 minutes), checking often to ensure that the icing is not burning.
6.В В Let the cake cool slightly in the pan (about 30 minutes). If desired, remove the cake from the pan using the foil before serving.
Pro Tips
- Soak the almond meal in water for the full ten minutes — hydrated meal is what keeps this cake moist for days instead of drying out by tomorrow.
- Watch the broiler like a hawk. The coconut-pecan icing goes from bubbling golden to burnt in under a minute once it catches.
- Spread the icing over the still-warm cake so the honey mixture seeps into the top layer instead of sitting on it like a lid.
- Cool the cake at least thirty minutes after broiling. The topping is molten straight from the grill and needs the time to settle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use almond flour instead of almond meal?
Yes, though almond meal's coarser grind is what gives this cake its rustic texture. If substituting, expect a finer, slightly softer crumb.
What if I don't want to broil the topping?
Serve the honey-coconut mixture as a warm sauce instead. You lose the caramelised crust but none of the flavour.
How do I store this cake?
Airtight at room temperature for two days or refrigerated for four. The broiled topping keeps the surface wonderfully moist.
Can I swap the pecans?
Walnuts or sliced almonds work well under the broiler. Anything that toasts quickly in the honey glaze is a good choice.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- 1. В В Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Line an eight-inch square baking pan with a foil sling. Make a foil sling for an eight-inch square baking pan by folding two long sheets of aluminum foil so each is eight inches wide. Lay sheets of foil in pan perpendicular to each other, with extra foil hanging over edges of pan. Push foil into corners and up sides of pan, smoothing foil flush to pan.
- Grease the foil. 2. В В Combine almond meal and water in a medium bowl and let sit until most of the water is absorbed (about 10 minutes).
- In another medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together. 3. В В In a large bowl, beat the coconut oil and palm sugar together with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined (about 30 seconds).
- Beat in the flour mixture, in two additions, until just incorporated (about 30 seconds).
- Beat in the soaked almond meal until combined. Use a spatula to transfer the batter from the mixing bowl into the baking pan. 4. В В Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached (30 to 35 minutes), rotating the pan halfway through baking.
- Let the cake cool slightly in the pan (about 10 minutes). 5. В В While the cake is cooling, adjust an oven rack to be about nine inches from the broiler element and heat the broiler.
- In a medium bowl whisk the honey, melted coconut oil, and coconut milk together, then stir in the coconut and pecans.
- Spread the mixture evenly over the warm cake and broil until the topping is bubbling and golden (3 to 5 minutes), checking often to ensure that the icing is not burning. 6. В В Let the cake cool slightly in the pan (about 30 minutes). If desired, remove the cake from the pan using the foil before serving.
