The Secret to Light, Fluffy Grain-Free Cakes
plus, my recipe for cinnamon crumb cake
A quick little note before we get started:
Hello, loves - and welcome back to my kitchen!
I took a few weeks hiatus to really figure out the direction I wanted to take this newsletter. It turns out, we are going to mash my two concepts together - delving into cooking while also sharing it’s related recipe on our topic each week. Basically, think of this as an extension of what I’m already sharing on my socials - but with a little more depth, a little more words, and a whole lot of love.
Okay, now on to the good stuff!
For years, both during my time cooking professionally and now as a home cook, I’ve had a deep love affair with baking. And one of the things I loved about cooking for people who followed specific diets (i.e. gluten free, paleo, etc.), was that it allowed me to experiment with grain-free flours and natural sweeteners.
But as most of us know, baking is a science, and not all ingredients are created equal.
We’ve all had that moment: you mix up a beautiful grain-free batter, pop it in the oven with high hopes, and it comes out looking perfect and dare-you-say better than your traditional gluten-ful bakes … only to sink in the middle, or turn out dense and slightly wet.
If you’ve struggled with the texture of gluten-free or grain-free bakes, I have some incredibly reassuring news: it’s not you, and it’s not your oven. It’s just chemistry.
Today, I want to share the simple culinary technique that will completely change how you bake with alternative flours, alongside the recipe for my favorite Cinnamon Crumb Cake - which is pillowy, richly spiced, and guaranteed to be your new favorite morning ritual.
The Ingredient Glow-Up
We are keeping this recipe entirely clean, using whole-food ingredients that nourish your body while that craving:
The Flour Blend: A combination of nutrient-dense almond flour (for healthy fats and protein) and a touch of tapioca starch (which provides that classic, bouncy “cake” chew).
The Sweetener: We swap refined white sugar for mineral-rich maple or coconut sugar, which lends a gorgeous, deep caramel undertone that pairs beautifully with cinnamon.
The Fat: Pure coconut oil keeps the crumb exceptionally moist and tender without the need for dairy.
Why We Let the Batter Sit
In traditional baking, wheat flour contains gluten, which acts like a stretchy net, immediately trapping moisture and structure the moment wet and dry ingredients touch.
Almond flour and tapioca starch behave very differently. Almond flour is packed with healthy fats, protein, and fiber, but it lacks those gluten proteins. Because of this, it doesn’t absorb liquids instantly.
If you rush your almond flour batter straight into a hot oven, the heat melts the fats before the flour has had a chance to bind with the liquids. The result? A cake that is oily on the bottom and dry or crumbly on top.
The Rest Rule: Once you fold your dry ingredients into your wet ingredients, stop. Let the batter rest in the bowl for a good 5-10 minutes before transferring it to your baking pan.
During these few minutes, two essential things happen:
Hydration: The almond flour and tapioca starch fully absorb the coconut milk and eggs, swelling slightly to create a cohesive, beautifully structured batter.
Leavening Activation: The acid in the lemon juice reacts with the baking soda, releasing tiny carbon dioxide bubbles. Resting allows these bubbles to distribute evenly, giving your cake a light, airy, bakery-style lift.
I hope this gives you a little more insight into baking with almond flours and the like. Until next time, enjoy this intensely warming recipe! And I would love to know - are you a crispy corner piece or fluffy middle piece? xxo
Cinnamon Crumb Cake
Prep time: 15 minutes | Bake time: 25-30 minutes | Yield: 9 squares
Ingredients:
Crumb Topping:
¾ cup (84g) almond flour
⅓ cup (48g) maple sugar or (66g) coconut sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ cup (56g) coconut oil
pinch of fine sea salt
Cake:
2 cups (224g) almond flour
¼ cup (30g) tapioca flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp fine sea salt
3 tbsp (42g) coconut oil, melted and cooled
3 eggs
⅔ cup (96g) maple sugar or (135g) coconut sugar
¼ cup (60g) full-fat coconut milk
1 tbsp (15g) lemon juice
2 tsp vanilla bean paste
Directions:
Make the crumble: Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix with your fingertips until you have a coarse mix. Refrigerate until ready to use. *You want this extra cold.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper and spray with coconut oil spray.
In a medium bowl, combine the almond flour, tapioca flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt until combined.
In a large bowl, mix together the melted coconut oil, eggs, sugar, coconut milk, lemon juice, and vanilla until smooth and combined. Fold in the dry ingredients. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes so the almond flour hydrates.
Transfer to your prepared pan. Scatter the crumble evenly on top. Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
Cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Cut into squares and enjoy!
Grandma made this monthly... probably ate half the cake before anyone else did. Thanks for bringing back the memory of that... Can't wait to try it, and I love the middle sections. Cut it into squares and grab the centerpiece. Yum!!
Thanks for sharing! I’m always experimenting with grain free cakes, it’s always tricky to judge how much liquid to dry ingredients is needed. I have been letting my almond flour sit though!