Gluten Free Roasted Strawberry Buttermilk Cake

It’s strawberry season in Maine, there’s a rain delay at Wimbledon, and I’m meeting Kari and Stephanie at 11:30 to walk around Back Cove before lunch: time to bake a cake!

Fresh picked local organic strawberries are fragrant and delicious, but often delicate because they’re not bred to endure cross country shipping. When you think your berries are not firm enough to cut into fruit salad, but too nice to freeze or turn into jam, roast them for this cake.

Roasted Strawberry Buttermilk Cake

INGREDIENTS

About 2 cups fresh medium sized strawberries, hulled and halved

2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

scant 1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1 cup (6 oz.) GF flour mix (yours, ours, or Trader Joe’s)

1/2 cup (2 oz.) Quinoa flour

1/2 cup (4 oz.) granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon xantham gum

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 cup buttermilk. room temperature

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F, line a sided baking pan with parchment paper, and generously grease a (9 x 9 inch) cake pan with butter or coconut oil.

2. In a medium bowl combine the honey, 1 tablespoon olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and 1/8 teaspoon salt.

3. Toss the strawberries in the mixture and transfer with the juice to the parchment lined baking sheet. Roast at 375F for 30 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.

4. While the strawberries are cooking, combine the flours, sugar, baking powder, xantham gum, and salt in a medium sized mixing bowl. Whisk to blend.

4. In a 2 cup glass measure, combine the milk, eggs, olive oil, vanilla and almond extracts, and whisk to blend.

5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just blended. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Evenly distribute the roasted strawberries and caramelized sauce onto the batter.

6. Bake at 400F for 25 minutes or until the cake is set and slightly pulling away at the edges.

7. Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream or balsamic, almond or strawberry ice cream.