Vegan Pear and Rosemary Crumble Cake
This moist and fragrant gluten-free teacake is the perfect accompaniment to a cup of tea in this unusually cool spring weather. The nutty, crispy crumble is contrasted to the soft cake and juicy pear. The addition of rosemary adds a beautiful, warming flavour and aroma. However, if you’re a bit put-off by this usually savoury herb, then feel free to replace it with more cinnamon and some nutmeg or some chai spices, such as cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and cloves.
Serves 8-12
Cake:
¾ cup buckwheat flour
¾ cup brown rice flour
½ cup almond meal
½ tsp. xanthum gum
1/3 cup coconut sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
Pinch of Himilayan rock salt
1 cup dates + ¼ cup boiling water
¾ cup cashew mylk (or any dairy-free milk of choice)
1/3 cup melted coconut oil
1 tbsp. vanilla
1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
4 pears (2 grated + 2 sliced)
1 tbsp. rosemary leaves (finely chopped) + extra for garnish
Crumble:
½ cup brown rice OR buckwheat flour
1 tbsp. coconut sugar (heaped)
¼ tsp. baking powder
1 tbsp. chopped pecans (walnuts/almonds/hazelnuts would also work well)
3 tbsps. coconut oil (room temperature)
For Crumble:
1. Combine flour, coconut sugar, baking powder and pecans in a small bowl. Add coconut oil and rub it into the dry mixture with your fingertips. Set aside.
For Cake:
1. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees (175 degrees fan forced) and grease a round cake tin with coconut oil.
2. Add the dates and boiling water to a bowl and set aside.
3. Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl (buckwheat flour, brown rice flour, almond meal, xanthum gum, coconut sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt).
4. Grate two of the pears and thinly slice the other two, set aside.
5. Add all wet ingredients to the blender, except for the pear (dates and water, cashew mylk, coconut oil, vanilla and apple cider vinegar), and blend until smooth.
6. Stir the grated pear through the wet mixture in the blender.
7. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and fold through gently until just combined.
8. Pour into the greased cake tin and smooth the top. Arrange the sliced pear, half a pear at a time. 9. Sprinkle the crumble around the pears and finally, some extra chopped rosemary.
10. Bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer or knife in the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before moving to a wire rack or simply slicing while it is still warm. Enjoy!