A moist cake that's filled with fresh fruit flavor, this Strawberry Almond Flour Cake is sure to be your new favorite dessert! The cake is topped with a creamy, dairy-free strawberry frosting that's only four ingredients! This entire dessert is SCD and Paleo friendly. It is gluten free, grain free, dairy free, and refined sugar free.
Hi friends! This gluten free strawberry cake is made entirely from scratch! Making it is a labor of love, but it is worth it!
A fresh strawberry puree is added to the batter for the most delicious and moist cake!
It's then frosted with a creamy SCD and Paleo frosting that's filled with even more fresh strawberries! Are you in gluten free strawberry cake heaven yet?!
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How to make strawberry puree
Wash, dry, and remove stems from the strawberries. Then cut into chunks and place in a small saucepan over medium heat.
Once they begin to bubble, drop the heat to medium-low and stir occasionally to keep the strawberries from burning.
Remove from the heat once the strawberries have softened and the liquid is almost gone.
Use an immersion blender (or transfer to a high speed blender) to turn those glorious strawberries into a smooth puree.
Strain the puree to get out all of the seeds and set aside. Allow it to cool completely before adding it to the batter or frosting.
Strawberry Puree Tips:
- Be sure to use ripe berries for a stronger strawberry flavor in the cake and frosting.
- You can make the puree up to 3 days ahead of time and store in the fridge, just be sure to bring to room temp before using it in the cake!
- If using frozen strawberries, allow them to thaw first.
Cake ingredients
- blanched finely ground almond flour
- baking soda
- fine sea salt
- honey
- strawberry puree
- eggs
- vanilla extract
- lemon juice
- melted coconut oil
Just look at those wholesome ingredients!
How to make the cake
Whisk together the almond flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and set aside.
Mix the honey, strawberry puree, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and melted coconut oil on low speed in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
With the mixer still on, add the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated.
Then, slowly add the almond flour mixture to the wet ingredients, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Don't over mix!
Pour the strawberry cake batter evenly into two 6 inch greased and lined cake pans.
Put them in the oven to bake and enjoy the lovely strawberry cake aroma that fills your kitchen!
Allow the cakes to cool for at least ten minutes before gently turning them out of the pans. Let them cool completely on a baking rack before frosting.
Strawberry cake tip:
- The cakes can be made the day before serving. Place each cake on a plate and tent with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, using toothpicks if needed to ensure the wrapping doesn't touch or stick to the cakes.
Frosting ingredients
This easy strawberry frosting recipe is just FOUR ingredients!
- Spectrum Palm Shortening (I used the Nutiva shortening during one of my trial runs of this frosting and didn't love the end result)
- coconut cream
- honey
- strawberry puree
If you don't want to use shortening, and your system can handle dairy, then softened unsalted butter can be used instead.
Let's talk about coconut cream! To get coconut cream you place a can of full fat canned coconut milk to chill in the refrigerator overnight (or longer).
Carefully open the can and the hardened coconut on top is the cream, that's what you'll use for this recipe!
I've used both the Native Forest brand of coconut milk and Let's Do Organic brand of coconut cream (I get the most consistent results with Let's Do Organic)!
Frosting directions
Mix the shortening, coconut cream, and honey on medium speed in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Once the mixture looks fluffy, turn off the machine and add the strawberry puree to the bowl.
Continue to mix on medium speed, it might look a little curdled at first, but keep going until the frosting is smooth!
Strawberry paleo frosting tips:
- If the frosting is too runny, place it in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes to firm up.
- It's best to make the frosting the day you're going to frost the cake.
Assembling the strawberry almond flour cake
Place one cake upside down in the center of a plate or cake stand. Put frosting in the middle of the cake and spread it evenly over the top.
Repeat with the second cake then use the remainder of the frosting to decorate the sides of the cake.
(Obviously I'm not a professional cake decorator, but I did my best!)
Garnish with strawberries and enjoy!
How to store the gluten free strawberry cake
Cover any leftovers with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
If you would like to freeze the cake, begin by slicing the cake into single servings.
Make sure the cake has been chilled in the refrigerator and the frosting is firm before wrapping each individual slice a few times with plastic wrap.
Then wap each slice with aluminum foil and store in a ziploc bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To thaw, simply unwrap the aluminum foil and all but one layer of plastic wrap from the cake and place in the refrigerator or on the kitchen counter until fully thawed.
More strawberry recipes!
- No Bake Strawberry Gelatin Pie
- Strawberry Shortcake Smoothie
- Seared Mahi-Mahi with Strawberry Mint Salsa
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NOTE: If following the SCD diet, I suggest contacting the company to verify ingredients before using any prepackaged products.
Recipe
Strawberry Almond Flour Cake
Ingredients
Strawberry Puree
- 1 pound strawberries (washed, stems removed, and halved)
Strawberry Almond Flour Cake
- 3 cups blanched finely ground almond flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup honey (mild honey, like clover is best)
- ½ cup strawberry puree
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons coconut oil melted
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- extra coconut oil for greasing pans
Strawberry Frosting
- 1 cup Spectrum palm shortening
- ½ cup honey
- ⅓ cup strawberry puree
- ¼ cup coconut cream
Instructions
Strawberry Puree
- Place the strawberries in a saucepan over medium heat (if using frozen strawberries instead of fresh, add 1 tablespoon of water to the saucepan). Once the berries begin to bubble and boil, drop the heat to medium-low. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the berries have softened and the liquid has reduced by about half. It should take around 20 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and blend with an immersion blender until the berries are smooth.
- Strain the strawberry puree to remove the seeds. Allow the puree to cool to room temperature before using it in the cake batter and frosting. * I like to make the puree the day before making the cake.
Strawberry Almond Flour Cake
- Preheat oven to 325F. Grease two 6 inch cake pans with coconut oil. Line the bottom of the cake pans with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Whisk together the almond flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
- Place honey, strawberry puree, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and coconut oil in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until well combined.
- With the mixer still running, add the eggs one at a time. Once the eggs are fully incorporated, slowly add the flour mixture to the bowl. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Don't over mix the batter!!!
- Evenly pour the cake batter into the prepared pans. Place on the middle rack in the oven and bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cakes comes out clean.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes before gently turning out the cakes to continue cooling on a baking rack. Wait for the cakes to cool completely before frosting.
Strawberry Frosting
- Mix the shortening, coconut cream and honey on low speed in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
- Add the strawberry puree to the frosting. It will probably look curdled at first, keep mixing until smooth and well combined.
Cake Assembly
- Flip one of the cooled strawberry cakes upside down and place it in the center of a plate or cake stand. Put frosting in the middle of the cake and spread it evenly over the top. Repeat with the second cake.
- Use the remainder of the frosting to frost the sides of the cake. Garnish the cake with fresh strawberries (optional).
- Store the cake covered in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Notes
- The riper the berries, the more the strawberry flavor will come through.
- The puree can be made a few days before. Store it in the fridge and allow to come to room temperature before using it in the batter or frosting.
- The frosting is best made the day you're serving the cake. However, once the cake is frosted, it holds up nicely in the refrigerator.
Gwen
So happy to have found this recipe! The old box cake, jello and full of sugar version was always requested for birthdays so it was a great gift to find a much healthier recipe! I actually doubled the recipe, added 3 teaspoons of xantham gum and baked it in 3 9” round cake pans. I also made a coconut butter, coconut cream cheese frosting with powdered monk fruit, the strawberry purée and fresh lemon juice. Soooo yummy!
Jennifer
I'm really happy to hear you enjoyed the cake recipe!
Ronak Mehta
I tried out a cake with the above recipe. The cake was very soft and tasty. Thank you.
Angie
Could the honey be replaced with unsweetened applesauce? I can't tolerate honey, maple syrup or any other sweeteners including "fake" sugar.
Jennifer
I haven't tried it with just applesauce as a sweetener. It will definitely change the flavor of the cake but the texture should stay pretty similar to the original recipe. If you give it a go I'd love to hear how it worked out!
Yajaira
Not sure what I did wrong. I followed the steps to a tee. It is moist like a cake, the cake tastes like cornbread. Any idea why? My strawberries were ripe and sweet. I even added a tablespoon of swerve granulated sugar because the cake mix did not taste sweet.
Jennifer
When you say it tastes like cornbread do you mean the texture of the cake or the flavor? Also, did you use blanched finely ground almond flour or almond meal? Using almond meal will cause the cake to have a much grainier texture. I'm not sure how familiar you are with baking with almond flour but overall it does have a very different texture than traditional flour or even gluten free flour blends. In terms of sweetness, I just want to make sure you didn't forget to add the honey (I've been known to do this on occasion!). Due to my dietary restrictions and those of the majority of my readers, honey is the only sweetener used in my dessert recipes, which means they are no where near as sweet as traditional baked goods that use granulated sugar. I know this doesn't help you now since the cake has already been baked but if you decide to make it again, you can add some honey to the strawberry puree to add some extra sweetness! I wouldn't add anymore to the cake batter though because it will throw off the texture of the cake. Sorry you didn't love the cake!
Carol Thompson
Made this cake today for my 39 year old sons birthday (Tucker Sweeney who authored the SCD book Two Steps Forward One Step Back) and we all thought it was the best cake I’ve made for him in 16 years he’s been on the SCD. The cake was delicious and moist plus the icing was creamy and rich tasting. The purée took a little time but made the cake special- I used frozen strawberries - glad I made it the day before like you suggested. I had about 1/3cup extra purée so drizzled it over the top of the iced cake- store bought strawberries this time of year looked sad so I didn’t decorate the cake with them. Can’t wait to make this again using fresh sweet strawberries from my garden this summer.
Jennifer Brown
What a lovely comment Carol, thank you! Happy Birthday to Tucker and I'm so glad he enjoyed his cake!!
Sri
Hello, could we substitute almond flour with cashew flour?
Jennifer
I haven't tried it myself but I think it will work. If you give it a try I'd love to know the results!
Cristin
Could this icing work for cupcakes?
Jennifer
Absolutely!! Hope you enjoy it!
Sarah
So delicious! But slightly underbaked in the center even though the toothpick came out clean. Baked for 35 minutes in my convection oven. Browned on the outside. Also, ended up adding some powdered erythritol to the frosting also.
Anica Cuevas
Amazing! Made this for Easter since we have been stuck in the house. Mom and brother are GF, loved this recipe!
Jennifer
Happy to hear it was enjoyed by all Anica! Thanks for letting me know, I truly appreciate it!
Vanessa
Amazing!! Thank you so much for this recipe.. it was a hit!
Jennifer
YAY! Glad you enjoyed it!
Rebecca
So many events for my son revolve around not being able to eat anything. Boy scouts had a cake contest and we were not going to participate. At last minute I decided my son should make this recipe. He has Crohns and follows SCD. When we got to the event, all the cakes were decorated with candy and marshmallows and fondant frosting. Ours was a one layer square cake with strawberries. We didnt win any awards and my son was a big bummed. Then everyone started eating the cakes. 4 people came to me and asked for the recipe. Almost none of it was left by the end and it totally made my boy's day. So thank you so much for a great recipe that is also SCD friendly!
Natasha
Can you “veganize” this recipe? Would flax eggs be an ok substitute?
Jennifer
Hi Natasha! Due to dietary restrictions I'm unable to have flax seeds so I'm unsure if flax eggs will work in this recipe. If you decide to experiment and give it a try I'd love to know how it turned out!
Jennifer
Rebecca, this makes my heart so happy! I'm glad your son was able to participate in an event that's typically hard for us. I really appreciate you coming back to the blog to share the story with me and to let me know the cake was a success! Thank You!!!
Laura
Any thoughts on how the baking temp/time would need to be adjusted to make cupcakes?
Jennifer
I would start checking around 20 to 25 minutes.
Dawn
Can you use 9” cake pans?
Jennifer
Yes, you can use one 9" pan and bake for 35 to 45 minutes. You could also use two 9" pans for thinner cakes and the bake time will be a bit less. I'd probably start checking at about 20 minutes.
Bev
I have made this cake several times and it is delicious! My guests have loved it as well!
Jennifer
Thanks so much for sharing Bev! I'm so happy that you and your guests have enjoyed the cake!
Teressa
A bit of a different question, I am looking for a sugar free smash cake to make for my 1 year old. I don't need it to be gluten/grain free. Can I use regular all purpose wheat flour for the almond flour? Is it a 1:1 ratio? Would I need to adjust any other ingredients like eggs? Thank you
Jennifer
Hi Teressa! Quite a bit of the ingredients would need to be altered if you used whole wheat flour. You’d be better off finding a different recipe. Hope your little one has a great birthday!
Brianne
Do you have any suggestions for substituting the coconut ingredients?
Jennifer
In the cake, you can use melted butter (if your system can handle dairy) or olive oil in place of the coconut oil.
For the frosting, omit the coconut cream and add an extra 1/4 cup of shortening. You could also use my recipe for Honey Italian Meringue in place of the strawberry frosting.
All of these changes will of course alter the final taste of the cake but it should still taste delicious! Hope this helps!
Kelly
I live in Australia can u use just coconut oil for the parm shortening for the icing
Neha
My son was put on a gluten free diet just a couple of days before his fifth birthday and I had never baked a gluten-free cake before. I used your recipe with a couple of tweaks and the cake turned out to be amazing (not dry and crumbly like I had feared). My son loved it! Thank you so much for the recipe!
Jennifer
Oh Neha, this makes my heart so happy! I'm glad the cake was a success and I hope your little boy had a wonderful 5th birthday!
Jodi Slein
Can you substitute butter for the shortening in the frosting?
Jennifer
I'm sure you could, just keep in mind that the flavor, color, and texture will be a bit different.
Tiffany
Could you substitute maple syrup for the honey?
Jennifer
Absolutely!
Dee
WOW! Huge hit for Gluten Free Easter dessert. I made these into cupcakes -- baked for 27 mins. Haven't made the frosting yet because i didnt have the coconut cream. I added 2 tbsp maple syrup and juice of 1 medium lemon + zest. You can really taste the strawberry. Great recipe
Stacie
Hello! My daughter has been eating the SCD for almost a year & we enjoy your recipes. I want to make the strawberry frosting and I cannot find palm oil (used in the shortening) on any legal/illegal lists. I know it’s plant derived (palm, obviously!) but some things on SCD surprise me. Could you tell me how you learned that the Spectrum shortening is SCD safe? Thank you!
Jennifer
Hi Stacie! I'm happy to hear that you and your daughter are enjoying my recipes. A year on SCD is certainly something to be proud of, this lifestyle is not for the faint of heart!
According to the Pecan Bread website(which is a trusted SCD website and is listed as such in the Breaking The Vicious Cycle book) the spectrum shortening is legal. Here's a link to the page, just scroll down to the Dairy Free Cooking heading http://pecanbread.com/p/how/foodprep.html
Wellbee's website, which only sells verified SCD legal products has a shortening, I've just never used that particular brand so I can't say how it will turn out in the recipe. https://www.wellbees.com/catalog/product/view/id/140/s/organic-palm-oil-shortening/
I'm not sure if any of this helps you or not but please feel free to reach back out with any questions or concerns!