Spiced Hazelnut and Lingonberry Bundt Cake
This Spiced Hazelnut and Lingonberry Bundt Cake has a crunchy cinnamon and cardamom nut filling with tart lingonberry jam swirls. No one will guess that it is gluten-free!
Fika time was always a big deal in my Swedish grandparents’ house. The coffee pot was on from early morning until dinner time, and whenever my family went to visit there seemed a steady stream of friends all day long stopping by for coffee and cake. Needless to say, coffee cakes were a staple in the kitchen. My grandmother also loved baking anything in a bundt pan. She had one of the original classic Nordic Ware designs used for everything from tunnel of fudge to cinnamon nut swirled butter coffee cake. This Spiced Hazelnut and Lingonberry Bundt Cake pays homage to several of those homey and welcoming coffee cakes found in the Helgemo kitchen, but updated with my favorite Scandi flavors in gluten-free form. I think this is a perfect holiday cake, as well, and excellent for gift giving!
The Equipment for Baking Spiced Hazelnut and Lingonberry Bundt Cake:
I love Nordic Ware pans. They are incredibly durable and worth the investment. There is something so special about the shape of bundt cakes, and for me the fancier the better! One of my favorites is this Platinum Heritage Collection pan that you can find here . It has a nice non-stick coating for beautiful release every time.
Although the pan is non-stick, it is still necessary to use a light coating of a baking spray specially formulated for pans like this. I like this Perfect Release by Pam. Alternatively you can use a brush to apply a small coat of oil and then dust the pan with flour.
The Ingredients:
As mentioned, this bundt cake is gluten free and uses blanched almond flour to create a nice moist texture in the cake. I am partial to Anthony’s Goods blanched almond flour.
The remaining flour in the recipe is a gluten-free blend. I have tested this recipe using King Arthur “Measure for Measure” flour which is a 1:1 substitute for wheat flour.
Hazelnuts form the crunchy base to the cinnamon and cardamom-spiced filling. If you are starting with raw hazelnuts, spread them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast at 325 degrees for about 15 minutes, watching them carefully so they don’t burn. After roasting the brown skins will slough off by rolling the warm nuts in a tea towel. The skins tend to have a bitter flavor, so removing the bulk of them improves the flavor of your nuts. Trader Joe’s also sells roasted, unsalted hazelnuts with a majority of the skins removed for easy preparation.
Hazelnuts can be tricky to chop by hand as they are round and want to roll! You can use a food processor to chop them for the filling, but I like to put them in a ziplock bag and use the flat side of a mallet to break them into small pieces (a good way to get frustrations out, too!)
The chopped (or smashed) hazelnuts are mixed with soft butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and cardamom to make a most delicious filling for the cake.
Another key ingredient in this cake is lingonberry jam. Lingonberries are a staple in Nordic cuisine and have a delicious tartness similar to a cranberry (they come from the same family). Lingonberries grow abundantly on low evergreen bushes throughout Scandinavia and the northern United States. They are absolutely delicious in both sweet and savory preparations. Check the jam section of your local grocer or snag a few jars if you are lucky to have an IKEA nearby!
Assembling the Spiced Hazelnut and Lingonberry Bundt Cake:
Once the batter is mixed, 1/3 of it is spread at the bottom of the prepared bundt pan.
Next, 1/2 of the lingonberry jam is spooned over the batter in a ring.
Half of the hazelnut filling is dropped overtop the jam.
Repeat the whole process, ending with the last third of batter. Smooth the top and bake for about 45 minutes at 325 degrees.
The baked bundt will have a golden color and start to pull away from the sides of the pan. A wooden pick inserted in the center of the ring will come out clean. Be sure not to over bake. Cool the bundt in the pan and then invert onto a plate or platter by placing it on the bottom of the cake.
The finished Spiced Hazelnut and Lingonberry Bundt Cake looks pretty with a dusting of confectioner’s sugar, but is also delicious unadorned or with a dollop of freshly whipped cream.
When sliced, a lovely center of gooey spiced hazelnuts and tart lingonberries is revealed!
This is such a delightful cake for a winter Fika break or brunch!
Spiced Hazelnut and Lingonberry Bundt Cake
Equipment
- 10-cup Bundt Pan
Ingredients
Cake Batter:
- 1 ½ cups blanched almond flour
- 1 ½ cups gluten-free flour blend, such as King Arthur ‘Measure for Measure’
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- ½ cup unsweetened almond milk, room temperature
Spiced Hazelnut Filling:
- ½ cup toasted hazelnuts, skins removed and finely chopped
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
Assembly and Finishing:
- ⅓ cup lingonberry jam
- Confectioner's sugar, for dusting
Instructions
Cake Batter:
- Preheat oven to 325°.
- Prepare a 10-cup Bundt pan with non-stick baking spray or oil.
- In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, gluten-free flour blend, salt, baking soda, baking powder and lemon zest; set aside.
- In a stand mixer bowl, cream together the ½ cup butter and 1 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Scrape down sides of bowl and mix in eggs 1 at a time. Add extracts and beat again until well-mixed.
- Add ⅓ of the flour mixture to the batter until well-combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix in ½ of the almond milk. Repeat with remaining flour and milk, ending with the flour. Beat on medium speed for 30 seconds.
Spiced Hazelnut Filling:
- In a small bowl combine the hazelnuts, ¼ cup butter, brown sugar, and spices until well-mixed.
Assembly:
- Spoon ⅓ of the batter into the bottom of the Bundt pan in an even layer.
- Spoon ½ of the lingonberry jam on top of the batter in a ring.
- Top the jam with ½ of the spiced hazelnut filling.
- Repeat with remaining batter, jam, and nut filling, ending with the last third of the batter. Smooth the top and place pan in the oven.
- Bake for about 45 minutes or until a wooden tester inserted in the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool in pan.
- Invert cake onto a plate or platter and dust with confectioner's sugar to serve, if desired.
Notes
Tips for Success:
- Use a baking spray oil for coating the pan to prevent the cake from sticking, especially if your pan has grooves.
- Raspberry jam is a delicious substitute for lingonberry if you do not have that on hand.
- Walnuts, pecans or almonds can be used in place of hazelnuts, either raw or toasted for extra flavor.
- This cake is suitable as a coffee cake for Fika, breakfast or brunch or as a dessert!
- Store extra cake wrapped tightly in plastic or foil in the refrigerator for several days. The almond flour keeps the cake nice and moist!
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