Low-Sugar, Gluten-Free Lemon Blueberry Almond Cake

Expand your list of healthy desserts with this delicious cake. With zesty lemon and vibrant blueberries, it's easy to make, but also suitable for company. Almond flour provides a pleasant taste and density while reducing carbohydrates, and the cake is sweet enough with only a small amount of added sugar. 

This cake is low in carbohydrates and added sugar, and high in heart-healthy fats. Keep it low-carb and gluten-free with almond flour, or add whole grains with gluten-free oat flour. You can swap whole-wheat flour for almond flour if you’re looking for whole grains and you’re not on a gluten-free diet. 

Variations and Serving Suggestions

• Fresh or thawed, frozen unsweetened blueberries work well.
• For a different fruit, swap raspberries or sliced strawberries for blueberries.
• For a brightly colored topping, arrange slices of fresh or thawed, frozen unsweetened mango on top of the cake before baking it.
• Shredded coconut, mini chocolate chips, and thinly sliced lemon are other possible toppings. 
• For an upside-down cake, place the topping in the pan and add 1 tablespoon of canola or vegetable oil before adding the batter. Bake for an extra 5-10 minutes, and let the cake cool thoroughly before removing it from the pan.
• The cake can make a healthier dessert or sweet snack.
• For a balanced breakfast, serve the cake with egg whites, plain nonfat yogurt, or low-fat cottage cheese. Have additional fresh fruit on the side if desired. 
• To avoid added sugars, omit the sugar in the batter and topping. Add 1 pureed ripe banana or ½ cup of pureed ripe mango to the batter. 
• For a dairy-free recipe, use almond milk instead of regular milk or yogurt.

Recipe for Low-Sugar Lemon Blueberry Almond Cake

Makes 10 servings

Ingredients

Cake:

• 2 cups of almond flour
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• 3 large eggs
• ¼ cup of sugar or honey
• 2 teaspoons of lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• ½ cup of milk or yogurt
• ¾ cup of blueberries

Topping: 

• ¼ cup of sliced almonds or other nuts
• ⅓ cup of blueberries
• (Optional) 1 tablespoon of sugar or honey

Instructions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray. 
2. In a small bowl, mix together the sliced almonds and blueberries for the topping. 
3. In a large bowl, stir together the almond flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
4. In a small bowl, beat the eggs lightly. Whisk in the lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and milk or yogurt. 
5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. 
6. Fold in the blueberries. 
7. Add the batter to the pan. Top the batter with the topping, and sprinkle or drizzle sugar or honey if desired. 
8. Bake for 22-27 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool before removing from the pan. 

Nutrition information per serving: 220 calories; 1 gram of saturated fat; 65 mg of cholesterol; 120 mg of sodium; 19 grams of carbohydrates; 9 grams of sugar; 3 grams of fiber; 8 grams of protein

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