Finnish Runebergintorttu (gluten and refined sugar free)

Vegaaninen Runebergintorttu

Vegaaniset, gluteenittomat Runerbergintortut ilman valkoista sokeria

My friends at Pür Kauppa challenged me this week to make a vegan, gluten and refined sugar free Runebergintorttu.  So I rose to the challenge!  For all those of you outside the land of the Finns, Runebergintorttu is a delicious cake eaten throughout Finland to mark Runeberg day.   Johan Ludvig Runeberg is the national poet of Finland and among other things, he wrote the lyrics to the Finnish national anthem.   Popular legend states Runeberg’s wife created the cake which he enjoyed for breakfast every morning with a glass of punssi (a traditional nordic liqueur).  Whatever their origin, I love these moist almondy cakes topped with raspberry jam and icing.

The cakes themselves only contain a little coconut sugar and the jam is made with baobab to remove the need for excessive amounts of jam sugar.  One small note,  be careful what gluten free flour you use.  I have found Provena have a really good gluten free flour which can be used as a one to one substitute for regular flour.  However I have tried out some flours which contain a lot more potato starch which can make your cake extremely dense.

For my Finnish friend’s click here to see the recipe in Finnish (translation by Miina at Pür)

This is a Commercial collaboration with Pür

Vegan Runebergintorttu – makes 8 – 10

1.5 dl / 150 ml oil (I used sunflower oil)

1.5 dl / 150 ml sugar free apple sauce

1/2 tsp bitter almond essence

60 g coconut sugar

100 gluten free flour (I used Provena Gluten free baking flour with oats)

40 g ground almonds

30 g gluten free bread crumbs

a good pinch of salt

1 tsp ground cardamom

1 and 1/2 tsp baking powder

2 tbsp chopped almonds

For the jam:

100 g frozen raspberries

a good squeeze of lemon juice

1 tbsp maple syrup

1 tbsp Kiki Health organic baobab powder

For the ‘icing’:

a couple of tbsps of coconut milk (see note in recipe)

a couple of drops of vanilla essence

 

Preheat the oven to 175 degrees c.  and line a muffin tin with 8 – 10 muffin cases.

In a small bowl mix the oil, apple sauce, almond essence and coconut sugar.

In a separate large bowl add all the remaining dry ingredients and stir well.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and quickly mix until thoroughly combined.

Spoon into the muffin cases and bake in the oven for 30 – 35 minutes until an inserted skewer comes out clean.  Leave to cool completely.

Meanwhile make the jam.  In a small saucepan add the raspberries, lemon juice, maple syrup and a splash of water.  Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.  Allow to cool a little, stir in the baobab and refrigerate to thicken.

To make the icing take a couple of tablespoons of the thick set milk from a can of coconut milk.  Whisk in a couple of drops of vanilla essence and refrigerate until needed.

Once everything is ready, decorate your cake with a spoonful of jam and pipe around your coconut ‘icing’