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Castagnaccio is a Decadent, Vegan and Gluten-Free Italian Cake

Our contributor shares a decadent cake recipe featuring chestnut flour that is perfect year-round and both vegan and gluten-free.

Castagnaccio is a gluten-free, vegan cake made with chestnut flour.

Castagnaccio is a gluten-free, vegan cake made with chestnut flour.

In Italy, chestnut recipes are often reserved for the colder autumn and winter months. But I love baking with chestnut flour year-round. It's incredibly nutritious and a great gluten-free alternative to regular wheat flour.

Chestnut flour is the key ingredient in one of my favorite recipes: castagnaccio. My version of this traditional Tuscan cake is vegan, gluten-free, and refined sugar free.

So, if you've been looking for a light but decadent treat, be sure to give this recipe a try!

NOTE: External conditions like humidity can alter the final recipe when baking. But one of the benefits of castagnaccio is that it's a very forgiving recipe. Treat the below measurements as approximate and open to adjustment. Ideally, you want a batter with a thick, pasty consistency. If it's runny, just add in a few more spoons of chestnut flour or cocoa!

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Castagnaccio Cake

Castagnaccio Cake

Recipe by Justin Patulli
0.0 from 0 votes
Servings

8

servings
Prep time

25

minutes
Cooking time

40

minutes

Ingredients

  • Dry Ingredients
  • 2 cups 2 chestnut flour

  • 3 tbsp. 3 cocoa powder

  • 2 tbsp. 2 coconut sugar

  • Handful sliced almonds

  • Handful raisins, soaked in orange juice

  • Pinch salt

  • Pinch rosemary

  • Wet Ingredients
  • 1-1/2 cups 1-1/2 water

  • 2 tbsp. 2 extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing

  • 2 tbsp. 2 water (for the raisins)

  • juice of 1 orange

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 380°F (convection).
  • Grease a 9-inch round, non-stick baking pan. 
  • In a small bowl, rehydrate the raisins with the juice of 1 orange and a few tablespoons of water. Set aside. 
  • In a large bowl, measure and sift the chestnut flour, cocoa powder, and coconut sugar.
  • Measure the water, and add it slowly to the dry ingredients, followed by extra virgin olive oil. Be sure to mix the wet ingredients well until there are no lumps. 
  • Now strain the excess fluid from the raisins and fold half of them into the batter. 
  • Pour into the greased baking pan and pack down with a greased spatula.
  • Garnish with sliced almonds and remaining raisins over top of the cake, gently packing them down. 
  • Sprinkle salt and rosemary, before drizzling with extra virgin olive oil. 
  • Bake for 35 minutes, until it begins to separate from the sides of the pan and has a slight crackle effect. 
  • Remove from the oven and allow to cool before serving.  
  • Enjoy with coffee or tea for breakfast, dessert, or even as a snack.

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