This cake is a pastiche of texture, inspired by my Mom’s Pecan Coffee Cake. A moist cake, delicately infused with the bouquet of green tea, harbors a tactile toasted almond filling and complimented by a lovely crumble (I admit I am a big fan of crumbles). Spelt can replace the wheat for the gluten-sensitive sweet tooth, though yields a slightly denser cake.

Yields: 10-12 servings

INGREDIENTS:

TOASTED ALMOND FILLING:
1-1/4 cup almonds (or 1 cup sliced almonds)
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons organic granulated sweetener (organic evaporated cane juice, maple sugar, organic brown sugar, Sucanat, or organic sugar)
2 teaspoons melted coconut butter or grapessed oil
pinch of fine ground sea salt
6 large dates, pitted (about ½ cup)
1 cup hot green tea

LOVELY CRUMBLE:
¾ cup spelt flour or whole wheat pastry flour
¼ cup brown rice flour
½ cup almonds
3 tablespoons organic granulated sweetener,
such as organic evaporated cane juice, maple sugar, organic brown sugar, Sucanat, or organic sugar
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon (fresh ground is best)
pinch fine ground sea salt
3 tablespoons agave nectar
3 tablespoons melted coconut butter or grapeseed oil

GREEN TEA CAKE:
1 cup spelt flour or whole wheat flour
½ cup brown rice flour
½cup unbleached white flour or spelt flour
6 tablespoons organic granulated sweetener,
such as organic evaporated cane juice, maple sugar, organic brown sugar, Sucanat, or organic sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon fine ground sea salt
¾ cup green tea (from soaking dates for the Filling)
½ cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons agave nectar
1/3 cup melted coconut butter, mild olive oil or grapeseed oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

PROCEDURE:

TOASTED ALMOND FILLING:
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Toss together sliced almonds, maple, granulated sweetener of choice, coconut butter or oil and a pinch of salt.
Spread evenly on a baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes, stirring a few times to toast evenly and to keep from clumping. Cool completely.
Chop sweetened almonds in pulses in a food processor. Chop just into small pieces, do not over-chop into a fine meal. If using almond slices, just chop roughly by hand.
Remove the pits from the dates and cut into small pieces. Cover the dates with the hot green tea for 5 minutes. Strain the tea and set aside for the cake.
Mix softened date pieces with sweetened toasted almonds.
Set aside until ready to bake.

LOVELY CRUMBLE:
Place the flours, almonds, granulated sweetener of choice baking powder and cinnamon in a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Chop into a coarse meal.
Add oil and pulse chop, just until mixed and pebbly. Do not over mix. The texture should be like sand and pebbles. If it is too moist, add a bit more flour. If it is too dry, add a drizzle of agave or oil.
Set aside until ready to bake.

GREEN TEA CAKE:
Preheat the oven to 350°F and place a rack in the center rungs.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, granulated sweetener of choice, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
In another bowl, thoroughly whisk together green tea, maple syrup, agave nectar, melted coconut butter or oil, vinegar and vanilla.
Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and whisk just until combined. Be careful not to over mix. Any small lumps they will bake out.

ASSEMBLY:
Oil a 9-inch springform pan. If you do not have a springform pan, a round cake pan may also be used, though the Lovely Crumble will have to be baked separately on a baking sheet for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown and put on the cake at the end.
Pour about 2 cups of the cake batter to cove the bottom of the pan.
Sprinkle the Toasted Almond Filling evenly on the batter.
Pour the remaining batter over the filling and smooth with a rubber spatula to completely cover the filling if necessary.
Sprinkle the Lovely Crumble evenly on top.
Bake at 350F for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the cake. Cool for 30 minutes on a rack.

SERVICE

Remove the cake from the pan and cool completely before serving.

LEFTOVER STORAGE

Store covered at room temperature for up to 2 days in in the fridge for up to 5 days.