Gluten-Free Pomegranate Cake Recipe
Updated Feb 15, 2021, Published Dec 15, 2018
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Behold … the pomegranate! An absolutely gorgeous fruit with a color unlike any other. A fruit that symbolizes abundance and prosperity in many cultures. A fruit that has been grown for nearly 50 million years and first domesticated about 5,000 years ago. A fruit that has adorned weapons, cooking utensils, and priests’ robes throughout history, and today adorns my delicious Gluten-Free Pomegranate Cake recipe!
Since pomegranates and their juice can be a bit pricey, this is one of those desserts that is best served on the most special of holidays. And really, why would you waste this beauty on anything less than a special celebration? Studded with festive pomegranate seeds and soaked in a fruity orange-pomegranate simple syrup, this cake will have your guests not only impressed but feeling so touched that you’d go through the trouble of making such a fancy dessert! (We’ll just keep it our little secret that this isn’t difficult to make!)
Recipe notes: Use high-quality ingredients in this recipe, such as pasture-raised eggs (I use Nature’s Yoke), sugar from a responsible source, and homemade whipped cream made with organic heavy cream (optional, but if you’ve never made your own whipped cream, it’s easy and amazing!). You can also use dairy-free whipped cream (perhaps homemade whipped coconut cream) if dairy is an issue for you or any of your guests.
Gluten-Free Pomegranate Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 7 pasture-raised eggs, separated
- ¼ teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 1 ½ cups finely ground blanched almond flour
- 1 orange, zested
For the Topping:
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 1 cup pomegranate juice
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 cup pomegranate seeds
- 1 cup whipped cream for serving, optional
Instructions
Make the Cake:
- Spray a 9-inch springform pan with gluten-free, nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottom and sides of the pan with parchment paper, and lightly spray the paper. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Beat the egg whites on high speed with the salt and cream of tartar until foamy. With the mixer running, gradually add ½ cup of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
- In a separate mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks and 1 cup sugar on high speed until very fluffy and light in color. Add almond flour and orange zest and beat until fully incorporated. Stir ⅓ of the egg whites into the yolk mixture well. Fold in the remaining egg whites, half at a time, until the mixture is no longer streaky. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes. Then, gently lay a piece of foil over the top of the cake, and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes. The cake should be golden brown and puffed. As the cake cools, the center will sink in.
Make the Topping:
- In a small saucepan, combine orange juice with pomegranate juice and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat. Continue to let boil until the mixture is as thick as maple syrup, about 10 to 12 minutes.
- As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, use a toothpick to poke holes in the top. Brush the syrup over the top of the cake. Let cool. Remove the cake from the pan, and place on a serving platter. Scatter pomegranate seeds over the top, then serve with a dollop of whipped cream, if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Hi! This recipe looks very tasty! I wanted to make this for my Mother-in-law who loves pomegranates! Is there a replacement/substitute for the 1 1/2 cups of white sugar?? .She just overcame cancer and is avoiding traditional sugar…Also, recipes are sometimes quite sweet and we don’t have a heavy sweet tooth as other people. Can I use maple syrup and/or honey as a replacement for some or all of the sugar? Thanks so much!
Hi Carolyn,
I’m happy to hear she’s overcome it! Avoiding sugar is a great idea for her. Maple syrup and/or honey would possibly make it too wet. You could try coconut sugar or there’s a product called Swerve which is non-glycemic and works cup-for-cup like sugar (and no aftertaste like some sweeteners have). You can check it out here and see if that would be a suitable option for her.
Another possibility is that you could make another cake recipe that uses less sugar or uses maple syrup or honey, and then use the topping part of this recipe on that cake so that you still get the pomegranate part of this recipe on your dessert (after all, that’s the best part!).
If you end up altering it, let me know how it turns out!
xo,
Carol