This simple and delicious Berry Snack Cake is the perfect back-to-school paleo and gluten-free treat! Both kids and adults love this snack cake because you can eat it without utensils and no one will suspect that it’s free of grains and refined sugar!
This berry snack cake has a tender crumb dotted with tangy berries and just the right amount of sweetness from maple or coconut sugar! Also, it passed the test with my picky gluten-eating in-laws, so you know this snacking cake is a winner!
It’s Paleo, Gluten-Free, and Grain-Free!
I don’t make paleo desserts often, but when I do, I make sure they are worth all of the testing. This berry snack cake tastes amazing and the only flours used are almond flour and cassava flour. As I’ve told you in the past, I’m not a paleo baking expert, so I’m not sure if you can use an egg substitute or use another flour in place of the two used in this recipe. Please let me know in the comments section below if you have success with any ingredient substitutions!
Can you Make a Low Carb Snack Cake?
Yes! I recently tested this cake out with allulose and it turned out great! Because allulose is not as sweet as maple sugar, you need to increase the amount of sweetener to 1 cup. Also, because allulose browns quickly, you should keep an eye on it during the last 10 minutes and lightly place a piece of foil on top so it doesn’t get too dark before the center is fully cooked.
You can probably use mostly almond flour to decrease the carbs as well. However, I’m not sure of the exact proportions so if you do try it, please let folks know in the comments below how it turns out!
Can You Use Other Fruit?
Definitely! You can substitute the berries with almost any other sliced up fruit. Peaches, nectarines, plums, mango, or canned pineapple work great! If you’re using a hard fruit, like an apple, slice it thin so it can cook in the time the batter sets up. Frozen fruit will also work but it will take longer to bake and the finished cake will be wetter.
More Grab-and-Go Paleo Dessert Ideas!
If you’re looking for more portable paleo dessert recipes, here are some of my favorites:
- Cherry Chocolate Granola
- Easy Cinnamon Rolls in A Muffin Pan
- Liar Balls
- PB&J Energy Balls
- Pumpkin Muffins
- The World’s Easiest Cookies
Let’s Make a Paleo and Gluten Free Berry Snack Cake!
Serves 9
Ingredients:
- Avocado oil spray or ghee
- 1 cup (112 grams) finely ground almond flour
- ¾ cup (96 grams) cassava flour (I use Otto’s cassava flour)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ cup (112 grams) ghee or coconut oil, softened
- ⅔ cup (96 grams) maple sugar or coconut sugar or 1 cup granulated allulose (for low carb)
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup full-fat coconut milk
- 2 teaspoons grated lime zest
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups (213 grams) blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, and/or raspberries
- 1 tablespoon keto confectioners sugar (optional)
Equipment:
- All of my recommended kitchen tools are listed here.
Method:
Heat oven to 350°F with the rack in the middle. Lightly grease the sides and bottom of an 8-inch square metal baking pan with avocado oil or ghee. Make a sling out of parchment paper to line the bottom and hang over the sides.
In medium bowl, whisk together flours, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and cardamom. Set aside.
Plop the softened ghee and maple sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl if you are using a hand mixer).
Use the paddle attachment to blend the mixture on medium-high speed for 3 to 5 minutes or until lighter in color and fluffy.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the eggs, coconut milk, lime zest and juice, and vanilla.
Beat the mixture on medium speed for 30 seconds or until combined. Next, add half the flour mixture and beat on low speed until combined.
Slowly add the rest of the flour and mix until incorporated.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix in any dry flour with a spatula. Pour in the berries…
…and carefully fold them in the thick batter.
Transfer the batter to the parchment-lined baking pan and smooth the top.
Pop the pan in the oven and bake until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes.
Cool the cake in the pan on a cooling rack. Cut the cake into nine squares…
…and top with keto confectioner’s sugar if desired.
Store leftover cake in a sealed container or wrapped in plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months.
But something tells me you won’t have very many leftovers!
Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2021).
PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD
Berry Snack Cake (Paleo, Gluten Free)
Ingredients
- Avocado oil spray or ghee
- 1 cup finely ground almond flour
- ¾ cup cassava flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ cup ghee softened (or coconut oil, softened)
- ⅔ cup maple sugar or coconut sugar or 1 cup granulated allulose (for low carb)
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup full-fat coconut milk
- 2 teaspoons grated lime zest
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups mixed berries
- 1 tablespoon keto confectioners sugar optional
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F with the rack in the middle. Lightly grease the sides and bottom of an 8-inch square metal baking pan with avocado oil or ghee. Make a sling out of parchment paper to line the bottom and hang over the sides.
- In medium bowl, whisk together flours, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and cardamom. Set aside.
- Plop the softened ghee and maple sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl if you are using a hand mixer). Use the paddle attachment to blend the mixture on medium-high speed for 3 to 5 minutes or until lighter in color and fluffy.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the eggs, coconut milk, lime zest and juice, and vanilla. Beat the mixture on medium speed for 30 seconds or until combined.
- Next, add half the flour mixture and beat on low speed until combined. Slowly add the rest of the flour and mix until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix in any dry flour with a spatula.
- Carefully fold the berries into the batter.
- Transfer the batter to the parchment-lined baking pan and smooth the top.
- Pop the pan in the oven and bake until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes. (If you’re using allulose, you may need to cover the cake lightly with foil during the last 10 minutes to prevent it from browning too much.)
- Cool the cake in the pan on a cooling rack. Cut the cake into nine squares and serve as is or top with keto confectioners sugar.
Gladys L Cruz says
Hi
What can i subsitute for cassava flour?
Thanks
Michelle Tam says
I haven’t tried other flours in this recipe! I think you can probably increase the almond flour and add some tapioca flour but I’m not sure of the exact proportions.
C says
Can I sub regular gluten free flour for the Cassava flour?
Michelle Tam says
I haven’t tried it but I bet it would work!
Sandy says
My glass pan is 8×8 but my metal pan is 9×9. Which do you recommend?
Terry b says
I have fresh strawberries, but only frozen wild blueberries. Will the frozen wild blueberries work?
Michelle Tam says
I think they should work! Another Nomster says that she thaws and drains frozen fruit before using it in a recipe so it doesn’t release too much liquid. I normally just throw them in frozen and add extra cooking time if needed.
Marianne Kleminski says
I have a citrus sensitivity. Would it be an issue to leave out the zest and lime? Sub anything?
Michelle Tam says
You definitely leave out the lime zest and juice. Use 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar in place of the juice—it’s need to activate the baking soda.
Darlyne Smith says
What other flours can I use in this and other Paleo or Keto recipes. I am allergic to almonds and it seems most recipes use almond flour.
Michelle Tam says
I’m not sure! I’m not a paleo or keto baking expert so I don’t know the best substitution for almond flour.
Jen says
Will frozen mixed berries work for this recipe? Can’t wait to try this!
Michelle Tam says
I think so! If you don’t defrost the berries, you may have to increase the cooking time. If you do defrost the berries, you may want to strain out any moisture before you cook them.
Meredith says
Can this be made as muffins?
Michelle Tam says
Ooh! I haven’t tried it, but I bet it would work!
Joan Thompson says
The recipe reads as adding a half a cup of Ghee in two locations. I’m assuming that’s a typo?
Michelle Tam says
Where does it say to add 1/2 cup of ghee in two locations? You grease the pan with a small amount of avocado spray or a small amount of ghee if you don’t have any avocado spray. The 1/2 cup of ghee is only used when you cream it with the maple sugar in the mixing bowl.
Therese says
How do you measure out your almond flour? I always seems to fail at paleo baked goods that don’t have weights for the flours. Thanks!
Michelle Tam says
I always weigh the flours out! If you click on the recipe card, I have a metric button that will give the weights in grams.
Therese says
Oh my gosh. How have I never noticed this?!?!?! Thank you so much for telling me something I should have realized.
Ann says
This was one of the best paleo cakes I’ve made….light and wonderful! I wouldn’t change the flour proportions at all. I would love to make it into a carrot cake. Can you suggest the amount? Would it be the same as the cup and a half of fruit or would that be too heavy in comparison to the fruit measurement? Would love your ideas!
Michelle Tam says
Ooh! I’m not sure! I’d have to do a bunch of testing first! But now I have an idea for a future recipe post!
Tally says
How could this not come out super yummy? So good!
I did not follow the directions well (LOL) and it is still delicious. I get a D- for reading comprehension! So FYI cassava flour and tapioca flour aren’t the same thing; maple sugar and maple syrup are also not equivalent. Oops!
The recipe is pretty forgiving. The toothpick still came out clean after ~30 minutes. It just wasn’t very cakey: more like a mochi/boba berry pudding. I also did not have the patience to let it cool, so maybe it will become more cakey over the next few hours? If not, I will be happy to serve it over ice cream.The cardamom and berry flavor is on point!
Next time (because I will tots make this again), I’ll follow the directions and use the listed ingredients! Ha, thanks again!
MG says
This snack cake is the best! Easy to make and bakes beautifully. (Tough to let it cool) The “crumb”/texture was particularly pleasing! I used plums and almond milk since both were on hand. Pears with 5-spice are next since the tree is so prolific right now 🙂
Parizad in AZ says
My family devoured this cake! Thank you, Love baking with cassava flour!
My two only substitutions were, I used only one cup of frozen wild organic Blueberries, instead of a combo of berries. And only used 1/2 cup of coconut sugar.
It was delightfully tasty! Next week I will attempt a chocolate chip version of this same cake, Yay 🙂
Randi says
Can’t wait to try it! Can you suggest adjustment for subbing maple syrup for maple sugar? BTW – your https://nomnompaleo.com/post/148597361748/pressure-cooker-summer-italian-chicken is D.E.L.I.C.I.O.U.S. 🙏
Michelle Tam says
I haven’t tried it! I think you need a granulated sugar to cream the ghee, though.
May says
You think I could sub cherries for berries?
Michelle Tam says
Yes!
Rachael says
I realized I didn’t have berries and used 1 cup of pineapple instead and this still came out absolutely delicious. Great recipe!
Su says
Hi, how can I make this egg free? ( allergic to eggs). ?
Michelle Tam says
Not sure! I haven’t tried it without egg.
Darcy Danielson says
Wow, get this: I managed to successfully bake this in an air fryer in a 7″ bundt pan. (The air fryer – actually an air fryer lid on an Instant Pot! – is currently my only oven.) And it worked! Very yummy cake with a great texture. Next, I’ll try it with pineapple as suggested in the comments .
Michelle Tam says
Ooh! What temp and time did you use for the air fryer?
Darcy Danielson says
I used the exact temp and time in your recipe. Covered the little bundt pan with foil for the whole time and the top got browned!
Almost always, I adjust both time and temp down for air fryer lid cooking. But I thought, “let’s live dangerously”.
Stephanie says
I used convention bake @ 350 for 45 minutes… perfection!!
Alene says
I have I.B.S. and cannot have stone fruit at all! It’s terrible. My body just won’t process them, and I adore apples. Strawberries are just not the same thing. I can eat cantaloupe and other melons and pineapple. It’s pretty bleak. Can I just skip the fruit?
Jennifer Bigler says
We haven’t tested it without the fruit, but you could give it a try and let us know how it turns out.
Alene says
I meant to write this under the apple cake. Sorry.