Gluten-free Lemon-Elderflower Cake

My current obsession is elderflower syrup. Because of the quarantine, I decided to buy a bottle and indulge. I just love the flowery scent and its distinct flavor. It’s one of my favorite add-ins to mocktails and yes, some boozy libations. 

I intended to only buy a small bottle, say 16 ounces, but I could not find one. My only choice was a one liter bottle via Amazon – so it will be elderflower for weeks!

As a result, I’ve been researching on what other ways I can use elderflower syrup. In my readings, I was rather surprised that I can make a cake with it. The cake recipe that inspired me was for 16 servings. While this was a good baking project, I decided that something smaller, and maybe healthier, would be more appropriate.


I searched a bit more. With some tweaks, here's what I have. Let me know what you think.

Lemon-Elderflower Cake
Inspired by Lemon ElderFlower Cake from Liv For Cake
Based on Elderflower Lemon Cake from The Kitchn

Ingredients

For the cake

• 1 cup rice flour
• 1/2 cup oats flour
• 2/3 cup of granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup low-fat Greek yogurt (I use 2%, will use 1 cup next time)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 1/2 tsp lemon zest
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt

For the syrup

• 1/4 cup of elderflower syrup
• 1 TBSP of lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)

For the yogurt topping

• 1/2 cup yogurt
• 1 TBSP elderflower cordial or liqueur
• 1 TBSP granulated sugar (if using liqueur)

Directions

For the Lemon Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour 9" x 9" baking pan and line with parchment.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk flours, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
3. Cream butter and lemon zest until smooth. Add sugar and beat on med-high until pale and fluffy (approx 3 mins).
4. Reduce speed and add eggs one at a time fully incorporating after each addition. Add vanilla.
5. Alternate adding flour mixture with milk & lemon juice, beginning and ending with flour. Fully incorporating after each addition.
6. Spread batter evenly in the pan and smooth the tops.
7. Bake for approx. 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
8. Place cakes on wire rack to cool for 10 minutes then turn out onto wire rack to cool completely

For the syrup

1. While the cake cools slightly, combine elderflower cordial or liqueur and lemon juice.
2. After 10 minutes of cooling, prick the still-warm cake all over with a skewer. Drizzle the elderflower and lemon syrup over the cake so that it seeps into the holes.

For the yogurt topping

1. Combine Greek yogurt and elderflower syrup. Beat until incorporated.
2. When cake is cool and lemon-elderflower mixture is all soaked in, slice the cake and top with a dollop of the elderflower yogurt.

Verdict

This is a very delightful light dessert. I think it needs a bit more moisture so I may increase the yogurt next time. I also modified the recipe to make it gluten-free using rice flour and oat flour. I generally do not use the gluten-free flour blends because I don't like the resulting texture. I figured the eggs can provide sufficient binding.

With the Greek yogurt topping and paired with a light tea, this is a perfect breakfast or an afternoon snack. It brings a much needed taste of summer.

Hafraklattar (Icelandic-style Granola "Bars")

I am a grazer. Although I do not skip meals, I usually have smaller meals and have snacks through the day. When we visited Iceland over the fall, I was no different. Whenever I have a chance, I would stock up on nuts, fruit like apples or bananas (lemons too), dark chocolate or breakfast items. Also since I really cannot enjoy buffets anymore (doctor’s orders), I usually have something handy in the event that I cannot find an appropriate breakfast… or lunch. Plus, I love trying out the local treats.

Yum! Morgunverður með kaffi - Breakfast with coffee.

I believe I bought my first hafraklattar in my first day in Reykjavik.  This hafraklattar from Matarkistan seems to meet all the criteria of a light breakfast or a big snack: portable and quick. Most importantly, it looks somewhat healthy although I do not know what the ingredients are… yet. It took me a couple of days for the jet lag to pass and consult Google Translate - on my phone - to figure out what is in it. Thank goodness WiFi was everywhere (even on the buses).  I did find out later that hafraklattar was relatively healthy: made with oats, pumpkin seeds, cranberries, apple sauce, butter and sugar. All were organic too.

Now that I am back at home but mentally still in Iceland…my mission is to replicate what I enjoyed in Iceland. Obviously, the bars in Reykjavik became my reference of what hafraklattar should look like: square and bar-like, much like a brownie. However, in my research, I found that these are actually normally round like a cookie. 

Ingredients: Relatively Healthy!

Also, I had to interpret the recipes that I did find because Google cannot translate everything perfectly. As an example, one of the instructions in the recipe translated to “Butter and sugar mix well”. Since I remember that the hafraklattar in Reykjavik was soft, I decided that it would be better to cream the butter and sugar mixture.

Also, since I am trying to have more gluten-free food – I used GF flour for this recipe. I really was not too sure about spelt flour, which is what most of the recipes called for. So, I just used a combination of oat flour and rice flour. I also tried to cut down on the butter and substituted half (about 1/4 cup) with unsweetened applesauce. The ingredient list in Matarkistan used applesauce, so I was encouraged. However, I was not sure what the proportions were. My test ratio, surprisingly, worked out very well. 

Here’s what I have so far. Why don't you give it a try and let me know how you like it!

Hafraklattar (Icelandic-style Granola Bar)

Based on a recipe from Tastebook.com by Auður Karitas Þórhallsdóttir

Makes about 9 cookies

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup gluten-free flour (I used 2/4 cup of oat flour and 1/4 cup of rice flour)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• pinch of salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1/4 cup soft butter, room temparature
• 1/4 cup applesauce
• 1/4 cup sugar 
• 1/4 cup brown sugar 
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 egg

• 1 1/2 cups oatmeal
• 1/4 cup raisins (optional)
• 1/4 cup chocolate (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven at 375 degrees F.
2. Mix flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a bowl. Set aside.
3. Cream butter, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla and eggs in a bowl.
4. Fold in applesauce.
5. Fold in dry ingredients to wet.
6. Mix oatmeal and if using, the chocolate and raisins.
7. Created balls the size of tomatoes and slightly flat out (I used an ice cream scoop).
8. Bake at 375 F for about 13-15 mins.
9. They should be a little soft when they are taken out, but harden as they cool.

Verdict:

I really like this "bar". It actually has a consistency of a cookie – so I feel like I am having cookies for breakfast. Unlike a cookie, this is also quite filling. I am finding that a cookie and a half is more than enough. I may make smaller ones next time.

I may try to change the add-ins next time, maybe use dried blueberries, cherries, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, or nuts… definitely add nuts... I am nutty that way. Also, I may make a crunchier version. No butter creaming, just melt it – or use coconut oil. But that may not be considered hafraklattar anymore.

Also, I am not sure what Hafraklattar translates to. All I know is it is an Icelandic-style granola bar/cookie. I hope some of you can shed some light to it.