Raspberry Ricotta Vanilla Snack Cake

gluten-free // yields 1, 8x8 pan

3/4 cup gluten-free oat flour

1/3 cup sweet rice flour

1/3 cup blanched almond flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup sucanat, or pure cane sugar

2 large eggs

1/3 cup full-fat ricotta cheese

1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk, or 2%

2 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil, melted + slightly cooled

2 tablespoons honey

1 vanilla bean pod, scraped

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup raspberries

Preheat your oven to 350* F and thoroughly grease an 8x8 pan.

Mix the oat flour, sweet rice flour, almond flour, baking powder, salt, and sucanat together in a large bowl.

Whisk the eggs, then whisk in the ricotta, milk, oil, vanilla beans, and vanilla extract.

Pour the wet into the dry and whisk until just combined [when you no longer see dry flour].

Gently fold in the raspberries then pour into the 8x8 pan. Dot the top with a few extra raspberries if desired.

Bake for 32-38 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.

Let fully cool before slicing. Cake firms as it cools.

notes/substitutions: If you are unable to tolerate gluten-free oat flour sub in a GF all-purpose flour at a 1:1 ratio for the oat flour only. There is no sub for sweet rice flour.

I feel like I haven't blogged in a month. What's it actually been? 2 days? Such a strange feeling.

Anyway.

The recipes are back! Today we have snack/breakfast/dessert muffins and Friday I'll have a dee-licious weekend spring dinner to show you. I actually started this recipe last week, but after 3 trials that were just so-so I took a little time off from the experimenting. I knew it had potential so I wanted to give it one more go.

Peanut butter can solve just about any problem. Don't you think?

However, too much peanut butter creates a problem. A super dense muffin. Not good.

The 4th trial was just what I was looking for. The texture was much lighter and not as thick. However, since I had to reduce the amount of peanut butter slightly, I knew the muffin wouldn't be as peanut-buttery-licious.

To combat that problem I created a peanut butter crumb topping. Ummm, yes. Peanut butter crumb topping is now a thing.

The jelly stuffed center keeps these muffins extra moist and adds a nice fruity sweetness.

And if the peanut butter crumb topping isn't enough, there's always the option to drizzle more peanut butter overtop.

Print this!

PB + J Stuffed Muffins with Peanut Butter Crumble

gluten-free, dairy free // yields 12-14 standard muffins

For the crumb topping:

6 tablespoons gluten-free rolled oats
3 tablespoons coconut sugar, or sucanat/pure cane sugar
3 tablespoons gluten-free oat flour
3 tablespoons creamy natural peanut butter
1 tablespoon unrefined coconut oil, melted
pinch of salt

In a bowl, whisk the peanut butter into the melted coconut oil until fully combined.
Add all other ingredients to the bowl and mix with a fork until combined. The mixture will be thick and crumbly.
Set aside to sprinkle over muffins before baking.

For the muffins:

1 cup gluten-free oat flour
3/4 cup raw buckwheat flour
1/2 cup almond meal
2 tablespoons ground flax meal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon unsweetened applesauce
6 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup unrefined coconut oil, melted
3 tablespoons natural creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
~1/2 cup unsweetened jelly/jam

Preheat your oven to 350* F and line a muffin tin with liners.
Add all dry ingredients to a large bowl and stir to combine.
In a medium bowl whisk the eggs together, then whisk in the milk, applesauce, and vanilla extract.
In a small bowl whisk the peanut butter + honey into the melted coconut oil until fully combined.
Add the peanut butter mixture to the egg/milk mixture and whisk vigorously until fully combined.
Pour the wet into the dry and whisk until just combined. Do not over stir. Let sit 2-3 minutes.
Fill the muffin liners a little over halfway and then top with 1 1/2 - 2 teaspoons jelly. Cover the jelly with more batter leaving about 1/4-1/2-inch space from the top of the liner.
Sprinkle crumble mixture overtop and bake for 24-28 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Go at an angle + slightly on the side with the toothpick to avoid the jelly.
Let muffins fully cool before eating, as the texture will firm up during this time.

tips/substitutions:If you can't tolerate oat flour feel free to sub a gluten-free all purpose blend instead of the oat flour at a 1:1 ratio. Sub other ingredients at your own risk. Raw buckwheat flour can be made by grinding raw buckwheat groats until flour-like in texture. Almond meal can be made by grinding raw, unsalted almonds until flour-like in texture. Sift out large pieces. Flax meal can be ground from raw flax seeds + oat flour can be ground into flour from oat groats, steel cut oats, or rolled oats.