Gluten-free olive oil cake gets a flavor boost from lemon zest and almond flour, keeping it grain-free and dairy-free to boot. Enjoy this incredibly moist, tender, springy cake on its own, or serve it up with whipped cream and fresh spring berries. Also, a farewell to someone special.
A Dainty Gentleman
Huge thanks to everyone for your love, support, and suggestions regarding our dear Catamus in my last post, which feels like ages ago now. We very sadly said goodbye to him on Friday, May 8th, when it became clear that his condition was worsening. We didn’t want him to suffer needlessly anymore. Though we’re heartbroken to have lost our darling boy, missing him terribly every minute of every day, we feel lucky to have so many caring friends and family who have helped us through this time. Thank you for being among them.
Catamus has been a huge part of TBG since the day we brought him home in February of 2011. We met this spry 2-year-old from Yolo County at the SPCA one wintry night. He charmed us by giving us head butts and showing us his belly, circling us as we sat in his area, and looking up at us with a pair of intense golden eyes as if to say “It’s me! Take me home!” Looking into his expressive eyes was like looking into a human’s. We fell hard for this quirky little person.
Jay and I both work from home, so Catamus was not only like a child to us over the years, but also a co-worker or purrrrsonal assistant.
Catamus would sit directly behind me in the kitchen as I cooked, swishing his tail underfoot, and getting incensed when I’d inevitably step on it. He would walk around my desk as I wrote, knocking things over with his long, curly tail, which seemed to have a mind of its own. He only wanted to sit on my lap when I was typing on my lap keyboard, which he would step on. And he would try to lick whatever I was shooting, often photobombing shots in the process.
As I wrote posts late at night, he would make biscuits on the back of the couch next to my desk before settling in for a snooze, lending moral support during those long hours.
Catamus would sit at the table with us at mealtimes. We learned that he liked odd foods such as oatmeal, popcorn, roasted broccoli, feta cheese, and padron pepper stems. He had a special fondness for almonds in all forms, particularly almond butter and anything made with almond flour.
While developing this gluten-free olive oil cake for my Alternative Baking column in GFF Magazine in 2018, I left the cake to cool on the dining table. When I came back to remove the cooled cake from the pan, I noticed that there were ruts in the top of the cake. After some confusion, I realized that Catamus had quietly climbed onto the table and licked divots in the top of the cake when I wasn’t looking. The slices shown in these photos were all I could salvage.
Catamus accrued many names and titles over the years including, in no particular order, Prince Catamus of Orange, Sir Catamus, Catumas (pronounced cuh-TOO-mus), Catamonious, Catamus J. Cat Esq., HRH (His Royal Highness), The Dainty Gentleman, Fluffy Pants, Catmandu, Catamus Toes, Sunny Cat, Red, and the name he came with from the SPCA: Helios, the sun titan who drives the sun up each morning in a horse-drawn chariot.
Quite fitting.
Catamus knew his name(s) and would swish his long, thick tail whenever we’d say “cat.” He didn’t love pets or snuggles, but he enjoyed being shoved onto the ground and smacked really hard. Jay would play him like a drum in time to whatever music we had on. When he’d stop, Catamus would yowl for more. He apparently had a brother named Spanky who got adopted first. Clearly “liking it rough” ran in the family.
Without Catamus, our apartment feels hollow and strange. I keep expecting to see him when I walk into a room, and imagining that I hear his toes clicking on the hardwood floor, his tail thumping on the rug, his claws scratching his post (or the couch, or the upholstered chair). He was a ray of sunshine in our lives. I’m so grateful to have gotten to bask in his presence these nine years.
A dear friend of mine wrote, and this has become my mantra, “It’s an honor to hurt so much. Because the grief is a measure of the love. And the love is a blessing. The love doesn’t go away.”
Indeed it does not.
Gluten-Free Olive Oil Cake
This is a cake fit for a king (or cat prince). It gets a light, springy texture from whipped egg whites, loads of moisture and fruity flavor from olive oil, and a meltingly tender texture from almond and tapioca flours. It’s gluten-free, grain-free, and dairy-free.
It’s plenty flavorful eaten plain, with a cup of tea or coffee. Or you can serve slices with any seasonal fruit: rhubarb compote or berries in the spring, plums or nectarines in the summer, fresh figs in the fall, or citrus supremes in the winter. It makes enough to share with a friend (animal or human) if you like.
If you whip one up this holiday weekend, say a good word for our dear Catamus. We miss him terribly.
Have you lost a beloved animal friend? If you feel inspired to share, please do below. It’s nice to connect around this kind of thing.
More favorite almond flour recipes:
- Gluten-Free Almond Flour Tart Crust
- Fluffy GF Almond Flour Pancakes
- Gluten-Free Meyer Lemon Almond Cake
- Chocolate Almond Olive Oil Cake
Gluten-Free Olive Oil Cake with Lemon & Almond Flour
Print Recipe / Pin RecipeIngredients
- 2 teaspoons room temperature coconut oil, for the pan
- ½ cup flavorful extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup + ¼ cup organic granulated sugar (divided use)
- finely grated zest of 1 medium lemon
- ¼ cup strained fresh lemon juice
- 4 large egg yolks
- 2 cups blanched almond flour
- ¼ cup tapioca flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 large egg whites
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
Instructions
- Position a rack in the lower third of your oven and preheat to 325ºF. Rub the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan or cake pan with the coconut oil. Line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment paper, and rub the parchment with coconut oil as well. If using a springform pan, place on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, ½ cup sugar, lemon zest and juice, and egg yolks to combine. Place a mesh strainer over the top and sift in the almond and tapioca flours, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine.
- Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment (or use a large bowl and electric egg beater). Whip on medium-high speed until foamy. With the mixer running, gradually add in the remaining ¼ cup sugar and continue to whip until the egg whites are shiny and hold firm peaks when you lift the whip out and hold it upside-down. Fold one-third of the whipped egg whites into the batter, then fold in the remaining egg whites. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Bake the cake until deep golden on top, beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan, and the top springs back when pressed lightly, 40-45 minutes. If the cake is darkening too quickly, tent the top with a piece of aluminum foil. Let the cake cool slightly, then loosen the edges with a small, offset spatula and release the sides if using a springform pan. Invert the cake onto the wire rack and peel away the parchment, then turn right side up and let cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar if using, cut into wedges, and serve with cream and berries if you like. The cake keeps well airtight at cool room temperature for 1 day or refrigerated for up to 4 days.
I’m so sorry about Catamus. What a terrible loss. Hope that you guys are doing okay and I’m sending love your way!
Thank you so much Karen, I really appreciate it. Sending love back!
What a beautiful love song to your precious little man. The love indeed does remain and so do the sweet, annoying, and hilarious memories. Cats are the best.
I completely agree. Thanks so much for your support, friend. <3
You are so lucky to have so many beautiful photos of dear Catamus. I have had many cats and now a dog! and two cats! It is the most heart-breaking thing when they pass but I am so grateful for the distinct and particular presence of each one of these dear beings in my life. Each one brings unique gifts and unique ways they teach and share with us and you will forever celebrate the the time in your lives when you shared them with this sweet and funny boy. And how lucky your next friend (or two or three 😺😻😸!!!!) will
be for Catamus has trained you well. Sending so much love and peace your way. I still dream of one of my most special furry friends and it is always so nice to see him when he stops by. Wishing you joy and gratitude for the time you had and sweet dreams of your boy. 🧡🧡🧡
Catamus really did train us well. I know there will be more cats in my life someday. You’re right, they do each have a distinct and particular personality. It never fails to amaze me what defined little people they are, even more so than humans because they’re not trying to be anything other than themselves. Thanks so much for writing, it really means a lot to me. <3
OH NO! I was so excited for the cake and then heart broken about Catamus. So sorry to have missed the news but definitely feel you made a positive choice – my father also went through chemo and it just made him sick with little positive benefits. He chose to move on without treatment. I understand your pain and loss.
<3 Catamus and I will bake this cake and tell Felix, Tom and Eevee (my catamus roommates) how much I love them again.
My heart is with you.
Gosh I’m so sorry to hear about your father Katherine. That’s awful that chemo wasn’t helpful. Cancer is just the worst isn’t it? Thank you so much for the sweet words. I hope you and your cat friends enjoy this cake as much as Catamus and I did. <3
This is beautifully written Alanna. My sympathy for your loss in a time of loss. I know my husband would sympathize as our last cat was a one man friend. His.
It’s not at all the same but the last couple months of isolation are marked by the absence of my sweet granddaughter and baking buddy. We miss being together but her folks think it’s best. Eden is such a baker at five. She says oat flour tastes best but millet is the fluffy flour. She asks for wet and dry ingredients in her own small bowls just for tasting. She double checks that there are no raw-ken eggs in our batter. She enjoys the taste of baking powder! She rarely eats the final product since she’s filled up on ingredients but often asks to take some for mommy and daddy. I miss her.
Thank you for the sweet words and understanding Debbie, it really means a lot to me. I’m sorry for your husband’s loss of his one-man cat friend too. And I’m sorry that you’re missing your granddaughter. She sounds like a gem. I’m missing my little cousins up in Northern California too. It’s hard to think of them growing and changing without being able to be there to see it. Though best to keep everyone safe of course. Hang in there my friend. <3
Have not made this yet but I wanted to comment on your lovely post re Catamus. I am always always such a ‘mess’ when I have to say Good By to a family friend that I could never be as coherent as you were.
Sending you LOVE, thank you.
Aw thank you Susan. I’ve cried so much in the past few months that I gave myself an eyelid infection. Talk about being a mess. You’re not alone. <3
What a sweet little guy. So sorry to hear of your loss. We acquired our cat Sammy in a funny way. We had a cat named Odysseus who was always very shy, but he befriended Sammy the neighborhood cat, and they’d sit on the deck together. When Odie died Sammy started coming around more and more. He would hang out with us on the deck just like he did with Odie. One day our next-door neighbors were out of town and someone was taking care of their animals while they were away. She thought that Sammy was their cat, so she grabbed Sammy and took him into their house. I was having none of it, so I made my husband accompany me on a walk around the neighborhood in order to find his people and let them know that he’d been cat-napped! We finally found someone who knew where he lived, but she told us that his person had passed away and he was living under his old house. Well later that night our neighbors came back and discovered a strange cat in their house so they let him go. After a few days Sammy was back in our yard. We lost our cat and he lost his person, but in the end we found each other. He looks very much like Catamus!
What a sweet story! How wonderful of you for hunting down Sammy’s origins and taking him in. He must be awfully handsome if he looks like Catamus! ;)
Thinking of you it’s so hard when you lose your loved pet. Thinking of Catamus. Xx
Thank you Debra, I really appreciate it.
Thank you for a wonderful recipe. Recently considering intoducing two fur babies (with whiskers) into my home again after years of missing my boys. Your post reminded me of the warmth and heartbreak of special babies. I’m sure Catamus is enjoying catnip in the sky. 🐈🌈
I sure hope so. And DO IT! <3
What can I use in place of egg
That’s a good question. You could try whipping aquafaba in place of the egg whites. There’s a lot of egg here though, so it might not be the easiest recipe to substitute.
Sorry about your cat. Love the photos. Remember all those treasured times.
I have been looking at your recipes and think they look good. Haven’t made any yet though. I got excited to see your beautiful looking olive oil g/f lemon/almond cake, but I don’t eat added sugar so that was a bit of a let-down for me. Could I use anything else as a sub, but I think the answer is ‘no’ as sugar is used to beat with the egg whites.
Do you have any g/f, l//f, s/f desert type recipes?
Do you eat unrefined sweeteners? What is l/f?
So sorry for your loss. What a beautiful prince he was. 💔
Our little prince as we often call him, is an elderly little man & I worry about how I’ll get past losing him when his time comes. He was 7 yrs old when we got him & we’ve had him about that long so bless his little heart, he’s really getting up there.
His name is Moogle and your dear Sir Catamus reminds me of him but Moogle’s a tiny little thing.
We also have many names for him & his regal self lol. Prince Moogle, The Little Prince, Sir Moogle, Noogle, Noog, Moog, Sir Moogaroo, Mr. Moogadoo, & His Royal Highness to name a few.
My heart breaks for you & I could barely keep from crying reading about your life with him.
It must’ve been so hard to write this. I love all the beautiful pictures you included and had to laugh when I read about Catamus and the cake!! Moogle is the only pet I’ve had as an adult but as a kid I had several cats and never have I ever met a cat like Moogle (in more ways than one) he loves cake!! He won’t eat table scraps but will tear some cake up. It’s so funny & cute!
His tail vibrates when he’s happy and I’d never heard of that when we got him lol. I thought he was trying to spray or something bc he backs up against stuff like he’s trying to contain his self but can’t stop shaking his booty when he’s excited!
I know I haven’t lost him yet but he has kidney problems & doesn’t eat or drink as much as he used to. Just trying to cherish the time we have left with him.
Sending love your way oh and the cake looks delicious. I know it will be. I’m probably going to add a lemon glaze.
Thank you for the recipe and for sharing your story. Just found your blog today. Looking forward to seeing more.
Take care.
Awwww Prince Moogle sounds like a dapper little guy, and with a very sophisticated sweet tooth. What a gem. I love how all cats have their own idiosyncrasies, like Moogle with his tail/booty shake. Catamus would do this thing we’d call “burbling.” When he jumped up or down from a piece of furniture, he’s go “brrrrrr!” Like there was sound in his throat just waiting to get out. It was so precious.
I hope Moogle rallies and that you get to spend as much time as possible with him. It’s so hard. My childhood cat, Tiggy, also had kidney failure. My mom kept him alive for a LONG time by giving him subQ fluids and feeding him raw chicken and liver. I thought she was crazy at the time, but now I’m a convert. Let me know if I can point you to any resources for natural cat health.
So glad you found your way to my site! Thanks a bunch for the comment, I feel like you’ve been a reader for ages. <3
Alanna,
So sorry for the loss of your beloved cat, Catamus.
Thank you Jacqueline, I appreciate it. <3
Your Catamus was gorgeous. I know you loved him very much! I am very sorry for your loss, he will live on in your hearts. I am very happy to have found this recipe!
Thanks for the kind words Pat, that means a lot to me. <3
So sorry about your beloved Catamus. We lost our little fur baby a bit over two years ago and it still hurts our heart to think of our tuxedo kitty, Sophie. I feel your pain and know that your love for him and his life he for you will never leave.
Aw thank you Carmen. I’m really sorry for the loss of sweet Sophie too. Appreciate your understanding. <3
I am so sorry about Catamus!
He was loved a lot!
I don’t have tapioca and was wondering what to use in its place?
Thanks!
Kay
Thank you Kay, I appreciate it.
In place of tapioca you could try cornstarch or cassava. Or if grains are ok, you could use another soft, starchy flour like AP, oat, sweet rice, or millet. Let me know what you try.
Can’t wait to try these GF recipes!
I too lost my Annie this month. I’ll still see her shadow out of the corner of my eye or reach over for a pat or scritch in the middle of the night. No matter how many sweet creatures I’ve lost, I’m broken every time. May you take comfort in the fact that you gave him a wonderful life.
I’m glad I’m not the only one hallucinating cats! Last night I swore I saw him outside the window crossing a little bridge on our back porch. I thought I was losing my mind. Thanks a million for the kind words, it really means a lot to me. <3
I’m so sorry to hear about your sweet cat. Time does help! But there is always a part of us that will miss a special pet. But when you are ready I hope you can bring a new friend home!
This recipe looks wonderful and I want to make it but only have arrowroot, not tapioca starch. Do you think it will work?
Otherwise I will wait until after my shopping trip next week.
Thank you.
Sincerely, Michele
Thank you for the kind words Michele. I hope there are more cats in my future!
Arrowroot should work perfectly. In fact, I think they might actually be the same thing? Let me know if you try it.
Dear Alanna,
Your recipe/site popped up on my feed, and one gluten-free olive oil cake later, I declare you are a wonderful discovery on a Sunday morning in these COVID times.
Thank you for sharing your talents with the world!
Boon
I’m so glad you found your way here! Which feed did it pop up in? I’m trying to figure out where all the traffic to this post is coming from! So glad you liked the cake – you didn’t waste any time. :)
Great pictures of your gorgeous cat! Reminds me of a couple of male ginger cats that we had… sorry that you’ve lost him, but hope you are comforted by good memories and your photos.
Catamus was our first ginger and I dare say we may have a type now. They’re supposedly the most quirky. Catamus was certainly the weirdest, funniest cat I’ve ever known. Thanks a bunch for the kind words, I really appreciate it.
I am very sorry Alanna. I know it is so hard right now, but I promise you that it will get easier. It won’t go away but it will become a part of your life.
What I know for sure is that death is not the end and our loved ones are with us all the time.
I wish we were living close and I could be there to go through this with you. Still, I am always here if you need a friendly voice/ear.
Sending you the warmest hugs my friend. XO
Thank you for the kind words Ice. I know you’ve been intimately acquainted with grief. I really appreciate your wisdom. I wish we could spend a day together too. Maybe a phone catchup soon? xoxo
Absolutely and Exactly the recipe I’ve been looking for.Your beautiful story is a reminder of my recently departed Bubba, Bubbs Bubbles, Bubba Wubba., Pusska, Pixie, Pussy Wussy Puddin Pie… And so on….. He was a peaches and Cream tabby and was a pretty boy
Bubba sounds like an absolute gem. I’m so sorry for your loss as well. I’m happy that this recipe is exciting to you, please let me know how you like it!
I love this story!!!…And I cannot wait to perfect the recipe!!!!❤
Thank you Leeanna. Let me know if you try it.
Hi there!
I look forward to trying this cake. As I am, I always have my.eyes open for eloquent delicious lookimg recipes like this one….meanwhile words expressing your love and loss for Catamous are hard to find at this time. If I may offer this poem ny Irving Townsend…it has helped me through a dew difficult times.
.
………..Fragile Circle…..
We who choose to surround ourselves with lives even more temporary than our own, live within a fragile circle, easily and often breached. Unable to accept its awful gaps, we still would live no other way. We cherish memory as the only certain immortality, never fully understanding the necessary plan.
.
This is an absolutely beautiful poem. Thank you so much for sharing it with me. I’ll read it over and over. <3
I’d like to share my cat story with you. Several years ago I make an artichoke dip for a work potluck. As I was getting ready for my work day I put the casserole dish with the lovely looking dip on the counter. I covered it was plastic wrap and went off to finish getting ready for work. When I came back to the kitchen my grand cat Taz was sitting beside the casserole dish lapping up the dip! Needless to say I had nothing to take for potluck that day.
Just hold your memories of your little prince in your heart. There will come a day that it won’t hurt as much and your memories will give you pleasure. 🙏🏻🐈💕
Ha, hilarious! Cats are so sneaky. Taz is a great cat name too. Yes, I’m looking forward to the day when the pain is gone and I just feel love for Prince Catamus. Thanks so much for sharing your story and for the kind words.
Sounds like a receipe I’d like to try! Suits my dietary needs except for the sugar that would need to be replaced with my alternatives. Made a carrot cake with almond flour over the w/e and it’s so moist. Am sorry you have lost your puss Catamus. We know too well that pain! Our last pussy Benson had just been diagnosed with cancer when we were about to leave on an o/s trip that we couldn’t cancel. Adding to the stress was to find a cattery that would look after Benson who the vet felt with special medication could live comfortably till we got back. No way could we end his life before we left. Fortunately a little rural cattery agreed to care for him. It was so hard to say goodbye to him. It was the last goodbye as Benson took very ill and died 5 days before we arrived home and we were shattered to have parted company with our little black and white puss on these terms. The owners of the cattery had done everything they could for him and we were so grateful. We had left vet and funeral arrangements for Benson with them if necessary. My son collected him in the little white box I’d left with them and Benson is buried under the rose arch in our back garden. Two weeks later friends brought their cat Saffron home from the same cattery after we had recommended it to them and told us there was a little all black puss who had not been picked up and had been there for about 3 months. He needed new parents. We were so grateful for the care they had given Benson that, although still heavy hearted over losing Benson, we decided to let the cattery owners know we would take abandoned puss. It was love at first sight and we renamed him Hamish and the rest is a lovely story of love and devotion and control from our new baby. He was Heaven sent as God knew losing Benson broke our hearts. May I suggest you both rescue another puss sooner than later. This helped us a lot and gave Hamish a new Mummy and Daddy he so needed. He has never got over the separation anxiety he developed from being dumped. Fortunately we are retired so we all have a lot of time to spend together. Be brave and rescue another liitle puss soon. It won’t be long before you know you made the right decision! God bless. Kaye K.
Thank you so much for your kind words and for sharing your story with me. I’m so sorry that you lost your precious Benson, and that you didn’t get to officially say goodbye to him. That’s so awful. I’m really glad you found Hamish and have given him a good home. I know there will be more cats in my future someday too. Appreciate the encouragement.
Love your gluten free recipes
So glad you’re enjoying them.
What a beautiful ode to your little cat man. He was well-loved and cared for. The holes in your hearts and lives are big but they will always be full of wonderful memories of Catamus.
This delicious cake is cooling on a rack right now. I made a couple of “test” cupcakes as always. They’re gone. So delicious!! I can tell this is going to be even better tomorrow as you promised. There wasn’t quite enough almond flour so I used 1.5 cups of almond flour, 1/4 cup oat flour, 1/4 cassava flour in place of the 2 cups of almond flour. The rest of the recipe was the same. It’s got a delicious crumb and the lemon flavor is lovely. I can’t wait to have more tomorrow! Thank you for the wonderful recipes and cookbook. We very much appreciate all your work and time.
So sorry for your loss. I am sending peace and light to guide him on his journey. I have a “red” Maine coon. His name is Sunny. He is my sunshine cat. Two years ago he had his teeth cleaned and had a problem with the anesthesia. He woke up in seizures. He sustained brain trauma and was blind. He still is. His seizures are, for the moment, controlled. He had to relearn everything, walking, eating, using the litter box, stairs. He will never be who he was, (running up and down the stairs, playing fetch, jumping in the air to get a catnip mouse), but he is who he is. He still is a kind, gentle and loving individual, who takes each day as it comes. All my fur children have taught me many things. I wish humans could be more like them.
Looking forward to making this cake. Hard to make moist gluten free desserts.
Thank you so much for the kind words Marty, it really means a lot to me. I love all cats but have a special obsession with Maine coons. Sunny sounds like a beautiful soul. That’s absolutely horrible what happened to him from the anesthesia. I’m so sorry. You sound like a really amazing cat parent to give him such love and care.
Catamus also didn’t handle anesthesia well. I wonder if it’s a redhead thing? I’ve heard that human gingers are also more sensitive to anesthesia. Maybe it’s the same with cats? We got Catamus’s teeth cleaned once and it was so troubling watching him wobble around afterward that Jay decided he was going to brush his teeth every night, which he did until his final days. Catamus never learned to love it.
Please let me know if you give the cake a try and what Sunny thinks of it.
Hi Alanna,
So sorry to hear about Catamus. I had a tabby who was a found cat and a runt, never made it over 9 pounds. Saying goodbye to him, many years ago, was really hard. I feel for you.
I made this cake, and it was DELICIOUS. Absolutely delicious. And so moist. Mine poofed up a lot and sunk when it cooled. I turned it upside down and left it that way until all the way cool and then it didn’t look so deflated. Cherries and ice cream (because I didn’t have any whipping cream) made for a nice Memorial Day/Anniversary dessert.
Oh, and I just cut the recipe in half, made a 6″ cake which was perfect for one meal.
So glad I found this.
And much sadness for your loss.
Claire
Hi Claire! Aw your tabby sounds like he was a great friend. Thank you for your understanding. And thank you for trying my recipe, I’m honored! So smart to cool the cake upside down, I’ll have to try that next time. Happy anniversary to you and Joel! Cherries and ice cream, yum!