Cardamom is one of my favorite flavors.  Maybe it is because of the memory it brings of Christmas Eve dinner and my grandmother’s cardamom “toast” (really a sort of cardamon biscotti-style biscuit) that was sturdy enough to slip into your pocket to nibble later during some quiet reading while waiting for dinner.  Or maybe it is just because it is delicious.  Either way, I knew I needed a muffin that tasted like the cardamon toast of my grandmother, scented with cardamom and almond and just right to share with a friend over strong Swedish egg coffee or a nice cup of chai.

The Recipe: Gluten Free Dairy Free Cardamom Almond Muffins or Quickbread

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup sorghum flour
  • 3/4 cup potato starch or corn starch
  • 1/2 cup tapioca starch/flour
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon gluten free baking powder, add ½ teaspoon more if egg free
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum or guar gum
  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 room temperature large eggs, or 2 T ground flax + 6 T hot water stirred until thick
  • 2/3 cup milk substitute of choice
  • 1/2 cup mild flavored oil
  • 2 teaspoons gluten free almond extract or flavoring
  • glaze:
  • 3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon gluten free almond extract
  • 2-3 teaspoons milk substitute of choice, I like almond milk for this
  • 1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds

Instructions 

  • Whisk together sorghum flour, potato or corn starch, tapioca starch, sugar, baking powder xanthan gum, cardamom and salt. Add eggs, milk substitute, oil and flavoring. Mix until just blended.
  • For muffins, use paper liners in a muffin tin. Put about 4 Tablespoons batter in each muffin cup. Bake at 375 for 22-25 minutes. Mini muffins bake 18-20 minutes.
  • For bread loaf, oil an 8 x 4 1/2” bread pan well. Put batter in pan and smooth top. Bake at 350 for 1 hour.
  • Put muffins or bread on cooling rack to cool. When cool, mix together powdered sugar, second amount of almond extract and 2-3 tablespoons milk substitute until smooth. Add a little powdered sugar or liquid to make glaze thicker or thinner as needed. Drizzle glaze on muffins or quick bread then sprinkle with toasted almonds.