Cake of Santiago (Tarta de Santiago)

This “Cake” is one of the most traditional dessert recipes of Santiago de Compostela (Galicia), which is a beautiful city in the North-West of Spain. 

If you really love nuts, this is the recipe for you.

At home, we are very aware of our sugar intake and how this impacts our health. Kids are great at understanding this, but like everyone else (including me), we enjoy sweet treats from time to time.

We love nuts, and I offer them to my kids as healthy snacks.

I have been thinking about how to adapt this simple, traditional Spanish cake recipe, so my husband (who has an intolerance to egg yolk) could eat it without losing the protein intake that eggs bring to his diet.

Ingredients

• 2.5 cups Almond Flour
• 4 eggs
• 2 Teaspoons Stevia
• Orange zest
• Lemon zest
• Lime zest

Preparing the Cake Tin

Preparing the cake tin is essential. You can use cow/goat butter to grease it, or if you want to be really sure and avoid having problems removing the cake from the tin, you can use baking paper. It is clean and easy to use. I prefer to use baking paper.

Instructions

Step 1 – Prepare the Cake Tin

Use a 22 cm (9-inch) round cake tin. You can spread butter or coconut oil or use baking paper. I prefer to use baking paper, as it is a very efficient way to unmold the cake afterwards. Place the cake tin upside down on the paper, draw a circle, and cut it. I cut a long straight line of paper which I had previously measured to the height of the tin. Place the circle inside and use butter to “glue” the lines on the side.

Step 2 – Grind the Almonds

Place the almonds in a food processor and grind them until they have the rough texture of almond flour. Remove and set aside.

Step 3 – Grind the Citric Fruit Zest

Carefully peel the lime, lemon, and orange. Try just removing the zest, avoiding the white part. You can use a vegetable peeler, but be careful as it can be easy to have an accident.

Place the zest in a grinder or food processor. Add a cup of the almond flour and grind it a few seconds until it is finely ground.

Step 4 – Add the Stevia 

After grinding the citric fruit zest, add 2 teaspoons of Stevia sweetener. I use liquid Stevia, as it is very challenging to find ground Stevia. You tend to find it mixed with erythritol or xylitol. 

Step 5 – Add the Eggs

Add the eggs and mix everything together until combined.

Step 6 – Add the Almond Flour

Add the reserved almond flour to the mixture and combine.

Step 7 – Place the Mixture in a Cake Tin

Place the mixture in the cake tin lined with the baking paper. Try to spread the mixture evenly. You can use a spatula to flatten the top.

Step 8 – Bake 

Place the tin in the oven (350F/180C ) for 20 minutes or until golden.

Remove the cake from the oven and let cool.

Step 9 – Decorate the Cake

Usually this cake is decorated with the cross of Santiago. You can print a stencil, place it on the cake, and put icing sugar on top. 

I like to slice some organic strawberries and place them on top. You could use different berries as an alternative.

Cookware Used

Cake Tin

For this recipe, I used an 8 inch (20 cm) round tin, but you could also use a smaller tin if you prefer your cake to look thicker.

Spatula

A silicone spatula is one of my favorite and most used items in the kitchen. It’s great for all sorts of tasks, not just for baking. I tend to use it a lot, especially to avoid damaging non-stick cookware.

Optional Decoration

To decorate the cake, you could use icing sugar. I am not a huge fan of it, but if I need to, I use coconut sugar and pulverize it with my food processor.

If you are on a keto diet, you can use granulated stevia and erythritol. 

Almonds

Use whole blanched almonds instead of almond flour. In my experience, if you grind the almonds yourself, the cake texture will be slightly better. Also, avoid using almonds with the skin, as they can be hard to digest. 

Make it Vegan

If for any reason you prefer to avoid eggs, you can make it vegan by using chia seeds instead of egg. Chia seeds make for a great egg substitute. Replace 1 egg for 1 tablespoon of chia seeds with 3 tablespoons of warm water and stir until thick. 

Conclusion

I do get homesick and I miss certain foods, tastes and smells. This is one of those recipes that transports me back to my childhood. If you are a nut lover, this is your recipe. Try it. You won’t regret it!

Print