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A dark, glossy honey-glazed loaf with three slices cut and leaning, on a blue-flowered china platter with a wooden honey dipper, a jar of honey and a cream crock behind it on a wooden table.

Gluten-Free Honey Tea Cake

A gluten-free honey tea cake made with a cup of strong brewed tea, cinnamon and sliced almonds. Keeps four days in the refrigerator, with no gluten-free grit.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Resting Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 8 slices
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 3 large eggs room temperature
  • 3/4 cup neutral oil avocado, grapeseed, or canola
  • 1 cup honey
  • 1 cup oat flour
  • 3/4 cup white rice flour
  • 1/2 cup tapioca starch
  • 1/4 cup potato starch
  • 1 1/4 tsp xanthan gum
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 3/4 Tbsp baking powder 2 1/4 tsp
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 cup strong black tea brewed strong with 2 tea bags: Earl Grey, English Breakfast, regular, or decaf
  • 1/2 cup sliced raw almonds
  • Extra honey for drizzling

Method
 

  1. Brew the tea and let it cool completely. Warm tea will scramble the eggs.
  2. Whisk the eggs and brown sugar until frothy.
  3. Add the oil, followed by the honey. Tip: measure the oil first and the honey will slide right out of the same measuring cup.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oat flour, white rice flour, tapioca starch, potato starch, xanthan gum, cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda.
  5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and mix just until combined.
  6. Slowly stir in the cooled tea until the batter is smooth.
  7. Let the batter rest for 15–20 minutes to allow the gluten-free flours to hydrate.
  8. Pour the batter, which will be very thin, into a greased 12 × 5-inch loaf pan and gently tap the pan to release any air bubbles.
  9. Sprinkle the sliced almonds over the top.
  10. Bake at 350°F for 40–45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  11. Let the cake cool, then drizzle or brush the top with honey before serving.

Notes

A 12 × 5-inch loaf pan is the right size here. In a standard 9 × 5, fill the pan only two-thirds and bake the rest as a few muffins, or the middle will sink.
The batter is very thin, closer to soup than to cake batter, and that is correct. It sets up in the oven. Set the loaf pan on a baking sheet if you want insurance against drips.
¾ tablespoon baking powder is 2¼ teaspoons, if that is easier to measure.
Do not skip the 15–20 minute rest. It is what keeps a gluten-free cake from tasting gritty.
Store the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It keeps four days, improves on day two, and slices much more cleanly cold than it does warm. It freezes well whole or in slices.