Yes, cake for breakfast. I’ve been calling this bready-moist-torte-cake-creation all sorts of different names and all of my taste-testers came up with nothing better than, “cranberry goodness”. It’s cake but it’s not very sweet; it’s the texture of spoon bread but has no cornmeal; it’s similar to a breakfast bread, but you don’t slice it. So, it’s a breakfast cake: not too sweet and just the right lightness. This was a good addition to a winter-time brunch (albeit it is 80 degrees here in Austin). This would be a snap with another fruit instead of cranberries, but I loved the tartness of this version.

The idea for this cake came from Gluten Free Canteen’s Blueberry Spoon Bread. I’ve adapted heavily for the season, my favorite flours, and for my dairy free ways.

Cranberry Breakfast Cake
6 Tablespoons butter (earth spread)
1/2 cup superfine brown rice flour
1/2 cup almond flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1/4 cup sweet white rice flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1/2 cup milk (or milk substitute)
1/4 cup sugar (plus 1 tablespoon for finishing)
1/4 cup light brown sugar
zest of 1 lemon
2 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen (thawed)

Preheat oven to 350. Place butter in a 9×9 baking pan or pie dish. Put the dish into the oven and let the butter melt. If using earth spread butter substitute, it will not brown, but take it out just as soon as it is melted.

Whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. Set aside. In another larger bowl, whisk the egg, and add the ginger and milk. Mix in the sugars and the zest.

Remove the dish from the oven and swirl the butter around so it coats the dish completely. Pour about 2/3s of the butter into the egg mixture, whisking as you pour.

Gently fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture. Don’t over mix. Pour the batter into the buttered dish. Pour the cranberries into the center of the pan, without mixing. Sprinkle the last tablespoon of sugar over the berries.

Bake 35-40 minutes. The cake will start to brown and the berries will pop. Serve as is, or add cream, yogurt, or ice cream.