Yummy Basic Cake recipe...GF, grain -free, can be CF, GAPS

This is a yummy cake recipe that is easily adaptable...a "foundation" or a "basic" that anyone can learn and use. AND it is good for you. Gluten-free, grain-free, casein-free if you want it to be, and GAPS. So it's a WIN WIN WIN for all...good for you and yummy too! Okay, here goes. This recipe will yield one 9" round, one bread loaf, or one dozen muffins.

2.5 cups almond flour

1/4-1/3 cup pastured butter, ghee, whey, plain organic yogurt or creme fraiche (your own 24 hour culture for GAPS), or coconut oil, duck fat, goose fat, OR lard if you want to be casein-free

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

NOTE:  It is best for your digestion if you soak the almond flour for 24 hours in the whey, yogurt or creme fraiche. It will also give you a fluffier (yes, fluffy almond flour) cake. Simply mix the almond flour and the whey, yogurt or creme fraiche in a medium bowl, cover and leave out on the counter for 24 hours. (Out of the sun, covered with a towel or such.)

Whisk the eggs in a small bowl, then pour into the soaked almond flour and mix thoroughly. (If you choose not to soak the flour, simply combine the almond flour with the ingredient of your choice (butter, lard, goose or duck fat, yogurt, creme fraiche, etc. If you use butter or ghee, melt it first before you mix) and then pour the whisked eggs into the mixture and combine thoroughly.

Pour batter into a prepared 9 inch round pan. (Prepare by greasing well with a fat you love or by lining it with parchment paper cut to fit.) Smooth with a spatula.

Place in a preheated 350 F oven and bake for about one hour. (This will depend on your altitude.) I would start checking for doneness at 45 minutes. You will know it is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Options: add 1/2-1 cup of berries, raisins, currants, fruit-sweetened cranberries or blueberries or minced dried fruit right into the batter;  grate in the zest of 2 organic lemons or oranges...add carob chips

Another option: To make a delightfully sweet treat,  add in 2 cups baked, mashed butternut squash. I prefer to make these into muffins than a cake, because the squash makes it more moist and thus will take much longer to bake as a cake. Muffins are easier to monitor--that is to ensure they bake through and don't burn. I would bake them as muffins for about 50 minutes at the same temperature, checking early. The addition of the butternut squash makes a delightfully sweet muffin.

As always, I encourage you to experiment, mix it up, use spices you love, and have fun!

Enjoy!