Cranberry & Pistachio Cake with Aran Goyoaga

As we picked our go-to bakers' gifts from the terrain kitchen, we couldn't think of anyone better to give them a test-run than one of our own favorite bakers, chef and food writer Aran Goyoaga. For something simple and delicious during the hectic holidays, Aran created this Cranberry & Pistachio Cake recipe especially for us. She says, "This is the type of cake I like to eat any time of the day. You can serve it as an afternoon snack, for breakfast, or for dessert. It's a great basic recipe that's very forgiving and very simple to make-- literally two bowls and a whisk. It's also gluten and dairy free, which is an added bonus in my case. Plus, the cranberries and pistachios make it very festive. I think it's especially good if you add pieces of candied citrus, then toast and serve with whipped cream."

Cranberry & Pistachio Cake
Aran Goyoaga for terrain

1 cup superfine brown rice flour
1/2 cup almond flour
1/4 cup tapioca starch
3/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup natural cane sugar
Zest of 1 orange
Zest of 1 lemon
3 eggs
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup light olive oil, plus more for mold
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup chopped pistachios

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Rub the inside of a 9" bundt pan with some olive oil (you could use pan spray as well), making sure you get into all corners so the cake doesn’t stick.

Mix the rice flour, almond flour, tapioca, sea salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. 

In a separate bowl, rub the sugar, lemon and orange zest together between your fingers to let the natural oils come out. Whisk in the eggs, applesauce, olive oil, and vanilla extract. Pour into the dry ingredients and whisk to mix. Fold in the cranberries and pistachios. 

Pour the batter (it will be very thin) into the mold and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack. 

The best part? This cake can be enjoyed for up to a week if kept in an air-tight wrap or container. Happy snacking!