This rustic gluten free cherry torte tucks a layer of fresh cherries into a batter made with three simple gluten free flours. It's tender and buttery, perfect for summer mornings with a hot cup of coffee.

Gluten Free Cherry Torte Recipe

This gluten free cherry torte is a new favorite -- a riff on Marion Burros' plum torte recipe but made with cherries. The New York Times calls it "practically no-fail" and this is an accurate statement! I wanted this cake to taste similar to the original version, so I did a combination of flours including tapioca, a starchy flour. (Adding enough of a starchy flour will help a gluten-free cake have that nice fluffiness I love in cakes.) I balanced it with a little almond flour and teff flour, a lovely whole grain naturally gluten-free flour high in protein and calcium.

The result is a slightly rustic, not-too-sweet cake plump with ripe cherries and a hearty crumb. I served slices of cake when my neighbor dropped by for coffee. I've also eaten this warm, at room temperature, and straight from the fridge. While I'm partial to a warm, freshly baked slice of cake, each was perfect in its own way. When cold, the cherries form a jam-like layer at the bottom of the cake, which is really nice on a sunny summer morning.

What is a Torte?

A torte is a type of cake that originated in Germany, Austria, and Hungary (apparently the word torte means "cake" in Central/Eastern Europe!). What characterizes a torte (cake) is its texture - tortes tend to be a bit richer and denser than other cakes. They can be made with ground nuts or bread crumbs (!) rather than flour and often feature fruit, either fresh, as in this cherry torte, or with a jam layer. In my version of gluten free cherry torte I include almond flour in a nod to traditional torte recipes.

What You'll Need

Here's a quick glance at the ingredients needed to make this torte. The full ingredient amounts and detailed instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Cherries - I used fresh cherries in this cake, making the best use of the cherry season.
Butter - Unsalted butter works best so it doesn't compete with the sweetness of the cake.
Granulated sugar
Lemon - If possible use an organic lemon because you'll use its zest.
Lemon juice - Freshly squeezed lemon juice is best!
Vanilla - Pure vanilla extract always gives the best flavor.
Eggs - Most baking recipes are developed using large eggs, so make sure to use large eggs in this cake.
Teff flour - Teff flour is a wonderful whole grain naturally gluten free flour. You can use light or dark teff flour. They both taste the same, but the color will be lighter or darker depending on which one you use.
Tapioca flour - A lovely, starchy gluten free flour, tapioca flour brings lightness to this cake.
Almond flour - You can use ground almonds or fine ground almond flour in this torte. I developed this recipe with almond flour but ground almonds will also work!
Baking powder
Salt - I always use fine sea salt in my recipes!

Recipe Tips and Tricks

I think you'll love this simple cherry torte. Here are a few substitution ideas if needed, plus some tips:

Teff flour alternative - Try sorghum flour or oat flour for the teff flour.
Tapioca alternative - Substitute arrowroot for the tapioca,
Almond flour - Try ground almonds or another nut flour for the almond flour.
Make it dairy-free - Swap coconut oil for the butter or your favorite non-dairy butter.

Can I use Frozen Cherrries?

While I love the juicy texture of fresh cherries in this torte, you can use frozen cherries to good effect if you don't have fresh cherries. You can either defrost the cherries first and drain them in a colander to remove any excess water or pop the frozen cherries into the cake instead of the fresh cherries called for.

How to Serve Gluten Free Cherry Torte

This cherry torte is wonderful served with a dollop of lightly sweetened or unsweetened homemade whipped cream, or try a scoop of vanilla ice cream. If you're feeling extra decadent drizzle a little salted caramel sauce over each slice. Cherry torte is traditionally served with coffee, so go ahead and treat yourself to a strong cup or an espresso!

Storage Options

You have several options for how to store this cherry cake, and I've outlined them below:

Counter - Cover the cake tightly with foil or place it in an airtight container and store it on the counter for up to 2 days.
Fridge - The cake will keep, well wrapped or stored in an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to 5 days.
Freezer - Wrap the cake in a layer of plastic wrap and a layer of foil and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw the cake in the fridge before eating it.

Gluten Free Cherry Torte