Carmel Pecan Torte Recipe – With Gluten Free Substitution

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Carmel Pecan Torte RecipeWhen I was 22 I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease, an autoimmune disorder that affects around 1 in every 133 people (thus making it the most common autoimmune disorder in the world).

People with Celiac Disease cannot consume gluten, an insoluble protein that is found in wheat, oats, barley and rye.

When telling someone for the first time about my dietary restrictions, their first reaction invariably tends to be: “OMG, I would die if I could never eat bread/cake/cookies!”

(photo: Amanda Miller for we heart this)

But here’s the thing- I can have all of it! If anything, Celiac Disease has made me a better cook and has given me better food options. Like the delicious one I’m going to share here.

This Carmel Pecan Torte is always a hit and can be made gluten free with one quick change.

Torte ingredients

  • 1/2 c dry bread crumbs (I use Gillian’s Foods Gluten Free Bread Crumbs, but you can also make your own from any gluten free bread.)
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 3 1/2 c toasted pecans, finely ground
  • 6 eggs, separated (Room temp eggs are best for baking, but this is a personal preference. Eggs right out of the fridge are fine.)
  • dash salt
  • 1 c sugar
  • 1/2 c packed dark brown sugar


Directions:
– Preheat your oven to 350F. Grease 2 round cake pans and line the bottom with parchment paper (cut to fit the bottom).

– In a medium bowl, combine bread crumbs, baking powder, and pecans.

– In a large bowl, whip egg whites and salt to stiff peaks.

– In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks until thick and pale. Slowly add sugar and brown sugar increasing the speed of your whisk until very thick.

– Using a rubber spatula, fold the egg whites into the yolk mixture by thirds until no traces of whites remain. Add pecan mixture, again in thirds, until well combined.

– Divide batter between pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out of the center cleanly. Let cool in pan for at least 10 minutes, then place on cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting.

Carmel Frosting ingredients

  • 2 c packed dark brown sugar
  • 3/4 c salted butter, room temp
  • 1/2 c heavy cream

Directions:
– In a medium saucepan combine brown sugar, 1/2c of the butter, and cream. Cook over medium heat until butter is melted and the mixture is smooth. Bring to a boil without stirring and cook until the sugar has caramelized. (You can do a “drop test” to check this- Put a drop of the mixture into a clear glass filled with ice water. If it forms a ball and doesn’t dissolve it’s caramelized! This is a handy trick for making candy or fudge without a thermometer as well.)

– Remove from heat and transfer into a mixing bowl. Beat on high until the mixture is cool to the touch. Add remaining 1/4c of butter and mix until combined. The frosting should be nice and fluffy!

Frost the tops of both cake layers. Place one on top of the other, garnish with extra pecans if desired, and Ta Da! You have an amazing, tasty torte. Enjoy!

Gluten Free cooking (and baking, especially) can be a challenge at first, but once you’ve gotten the hang of it you’ll have a ton of fun modifying recipes and making them your own!

Caramel Pecan Torte Recipe

Author

  • mandaleem

    Amanda loves all things yummy, shiny, beautiful, and fun. On any given day you’ll find her in the kitchen, walking her dogs, or catching a concert with friends.

13 Comments

  1. I want to be eating that right now! And yay for gluten free! I have a number of friends that can’t consume gluten, so this is a perfect recipe!

    I think it’s funny that a lot of people assume if you have to refine your diet due to whatever restrictions that there’s no possible way you can have a rich, fulfilling diet. But as you pointed out it’s all about being creative in how you think about food and knowing what is out there to use.

    Thanks for the awesome recipe!

  2. I shared your scrumptious-sounding recipe with a gluten free friend. Hopefully, she’ll make it and share with me! Thanks, Amanda!

  3. Sounds delish! Thanks for posting this. I’m glad we live in a day and age that these products are widely available. Makes life a whole lot nicer when you can still have the things you love! :)

  4. This sounds excellent! About 10 or so years ago, I had a boyfriend that was diagnosed with celiac disease – back when no one had hardly heard of it. It was next to impossible to find food for him to eat. You could find a health food store here or there that had maybe a cereal on the shelves, but I spent hundreds of dollars ordering him food from a website – it was ridiculous!! So, it’s wonderful to see that businesses have risen to the needs of people now that it’s so much more common. You can’t walk into any grocery store it seems without seeing at least a full shelf of products that are gluten-free and the special bakeries, etc…I’m impressed!

  5. I’m glad you all seem to like the recipe! Celiac disease is so common and education about it really has ramped up lately so gluten free products are easier to find and taste a LOT better than they did just a few years ago. Making foods like this is a nice way to bring that personal touch to the “special” dessert at gatherings.

    For those of you who are thinking about trying it, tell me what you think and how it came out!

  6. That looks SO yummy! I’m lactose intolerant, so I slightly feel your pain. Likely, there’s so many websites and blogs dedicated to those with intolerances or allergies, that we don’t have to suffer!

  7. This looks so fabulous! I will be trying this out, hopefully soon! Kudos to you Amanda for having such a sunny outlook and finding ways to make it work!

  8. Good gracious Amanda! That looks absolutely divine. I’ll have to pass this along to my friend who has gluten allergies. She will be so happy. :)

  9. This looks and sounds amazing Amanda! I’m passing this to a friend with major gluten allergies too, and I think I may just make it for myself as well because it looks so amazing.
    I’ve had delicious gluten free brownies before, you really can get all the taste if you know the tricks of the trade. This sounds soooo good! Can’t wait to try it! Thanks Amanda :)

  10. Yum! This looks amazingly good Amanda. Thanks for sharing!

  11. Thank you very much for sharing this recipe. My husband has had celiacs for 10 years now and is always looking for new baked goods he can eat. Gluten-Free baking is either not enough flavor or very dry and this torte was neither.

    All the work for a very very good dessert. It is moist and delicious!! You won’t be able to stop eating it.

    Thanks again very much. My husband loved his present.

  12. I made this last week for gluten-sensitive family. Phenomenal! It was the hit of the party! Not as good the next day, though. Best part for me was the easy-to-find ingredients. I did shop with my sister-in-law so I wouldn’t accidentally buy anything with hidden gluten; this is important for non-sensitive cooks to understand.

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