This is a super easy cake to make.  I tried using spelt flour for the whole quantity of flour but found it was a bit too dry and heavy for my liking hence the combination with plain flour; the ground rice adds an intriguing bit of texture.  You can also use ground hazelnuts as an alternative to the ground almonds.  And I think this cake seems to improve with age; day 2 the flavour and texture somehow always seems so much better.  Let me know if you agree! 

I found that the very top section of the loaf is the last section to bake.  The skewer test will come out clean when it is pressed right down into the middle of the cake but the very top section might not be quite done.  I therefore recommend a skewer test to the top section that has risen signifcantly.

What is spelt?

Spelt is an ancient cereal grain dating back to 2500-1700 BC. It was cultivated in central Europe, mainly Germany and Poland. However, it spread throughout northern Europe during the Bronze Age to compete with emmer wheat. The first millennium saw a decline in spelt cultivation and was replaced by common bread wheat.

It is a covered grain which means it is tightly bound in layers of husk on the ear.  Extracting the grain from the husk is an additional process after harvesting not needed for wheat.  This is one reason why spelt is more expensive than wheat; the extraction and separation of the grain from the husk is a costly process.  It also has a very low yield which means typically only harvesting a third or less than an equivalent field of wheat.

Spelt does contain gluten but it is a different structure and therefore has different functionality compared to common wheat due to its unique characteristics.  These include having:

• a weaker gluten structure in most baked goods which is why it works in this cake producing a tender crumb.
• a high nutritional value being high in both protein and fibre together with vitamins and minerals.
• a strong distinctive taste and flavour.