Combine the delicate texture of friands with mini bundt pans and fresh red raspberries to create irresistibly moist, gluten-free raspberry bundt friands. These bite-sized cakes are elegant, simple to prepare and bursting with flavor.
The recipe is versatile: swap almond meal for hazelnut or pistachio meal, and substitute raspberries with blueberries, strawberries, or blackberries. A light raspberry royal icing elevates the friands to a more indulgent finish, while leaving them uniced yields a rustic, naturally sweet option. Both work beautifully—sometimes I do a mix of iced and plain and enjoy the leftover icing straight from the bowl.
- 250 g unsalted butter, melted
- 3 cups icing sugar, sifted
- 2 cups almond meal
- 1 1/2 cups gluten-free plain flour, sifted
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 8 egg whites
- 250 g fresh raspberries
- Raspberry Royal Icing
- 50 g fresh raspberries + 1 tsp water
- 250 g pure icing sugar, sifted
- 1 egg white
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Melt the butter and set aside to cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, combine the icing sugar, almond meal, gluten-free flour and baking powder. Stir to blend evenly.
- Add the egg whites and the melted butter, folding until the batter is smooth and uniform.
- Grease two mini bundt pans (6 cavities each). Place a raspberry in the base of each cavity, then spoon the batter over the raspberries, filling each cavity.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the friands are golden and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool before removing from pans.
- To make the royal icing, simmer the 50 g raspberries with 1 tsp water in a small saucepan for 5 minutes. Press the softened raspberries through a sieve or mash with a fork to make a puree, then let cool.
- Whisk the egg white with the sifted icing sugar and 2 tablespoons of the raspberry puree until you have a loose, pourable icing. If it’s too thick, add a little more puree.
- Drizzle the icing over the cooled friands just before it sets, and garnish with extra raspberries if desired.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Melt the butter in the Thermomix: 40 sec / 50°C / speed 4.
- Add the icing sugar, almond meal, gluten-free flour, baking powder and egg whites. Mix 30 sec / speed 5 until combined.
- Grease two mini bundt pans. Place raspberries in the base of each cavity and spoon the batter on top.
- Bake about 20 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool in the pans briefly, then remove to a wire rack.
- Prepare the raspberry puree as above by simmering raspberries with water for 5 minutes, then mashing and cooling.
- Combine icing sugar, egg white and 2 tablespoons raspberry puree in the Thermomix and mix 5 sec / speed 7. Adjust with extra juice if needed. Pour over friands before the icing sets.
- Garnish with fresh raspberries and serve.
These gluten-free raspberry bundt friands make a lovely addition to brunch, afternoon tea or a dessert platter. They keep well in an airtight container for a few days, and the recipe scales easily—double the ingredients for larger batches. Enjoy the balance of nutty almond meal, light, airy crumb, and the bright burst of fresh raspberries.