I was planning to cooks Mama’s Apple Sauce Cake (Mama's Apple Sauce Cake - Epicurean Exploits - Food and Recipes - WineBerserkers) for a Christmas Eve dinner, but have two guests with nut allergies.
The recipe calls for 1-1/2 cups of pecans. I could pick another dessert, but this cake is a family tradition. I could leave the pecans out, perhaps adding more dried fruit, but would miss the “crunch” the nuts add.
Who can suggest a non-nut (and, by the way, non-soy) substitute for the pecans?
TIA.
Bob,
Would a granola cluster, sans nuts (so, really just oats) be something you could make and add in for that textural adjustment?
-Chris
Grape Nuts actually contains no nuts. Not sure how long it would stay crunchy in a batter.
How about Sunflower seeds?
Thanks for the suggestions, guys.
Pepitas (larger than sunflower seeds) might be just the ticket, but please keep the ideas coming.
No idea how well it would work but this site recommends pretzels as a recipe alternative to provide crunch:
More suggestions here. Chocolate chips?
Or this sounds good:
“Oatmeal or Rolled Oats: Great for texture and taste. Add a roasted oat flavor by gently browning oats with just a little bit of butter.”
You could make two. One without and one with.
I think the key is to consider seeds rather than nuts. Pepitas, which you mentioned, are good, but I would toast them slightly to bring out flavor and increase the crunch. Same with sunflower seeds. I don’t know if pine nut qualify, but I think they are too soft anyway. I hate flax seed, so I would never suggest that.
Would it work to caramelize the pecans, then either top the cake slices with them or pass them around the table?
As someone with a tree nut allergy, pine nuts are most definitely a tree nut! Stay away!!! Lots of good crunchy substitutes for nuts, like someone else noted, nut free granola could do the trick nicely.