The Gluten-Free Homemaker

I made this sheet cake earlier in the week so my gluten-free son would have a treat while I was out of town for a couple of days.  You can’t tell from this picture, but I forgot to add the xanthan gum.  The first piece I took out of the pan fell apart on me, and I had to very carefully remove this piece for the picture.  Of course, it still tasted great, but it wasn’t something my son could pack in his lunch.  It was a good reminder of how important xanthan gum can be. 

You’ll notice there’s no icing on the cake.  You could add a frosting of choice or make a glaze to drizzle over top.  A little powdered sugar, milk substitute, and maple syrup would go nicely with this.  We like it just the way it is, though.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Sheet Cake (also dairy & soy free)

Preheat oven to 350°

• 3/4 c. Spectrum organic shortening (or butter (dairy) or Earth Balance sticks (soy))
• 1 3/4 c. packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3/4 c. sorghum flour
• 1/2 c. millet flour
• 1/2 c. potato starch
• 1/4 c. tapioca starch
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. xanthan gum
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ginger
• 1 c. canned pumpkin (or pumpkin puree)
• 1 c. shredded coconut (I used sweetened)
• 1/2 c. chopped toasted pecans*

Cream together the shortening and sugar for a couple of minutes until smooth.  Add the eggs and vanilla and beat for several minutes until fluffy.  Combine the dry ingredients (sorghum flour through ginger) and add alternately with the pumpkin.  Stir in the coconut and pecans.

Spread in the bottom of a greased 11 x 15 inch jelly roll pan.  Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.  Cool before cutting.

*Toasting nuts brings out their flavor.  Before chopping, place them in a pan (I use a cake pan) and put in a 350° oven about 5 minutes.  Be careful not to leave them too long as they will burn quickly.

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Labels: cake, dessert recipes

This recipe came from my sister-in-law and it has been a favorite of ours.  Here are a few reasons it’s one of my favorites:

• It tastes great
• It’s moist
• It’s pretty easy to make
• It feeds a lot of people
• It can be made ahead of time
• It doesn’t matter if your cake turns out great, it’s going to be broken in pieces anyway!

I have to tell a story about my sister-in-law.  I don’t think she’d mind because she laughs about it.  The first time she made this dessert for a family gathering, everyone loved it, so the next time she said she was making it we were all looking forward to it.  As you’ll see in a moment, the dessert has three basic layers: cake, pudding, cool whip.  Well, the second time she was going from memory and putting the dessert together quickly and she forgot one small piece—the cake!  That’s right.  She brought a dish layered with pudding and cool whip.  It wasn’t bad, but it sure wasn’t the same!  When you make it, try to remember the cake.

This is not a dairy free recipe, but it could be made that way.  I found some dairy free cook and serve pudding at the health food store that could be used with a milk substitute.  You would then have to come up with a dairy free whipped topping.  The chocolate cake recipe I have linked to is already dairy free.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake Dessert

• 1 recipe chocolate cake (any chocolate cake will do)
• 1 small box chocolate pudding
• 1 small box vanilla pudding
• 1 large container whipped topping (Cool Whip)
• 1 – 2 Heath candy bars, chilled

Bake the cake and cool.  Make the pudding according to package directions, combining the chocolate and vanilla. 
Break half the cake in pieces and put it in the bottom of a large rectangular dish.  You could also make this in a trifle bowl. 

Put half the pudding on top by dropping spoonfuls of it, then spreading it around with the back of the spoon.



Spread about half the Cool Whip on top of the pudding.  You might not need to use half the container, but use enough to cover everything well.

Repeat layers.  Chop the candy bars and sprinkle on top the last layer of Cool Whip.

The dish I use ends up being packed full.  Half way through I always think it won’t fit, but I sort of press the pudding down on the cake and amazingly it all fits.  The Heath bars on top help to keep the Cool Whip from sticking to plastic wrap or foil that I use to cover the dish.  Refrigerate until ready to eat.

To serve, you can just dig into it with a spoon, or cut it and use a spatula to take it out in squares.  The second method makes a nicer presentation.  Either way you end up with nice moist chocolate cake.

This is a great summer time dessert because it is served cold (you do have to heat your oven to bake the cake though).  However, I have served it throughout the year at parties and gatherings.  It's always a hit!

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For more great recipes (though not necessarily gluten-free) visit Tasty Tuesdays.

Labels: cake, dessert recipes

I remember having a couple of rhubarb plants in our back yard when I was growing up.  I don’t remember what my mom did with it, but I do remember that I loved to eat it raw.  Now I prefer it cooked, but I will occasionally munch on a small piece.

My parents have moved since those days when I ate it raw, but my mom still grows rhubarb in her back yard, and I’m still not sure what she does with it.  I don’t grow rhubarb, and so when I went to visit her the other week, I brought home a bunch of it (the above picture is not mine, and I didn’t bring home that much).  One thing I did learn from her is that you can freeze rhubarb.  Just wash and trim it, then cut it in pieces and freeze it in a container.  I have some in the freezer now, but I having tried using any frozen pieces yet.

Many recipes pair rhubarb with strawberries, and a couple of my previous recipes do just that:  Strawberry Rhubarb Pie and Strawberry Rhubarb Topping.  This recipe just uses rhubarb, though, and a good bit of it.  Rhubarb, like most things, gets soft when it is cooked.   If you don’t like a bit of mushiness in your cake, then you won’t like this, but we thought it was great.  Just keep the pieces of rhubarb cut pretty small, and even cut back the amount if you want. 

Gluten-Free Rhubarb Coffee Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

• 1/4 c. coconut oil (or other oil, or butter)
• 1/2 c. agave nectar (or use sugar and add a little extra milk)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3/4 c. brown rice flour
• 3/4 c. sorghum flour
• 1/2 c. potato starch
• 1 tsp. xanthan gum
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/3 – 1/2 c. almond milk (or regular milk)
• 2 c. chopped rhubarb

Topping:

• 1/2 c. gluten free flour mix (just use whatever flour mix you have on hand)
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 3 Tb. butter (or substitute)

Wash and trim the rhubarb.  Chop it into 1/4 – 1/2 inch pieces.  Set aside.  In your mixer bowl, beat together the coconut oil, agave, eggs, and sugar.  Mix in the vanilla.  In a smaller bowl, combine the remaining dry ingredients.  Add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mix.  Use 1/3 c. milk and add the rest if the batter seems too thick.  Stir in the rhubarb and pour it all into a greased 9 x 13 inch pan. 



Combine the topping ingredients, cutting in the cold butter with a pastry blender or fork.  Sprinkle on top of the batter.



Bake at 350 degrees about 45 minutes or until the cake tests done.



This post is linked to Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays.

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Labels: breakfast recipes, cake, dessert recipes

It’s funny.  We’re not big chocolate fans around here.  Maybe it’s because I have a house full of guys, but even I can take it or leave it.  When I ask the boys what kind of cake they want for their birthday, they never say chocolate.  I know.  It’s hard to believe when most of the world loves chocolate.  Most often they request carrot cake or banana cake.  My husband has always been a fan of lemon desserts, and the rest of us enjoy them too.  That’s why I decided to try making a bundt cake that was nice and lemony.

I’m partial to bundt cakes.  They look nice, and don’t require frosting.  You can dust them with powdered sugar or add a simple glaze.  I usually go with a glaze, and if I’m not making it for a special occasion, I go light on the glaze.  The glaze I put on this cake has a strong lemon flavor which was exactly what I wanted.  If you like lemon, I bet you’ll enjoy this cake. 

I made the cake dairy free which resulted in a slightly odd texture.  We didn’t notice it when eating,  but it had a stringy look to it which you can see in the photo below.  My family didn’t know when I served it to them that I had made it dairy free.  They thought it was great.  In fact, it was gone in 24 hours and my youngest was almost begging me to make another one.  If you are not dairy free, I’m sure this recipe would work great with dairy ingredients. 

Lemon Bundt Cake (Gluten & Dairy Free)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

• 3/4 c. millet flour
• 3/4 c. potato starch
• 1/2 c. tapioca starch
• 1 tsp. xanthan gum
• 1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 3/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
  
• 1 1/4 c. sugar
• 1/3 c. vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp. lemon extract
• zest from one lemon (~2tsp.)
• juice of one lemon (~1/4 c.)
• almond milk, milk substitute, or regular milk  (~3/4 c.)

Glaze:

• 1 c. powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 Tb. lemon juice

Wash a nice size lemon, then roll it on the counter a bit to soften it.  Use a zester or microplane to zest the entire lemon,  Set the zest aside.  Cut the lemon, and juice it.   In a liquid measuring cup, put the juice of the lemon plus enough milk substitute to equal one cup.

Combine the first seven ingredients in a small bowl.  In the bowl of your mixer, beat the sugar, oil and eggs on medium-high for about one minute.  Add the lemon extract and mix. Add the flour mix and liquid alternately beginning and ending with the flour mix.  Add about 1/4 at a time and mix on medium speed in between each addition.  Stir in the lemon zest.

Pour the batter into a well greased or sprayed bundt pan.  Bake at 325 degrees for about 50 minutes or until it tests done.  Cool in the pan for 5 - 10 minutes.  Make sure the edges of the cake are loose, then turn it onto a rack to finish cooling. 

In a bowl, combine the powdered sugar and lemon juice, adding 1 Tb. of the juice to start with, then more until it reaches the right consistency.  Spoon over the cooled cake.  Serve and enjoy.

For more fabulous food made a little bit healthier, check out Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays.

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For more lemon recipes, visit The Happy Housewife.

Labels: cake, dessert recipes

First, I want to say thanks to everyone for your comments and emails about going dairy-free.  You have been very encouraging and I appreciate all the product and substitute recommendations.



This cake was made before I embarked on my dairy-free journey.  The cake itself is actually dairy free, though.  It’s the topping that poses a problem.  It uses Cool Whip and instant pudding, both of which contain some milk.  If any of you have suggestions for a substitute topping, I’d love to hear it.  I haven’t given it a lot of thought yet since I’m more concerned about basic eating right now. 

This cake was a huge hit at my house.  I made it for my son’s 19th birthday (I can’t believe I have a child that old).  My second son raved about this cake and said it made the top 5 best cakes.  I liked it.  I didn’t think it was wonderful, but it was very good.  I liked the fruit in it, and the fact that the topping (icing) is light and not a heavy, overly sweet frosting. Because of the fruit and liquid in the cake, it is a heavy cake.  It requires baking three layers.  I tried this recipe a second time using only two layers and it did not turn out nearly as well.  It was too wet to cook though without over cooking some of it.  However, if you don’t have three cake pans and really want to try it, I suggest pouring off some of the liquid from the oranges so the batter is not as wet.  This is another great recipe adapted from one of my favorite cookbooks.

Gluten-Free Orange-Pineapple Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cake Ingredients

• 1 1/2 c. sugar
• 1 c. white rice flour
• 3/4 c. potato starch
• 1/2 c. tapioca starch
• 1 tsp. xanthan gum
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 c. vegetable oil
• 12 oz. mandarin oranges with juice

Topping Ingredients

• 9 oz. Cool Whip, thawed
• 1 pkg (3.5 oz) instant vanilla pudding (check ingredients to be sure it’s gluten free)
• 1 c. crushed pineapple, drained

Place all the cake ingredients in the bowl of your mixer and mix on low for 1 minute.  Turn the mixer to medium-high and beat and additional 2 minutes.  Pour batter into three greased and floured 9 inch cake pans.  Bake at 350 degrees for 18 minutes.  Turn cakes onto a wire rack and cool.

Combine all the topping ingredients (use the pudding mix dry).  If it is too thick, you can add a small amount of pineapple juice.  Spread it between the layers and on top of the cake.  Keep leftover cake in the refrigerator.

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This recipe is submitted to Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays.

Labels: cake, dessert recipes

This cake is my new favorite dessert.  The recipe is another gluten-free version of a recipe from Mennonite Country-Style Recipes. If you don't eat gluten free, you can use any yellow cake recipe or cake mix and just follow the directions for the praline part of the cake.  It’s very easy to make and doesn’t need any frosting.   I absolutely love the butter, brown sugar and pecans that rest on top of a soft yellow cake.

I’ve tried this cake several times now trying to perfect a way to keep it from sticking to the pan.  I haven’t found a perfect solution, but this worked pretty well.  This cake will never win a beauty contest anyway, but it could win awards for being delicious.

Gluten-Free Pecan Praline Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

• 1/4 c. butter, melted
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 1 c. chopped pecans
• 1 recipe for yellow cake (for the flour mix I used 1 1/4 c. white rice flour, 1/4 c. tapioca flour, 3/4 c. potato starch)

Prepare a 9 x 13 inch cake pan by lining it with foil and greasing or spraying it with non-stick cooking spray.  Make sure you grease it well, especially the edges and corners.



Toast the pecans by putting them (unchopped) on a cookie sheet or cake pan and baking them about 5 –10 minutes in a 350 degree oven.  Keep an eye on them to make sure they don’t burn.  This step is optional, but it really brings out the flavor in the pecans.  Let them cool a little then chop them.

Melt the butter and combine it with the brown sugar and pecans.  Press it onto the bottom of the pan.  It will be pretty thin.



Prepare the yellow cake batter and spread it on top of the nut mixture.


Bake at 350 degrees 35 – 40 minutes. 



Let it cool in the pan about 5 - 10 minutes.  If you have any foil wrapped over the edge of the pan, loosen it up,  then turn the cake onto a tray or whatever you plan on serving it on.  I have a plastic rectangular cake box that I use, but a cookie sheet will work too.  You want the foil and cake to come out of the pan together.



Carefully remove the foil.  Have a spatula handy to scrape stuck on pieces off the foil.  You might need to do a little patching around the edges.  This picture really highlights the patched areas, but viewed from the top it didn’t look that bad.



Just to remind you what the cake look likes:


Enjoy!  It’s delicious.

This recipe is linked to the following food carnivals.  The links you will find there are not necessarily gluten free, but some are and others can easily be converted.

• Ultimate Recipe Swap
• Tasty Tuesday
• Delicious Dishes

Labels: cake, dessert recipes

Last Friday I was shopping at BJ’s and saw a big bag of beautiful cranberries.  I almost picked them up, then decided not to, then picked them up.  I didn’t know what I was going to do with them, but they were calling to me.  A couple of days later I was wondering what the theme was for this week’s Friday Foodie Fix, so I stopped by The W.H.O.L.E. Gang and saw that it was….cranberries!

I was excited about trying some new cranberry recipes this week until I realized that I had a very busy week with little time to go to the grocery store or do any baking.  I had to make something, though.  I’ll tell up front that my first “something” was a flop.  Yes, I do have flops.  I decided to make muffins and saw another recipe that paired cranberries with pumpkin.  That sounded good so I quickly went about throwing together a muffin recipe.  Unfortunately, I didn’t take into account the moisture in the pumpkin when I decided on the amount of milk I would use.  They were way too wet and heavy.  They never cooked completely on the inside and ended up in the trash.

The next day I went to the grocery store and picked up some oranges thinking to use them in a cranberry recipe.  This time I took my time putting together something I would like, and here is what I came up with.  It is delicious.  I love the flavor combination, and it’s easy to make.

Coffee cakes are generally a little sweeter than I like to eat for breakfast, especially with a topping, but this one has enough whole grain, nut, and berry goodness that I even ate it for breakfast.

Gluten-Free Cranberry-Orange Coffee Cake

Ingredients

• 4 Tb. butter, softened
• 1 c. sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 c. brown rice flour
• 3/4 c. millet flour
• 1/2 c. potato starch
• 1 tsp. xanthan gum
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 c. orange juice
• zest of one orange
• 1 1/2 c. cranberries
• 1 c. chopped pecans, toasted

Topping

• 1/2 c. gluten-free flour mix
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 3 Tb. butter, cold

Instructions
In the bowl of your mixer, cream together the butter and sugar.  Add the eggs and beat until light and fluffy.  Combine the dry ingredients in a small bowl.  Add them to the egg mixture alternately with the orange juice, beginning and ending with the flour.  Stir in the zest, cranberries, and pecans.  Spread the batter in a greased 9 x 13 inch baking pan. 

Combine the topping ingredients with  a pastry blender and sprinkle on top of the batter.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.

Note:  My nuts were closer to being ground than chopped because my food processor was dirty and I decided to use my Magic Bullet.

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This post is linked to Slightly Indulgent Mondays at Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free.

Labels: breakfast recipes, cake, dessert recipes

For years, any food that was rolled up always gave me the impression that it was complicated and difficult to make. Then I tried a pumpkin roll. It's really quite easy, and it makes a great fall dessert.  They freeze well, and in the past I have made a couple of these rolls a few weeks before Thanksgiving and frozen them.  It’s always nice to have some things prepared ahead of time.

This is a standard pumpkin roll recipe substituting gluten-free flour and adding xanthan gum. I think it will work well with any gluten-free flour mix or regular wheat flour. I used Carol Fenster's sorghum blend with corn flour.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Roll

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 1 c. sugar
• 2/3 c. canned pumpkin
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 3/4 c. gluten-free flour mix
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ginger
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. xanthan gum
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 c. walnuts, finely chopped
• powdered sugar for dusting the towel
  
  Filling:
  8 oz. cream cheese, softened
  1/4 c. butter, softened
  1 c. powdered sugar
  1/2 tsp. vanilla

In a mixer bowl beat the eggs on high for several minutes. Add the sugar and beat until light in color. Add the pumpkin and lemon juice. Mix until blended. In a small bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Add to the pumpkin mix. Mix just until blended.

Pour batter into a sprayed jelly roll pan. Spread the batter to the edges of the pan and try to even it out. Sprinkle the walnut pieces over the top. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Let the pan cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Turn the cake (walnut side down) onto a towel that has been sprinkled with powdered sugar. Roll the cake and towel lengthwise. Leave it to cool.


Combine the filling ingredients and beat until smooth. Unroll the cake and spread the filling over the surface.

Labels: cake, dessert recipes

This gluten-free cake has become one of my favorites.  The whole grain sorghum  blends with the cinnamon to give it a wonderful flavor, and the sorghum also gives it an incredibly soft texture.  No one would guess this cake is gluten free. 

I also like the fact that a little glaze is all that needs to be added on top.  There are times when I enjoy a cake with icing, but I prefer to have a great cake without the icing.

Due to the lack of icing and the whole grain sorghum, I’m making this post part of Slightly Indulgent Mondays at Simply Sugar & Gluten Free.  Stop by for more recipes made a little bit healthier.

Gluten-Free Cinnamon Bundt Cake

Ingredients

• 3/4 c. sorghum flour
• 3/4 c. potato starch
• 1/2 c. tapioca starch
• 1 1/4 c. sugar
• 1 tsp. xanthan gum
• 1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 3/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/3 c. butter (or oil)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 c. sour milk (1Tb. vinegar + milk to = 1 c.)

Instructions

In a small bowl combine the dry ingredients.  In your mixer bowl, beat the butter.  Add the eggs and vanilla and beat again.  Add the dry ingredients and milk alternately in fourths, starting and ending with the dry ingredients.  Mix well, scraping the bottom of the bowl to be sure the butter is incorporated.

Spoon the batter into a sprayed or greased bundt pan.  Bake at 325 degrees for 50 minutes.  Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.  Top with a glaze (below).

Notes:  This would also make a great spice cake if you want to add cloves, nutmeg, and/or ginger.
This recipe has evolved a little and has always used sour milk, but I think regular milk or a substitute would work also.  Let me know if you try it.

Glaze:  Exact amounts are not necessary, but this will give you a place to start.
1/2 c. powdered sugar, 1 tsp. vanilla, 2Tb. milk (or enough to get it to the right consistency).  Mix them together and use a spoon to drizzle it over the cake.

Labels: cake, dessert recipes

Last week we had our first cool, fall-like evening, and I just had to heat up the oven and bake a cake.  The kids were celebrating the cool weather by having a fire out back and friends over, so I knew there would be mouths to feed.  I turned to that trusty favorite old cookbook of mine and found a recipe that sounded good.  I had to make it gluten free, of course, but I also made a number of other changes.  I really wasn’t sure how it would turn out, but we loved it.  I served it without any icing or glaze and it was plenty sweet and moist.

This recipe is part of the blog carnival Slightly Indulgent Mondays at Simply Sugar & Gluten Free.  Stop by to find more fabulous food made a little bit healthier.

Gluten-Free Pine-Applesauce Cake

Ingredients:

• 1/2 c. butter, softened
• 1 1/2 c. sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3/4 c. applesauce
• 2 c. gluten-free flour mix (I used half Carol’s and half Bette’s)
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. xanthan gum
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 3/4 c. crushed pineapple, drained
• 1/2 c. chopped nuts
• 1/2 c. flaked coconut

Instructions:

With your mixer, cream together the butter and sugar.  Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy.  Add the applesauce and mix. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients.  Add to the mixer bowl and beat well.  Stir in the crushed pineapple, nuts, and coconut.

Spoon into a sprayed bundt pan and bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.  Cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then remove the cake to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Labels: cake, dessert recipes

 

Welcome! What’s for Dinner Wednesday is usually a carnival of gluten free dinner ideas. This week, we’re doing a dessert edition, but you might still find a dinner idea or two.  If you haven’t participated before, you can read the guidelines here.

First, let me apologize for some confusion last week. Many of you apparently thought having breakfast for dinner was the theme for the week. I didn’t intend it to be a theme, it was just my idea for the week, but I enjoyed everyone’s ideas. When there is a theme, I will give you at least a week’s notice, and the theme is always a suggestion, not a requirement.

Soon after I was diagnosed with celiac disease, I found a gluten free banana cake recipe on the Internet which quickly became a family favorite. You can now find the recipe here. As my repertoire of baked goods increased, I made it less often, but it remains a favorite.

Until this week, I hadn’t made it in a while, but after being away for several days, I had a few bananas that were perfect for use in a cake. The problem was that my frig was rather bare and I didn’t have any sour cream. I was determined to to make it without a trip to the store, so I began to think of substitutes.

I was out of yogurt, and thought I might be stuck until I remembered that this chocolate cake recipe uses mayonnaise. I ended up subbing the mayo for the sour cream and also making a few other changes. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was as good as ever, if not better. This cake is soft and moist and has plenty of banana flavor.

Gluten-Free Banana Cake

Ingredients

• 1/4 c. butter, softened
• 1/4 c. vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 c. sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 c. mashed banana
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 3/4 c. mayonnaise (I used Kraft reduce fat w/olive oil)
• 2 c. gluten free flour mix (I used Carol’s sorghum blend)
• 1 tsp. xanthan gum
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt

Instructions

Using a mixer, cream together the butter, oil, and sugar.  Add the eggs, banana, and vanilla, mixing well. Add the mayonnaise and mix. Combine the dry ingredients in a small bowl, then add, mixing until thoroughly incorporated.

Spread the batter in a 9 x 13 inch pan sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 – 35 minutes. Cool in the pan, or turn onto a rack if desired.

This cake is good with a cream cheese or vanilla frosting. It’s also great without any. This time I used a simple vanilla glaze.

Note: I’m sure there are many ways to mash bananas, but my favorite is to put them in a small bowl and use a pastry blender to mash them.

Please add a link to your gluten free dessert (or dinner) idea.

1. Jessie (Choc-chip cookies) 2. Gina (Creme Caramel) 3. Brian (Chocolate Cake Mix) 4. Jen (Baked Potato Bar)

5. Heather (Chocolate Souffle) 6. The W.H.O.L.E. Gang- Ostrich Steak Strips Stir-fry 7. Amy (Smooth Watermelon Granita) 8. The W.H.O.L.E. Gang-DF, GF Blueberry Ice Cream & Blueberry/Blackberry Mini Pies

9. Cheryl (Rita's Ice) 10. Mikki (Chocolate dipped strawberries)

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Labels: cake, dessert recipes, What's for Dinner Wednesday

The other evening I had a craving for a chocolate chocolate chip cake. I didn’t have a recipe for one, so I came up with my own.  I used my sorghum flour Bundt cake recipe which always turns out terrific and made a few changes.  I couldn’t have imagined anything better than the cake that resulted.  Doesn’t it look delicious?

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

Ingredients

• 1/2 c. sorghum flour
• 1/4 c. rice flour
• 3/4 c. potato starch
• 1/2 c. tapioca starch
• 1/2 c. cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. xanthan gum
• 1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 3/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/4 c. sugar
• 1/3 c. cooking oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 c. sour milk (1 c. milk + 1 tsp. vinegar)
• 1 c. chocolate chips

Instructions

Combine the dry ingredients in a small bowl. Beat the oil, eggs, and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and milk alternately, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Stir in the chocolate chips.  Pour the batter into a sprayed or greased Bundt pan. Bake at 325 for 50 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes and transfer to a wire rack.

Chocolate Glaze:

Combine and drizzle over the cake:

• 1/2 c. powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 Tb. cocoa powder
• 1 Tb. melted butter
• 2 – 3 Tb. milk (add slowly until it is thin enough to drizzle)

Labels: cake, dessert recipes

A few days ago I included a yellow cake recipe at the end of a cranberry trifle recipe. I know I've used that cake recipe successfully before, but I tried it this morning and it didn't turn out well. In fact, I decided to make another cake and use my own recipe. This one turned out much better. I wish I had gotten a picture of the first one. It would make you laugh.

Yellow Cake

• 1/2 c. butter, softened (Earth Balance buttery sticks work too)
• 1 1/2 c. sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 1/4 c. gluten-free flour blend*
• 1 tsp. xanthan gum
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 c. milk (almond milk works well)

With a mixer, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well. Combine the dry ingredients and add to the mixing bowl alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mix. Pour into a sprayed 9 x 13 inch pan or 2 round cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees 30-40 minutes for the rectangular pan or 25-30 minutes for the round pans. Let the cake cool in the pans about 5 minutes before turning onto a wire rack.

*I used 2 c. Bette Hagman's basic flour mix and 1/4 c. corn starch, but any flour mix should work well.

Labels: cake, dessert recipes

This great recipe comes from a fellow blogger at Gluten-free is Life. I've made just a few changes.

Gluten-Free Applesauce Cake

2 1/2 c. gluten free flour mix (I used 1 1/2 c. rice mix and 1 c. sorghum mix)
1 tsp. xanthan gum
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (I used apple pie spice, but would increase it next time)

1/4 c. butter, softened
1 c. sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 c. applesauce
1/2 c. water
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. raisins (optional)(I left these out)
3/4 c. chopped nuts (optional) (I forgot these)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 inch pan with cooking spray.

In a small bowl combine the flour and next five ingredients. In your mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and mix. Add the applesauce, water and vanilla and mix. Add the flour mix and beat just until incorporated. With a large spoon or spatula fold in the raisins and nuts.

Pour into the baking pan and bake for 45-50 minutes.

I made a simple glaze using powdered sugar, milk and maple syrup. Gluten-free is Life has a yummy sounding recipe for Maple Nut Frosting.

The cake was soft and moist and everyone wanted seconds. I find that using the two flour mixes together (Bette Hagman's basic mix and Carol Fenster's sorghum mix) gives baked goods a nice texture. The sorghum mix makes a softer product, but sometimes, especially if it's a moist recipe, it gets too soft, almost gummy.

Labels: cake, dessert recipes

We had some family over the other evening for a birthday celebration, and my son wanted a carrot cake. I couldn't cut a nice piece and take pictures of it before hand, so the picture you see is a very thin piece which was all that was left after the cake was served. I'm not complaining. I'm glad everyone loved it, but it doesn't make for a great picture.

Labels: cake, dessert recipes

1 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
21 oz. cherry pie filling (check labels, I have used Comstock)
1 tsp. almond extract

Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the eggs, pie filling, and extracts. Add the boiling water, mixing gently. Pour into a greased (sprayed) 9 x 13 inch pan or two 9 inch round pans.


For every-day eating, I top it with powdered sugar. The almond extract adds a very nice touch to this cake, but I imagine it would be good without it. Make sure you do add vanilla, though. I tend to always use a little less water than called for in recipes. Maybe it has to do with where I live. You'll have to see what works best for you.

Labels: cake, dessert recipes

Labels: cake, dessert recipes

I tried out the silicone bakeware that I recently bought, and I'm very pleased. I made a chocolate cake recipe that I know works well and put half the batter into the cake pan and half into cupcake holders. They both turned out well. I didn't spray the containers and afterward read that you should. A little bit stuck to the silicone, but the cake came out easily.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake Recipe

Labels: cake, dessert recipes, homemaking tips