Baking Madness!

As I am whiling away my day off -- baking, making soup, practicing for an upcoming show and doing yoga, I am anticipating a yucky phone call. The one where I find out the results of my latest food allergy blood test.

Last week yielded some good milestones sought after and achieved, followed by some crashing and burning. So, there's been a bit of a pity party this week, and probably I will have some more bad news delivered today (my DH is back in full force, along with some other symptoms that have been kept at bay -- hoping I haven't developed more sensitivities/allergies, but it seems unlikely, given my state of inflammation). So, let the party continue!

pity party included:

turkey bacon BLAC's (bacon, lettuce, avocado, cheddar -- with sauerkraut, essentially a Reuben!
rice chips (Lundberg farms sea salt variety)
some sips of oogave root beer (g-f agave nectar root beer!)
scookies (see recipe below)
a half glass of Orleans Hill Organic and Sulfite-free Syrah
nightshade free homemade minestrone soup
buckwheat amaranth coconut loaf (see recipe below)

I went off-recipe with the scookies, but I experimented today and came up with this measured out recipe to share:

Scookies
half cookie, half scone. you decide. either way, they're really hottt with hot cocoa or tea.

cut together with a fork or pastry cutter:
1/2 c brown rice flour
1/2 c tapioca starch
1/2 c almond meal
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t sea salt
2 T spectrum shortening
2 T coconut oil, softened (or 4 T butter, Earth Bal, etc)

add:
1 egg, beaten
3-4 T honey
1/2 c pureed pumpkin
1-2 t bourbon vanilla

fold in:
handful of dried cherries, chocolate chips or whatever you're feeling

drop spoonfuls onto parchment-lined baking sheet
bake at 350 8-10 mins

yields 9-12 scookies

YUM!


now for the loaf:

buckwheat amaranth coconut loaf

for your 2 lb loaf breadmaker...

1 1/2 c almond milk
3 eggs, beaten
2 T yoghurt
3 T honey
2 T app cid vin
1/8 c olive oil
mix and add:
1 c buckwheat flour
1 c brown rice flour
1 c amaranth flour
1/2 c coconut flour
1/2 c tapioca starch
1 t sea salt
1 t xanthan or guar gum
form a well in center and add in 1 T yeast

approx 4 hours later, you will have a yummy loaf to make sandwiches with or serve with soup (I made a homemade nightshade free minestrone soup = yum).

enjoy! happy 2011~

Gluten-free Pumpkin Cake with Maple Icing

Try out this Pumpkin Cake recipe from Karina's Kitchen!

Maple Frosted Pumpkin Cake Recipe

I altered her recipe to use no cane sugar (I used honey). You can sub 2 cups brown sugar as the sweetener if you prefer.
I also used 2 cups roasted red kuri squash in place of the canned pumpkin b/c I couldn't find any in the store (!) It came out great.

For the cake:

2-3large organic free-range eggs
3/4 c. honey, agave or maple syrup (or a combo)
1/2 cup light olive oil
1 15-oz can cooked pumpkin
2 teaspoons bourbon vanilla extract
2 cups gluten-free flour mix (I used 1 c. sorghum flour, 1/2 c. tapioca flour and 1/2 c. brown rice flour)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon gluten-free Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease or line a 10 x 13"/bundt baking pan with greased foil or parchment.

Beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl till light and frothy; add the honey, oil, pumpkin, and vanilla; beat to combine.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (the GF flour mix through sea salt). Add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture a little at a time and beat to combine- for two minutes.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake in a pre-heated oven for 30 minutes, or until the cake is firm and a wooden pick inserted into the center emerges clean.

Cool on a wire rack while you make your frosting.


Maple Cream Cheese Icing:

8 oz. softened cream cheese or vegan cream cheese
3-4 tablespoons softened unsalted butter or vegan margarine
3 to 4 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups powdered sugar (more, if needed)

Beat until the cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add 3 tablespoons of the maple syrup, and vanilla. Add in the powdered sugar a cup at a time; beat till smooth. Add another tablespoon maple syrup, if needed. Add more sugar, if needed.

When the cake is cool, frost with the Maple Cream Cheese Icing. Sprinkle with finely chopped pecans or walnuts, if desired.

Yields 15 pieces.

This was the best cake EVER! I didn't even frost it since I am trying to be cane sugar and dairy free these days, and my husband and I could see how it would be delicious with it, but it tasted so good without it! Next time I will add some chopped walnuts and maybe some chocolate chips...mmm.

Enjoy the amazing fall weather...
Til next!