Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free » Cakes

Mother’s Day Desserts

Amy — Fri, 11 May 2012 13:00:48 +0000

With Mother’s Day just two days away I thought I’d share some desserts that will definitely be appreciated by all the guests at your celebration, including the moms!

It’s going to be my first Mother’s Day as an mom and honestly I’m looking forward to a laid back day with my two favorite guys. I would be lying if I said that I’m going to cook up something spectacular. I’m not. It’ll just be the three of us and Joe will agree that we would both rather get some rest.

Regardless of how you choose to celebrate this Mother’s Day, I’m sending special wishes to all moms for their constant love, care-taking, and selfless giving. And, for all of my mommy friends (you know who you are!) who have nurtured me through the transition to new Mommyhood, I send you very special love. Thank you for helping me to be the best mom I can be for Nate.

Chocolate Strawberry Layer Cake

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Grain-Free Orange Cake & Nutritional Content of Gluten-Free Flours

Amy — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:00:00 +0000

If you read my blog regularly, you know I don’t do a lot of almond flour baking. I love it. It’s delicious, moist, and fun to play around with. And, it has some health benefits too.

But, I’m not going to tell you it’s the only high (higher) protein flour out there. It’s not.

And, I have to be honest. It’s quite calorie and fat dense. Yes, it’s low in carbs. So, if you’re a low-carber (and I’m not) then it might be a great option for you.

Our bodies need carbs, though. I’m not talking about refined, simple carbs. I’m talking about healthier complex carbs – fruits, veggies, whole grains, beans. They help with energy, brain function, add fiber to our diets which assists digestion, and help our bodies digest other nutrients.

Enough of my babbling about our bodies and carbs. Let’s look at the flour facts.

Almond Flour

1/4 cup contains:
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Grain-Free Chocolate Cake with Honeyed Ricotta

Amy — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 13:25:48 +0000

Who doesn’t love cake, especially one that’s gluten-free, grain-free, and all kinds of good?

If you read my recipes often, you know I don’t use many nut flours. Yes, they’re delicious and full of healthy fats. My history of being overweight, though, keeps me from indulging too often. Nut flours, albeit low carb, are still calorie dense.

My body has never done well on low carb diets. I need nutrient dense carbs for energy, brain function, and a stable mood. So, for me, moderation is the key.

There’s something special about this cake, though. You won’t find any added fats. Just almond flour, eggs, coconut palm sugar, and some cocoa powder. Be careful not to over bake it; since there’s no oil or butter this cake can easily dry out.

The cake is completely dairy-free – if you need a dairy-free, casein-free topping try a thick, raw macadamia cream instead. Or, check out Go Dairy Free’s ricotta cheese substitutes.

Did I mention how light this cake is? It’s not dense like so many nut flour products. The whipped egg whites make it tender and airy. I brought this to a dinner with some girlfriends, none of which are gluten-free, and they all loved it.

It’s the perfect make-ahead cake. It needs to sit overnight slathered in honeyed ricotta to give it extra moisture.

Speaking of make-ahead desserts, you might also try these:

Other Gluten-Free, Grain-Free Recipes:

Blueberry Coffee Cake from The Spunky Coconut
Mini Chocolate Pavlovas topped with Fresh Berries from SS&GF
Savory Grain-Free Crackers from Gluten-Free Goddess

Much love,
Amy

Grain-Free Chocolate Cake with Honeyed Ricotta

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Yield: 1 (8-inch) cake; 8 - 10 servings

A light and flavorful gluten-free, refined sugar-free chocolate cake made with almond flour. Adapted from Annie Bell's Gorgeous Cakes.

Ingredients

For the Chocolate Cake:

4 large eggs, separated
2/3 cup powdered coconut palm sugar
2 1/4 cups almond flour
3 tablespoons dutch processed cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder

For the Honeyed Ricotta:

3 cups low-fat ricotta
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of kosher salt

For the Topping:

1/4 cup grated carob or refined sugar-free chocolate

Instructions

Make the Chocolate Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter an 8-inch springform pan.
In a large bowl, beat together the egg yolks and powdered coconut palm sugar until pale and creamy.
Sift together the almond flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder. Set aside.
In a separate medium bowl, beat the egg whites to medium peaks.
Stir 1/4 of the whipped egg whites directly into the egg yolk mixture. Fold the remaining egg whites into the yolks in two to three additions.
Fold the almond mixture into the egg mixture in three additions.
Transfer the batter into the prepared springform pan.
Bake for 25 - 30 minutes, until the center of the cake is set and a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Run an offset spatula around the edges of the cake. Allow to cool completely in the pan.

Make the Honeyed Ricotta:

Combine the ricotta, honey, vanilla, and salt.
Refrigerate until ready to use.

Assemble the Cake:

Use a sharp, serrated knife to slice a paper thin layer off the top of the cake. This will let the moisture from the ricotta soak into the cake.
Cut the cake in half, being careful to keep the layers even.
Spread half of the ricotta mixture on the bottom layer of the cake.
Place the top layer on top of the ricotta. Spread the remaining ricotta on top of the cake.
Top with grated carob or refined sugar-free chocolate.
Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Bring to room temperature before serving.

http://simplysugarandglutenfree.com/grain-free-chocolate-cake-with-honeyed-ricotta/

Mini Chocolate Pavlovas Topped with Fresh Berries

Amy — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 14:30:50 +0000

Pavlovas are the perfect gluten-free dessert. No flour necessary. My healthy recipe makeover uses low-glycemic coconut palm sugar and a lower fat ‘whipped cream’ topping so you can indulge without feeling too guilty.

I love the way the meringue is crisp on the outside, soft on the inside, and melts in your mouth. Bite after luscious bite.

If you need a good make-ahead dessert, this is it. Make the pavlova bases the night before and leave them in the oven with the door cracked. Top them with whipped cream and fresh, juicy berries just before serving.

There are a couple tricks to making a successful meringue:

Meringue isn’t a great idea on really humid days – it’ll pull humidity from the air and get soft.
Make sure your bowl is clean with no traces of fat before whipping your egg whites. Wipe the inside of the bowl with a little white vinegar to cut the fat if necessary.
Over-whipped egg whites are no good so watch carefully. They can go from perfectly whipped to dry and dull in seconds.

I made them a few times – the first time the oven temperature was too low. The second time it was too humid. I knew better but I did it anyway. And the third time they were just right.

Blog Redesign Coming Soon…

Just a heads up – my new blog design should have been done ages ago but I had so many things going on that I couldn’t find the time or energy to finish it up. Well, the end is near. I’ll share a sneak-peek soon.

You’re going to love the new organization. It’s going to be so easy to find exactly what you’re looking for.

Printer-friendly recipe
Mini Chocolate Pavlovas Topped with Fresh Berries & Cream

makes 4 individual desserts

For the Chocolate Pavlovas:

4 large or extra large egg whites

1/2 cup powdered coconut palm sugar **see below**

1/2 teaspoon instant decaffeinated coffee

1/4 cup dutch-processed cocoa powder, sifted

For the Whipped Cream:

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

5 drops of liquid vanilla stevia, or to taste

For the Berries

4 – 8 strawberries depending on the size, sliced

12 blackberries

Make the Chocolate Pavlovas:

Preheat the oven to 300 degress F. Line a sheet tray with parchment paper. Turn the parchment paper over. Draw or trace 4 (4-inch) circles on the paper. (I traced the lid to my tea jar.) Turn the paper back over so the ink doesn’t come in contact with your food.

Beat the egg whites on medium speed to soft peaks, or when the tips curl when the beaters are lifted out of the egg whites. Add the powdered palm sugar one tablespoon at a time while still beating the whites. Add the instant coffee. Beat the whites to stiff peaks, or when the tips stand straight up. Fold in the cocoa powder in two to three additions, taking care not to deflate the whites.

Divide the chocolate egg mixture between the four circles, then use the back of a spoon to spread out the meringue making it lower in the center than on the edges. Put the tray into the oven and immediately decrease the oven temperature to 250 degrees F. Bake for 1 hour – 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until meringue is set on the outside. Turn the oven off and leave the door closed for an hour. Remove from oven and if necessary, let cool completely. Carefully remove from parchment paper.

Make the Whipped Cream:

Whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks. Stir 1/4 of the whipped cream directly into the Greek yogurt. Fold the remaining whipped cream into the Greek yogurt, adding in the vanilla stevia to taste.

Assemble the Pavlovas:

Top each pavlova with 1/4 of the whipped cream and 1/4 of the berries just before serving.

**Powdered Palm Sugar: Blend 1 cup of coconut palm sugar with 1 tablespoon non-GMO cornstarch in a blender until it’s a fine power. Store in an airtight container until ready to use. If it clumps, sift before using.

Chocolate-Strawberry Layer Cake: Happy 2nd Birthday SS&GF!

Amy — Fri, 06 May 2011 13:15:51 +0000

Gluten-Free, Refined Sugar-Free Chocolate Strawberry Cake with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

To celebrate SS&GF’s 2nd birthday, I baked a gluten-free, refined sugar-free, healthy (well, healthier if you don’t count the frosting) cake to share with you.

It’s hard to believe that two years have gone by since I first started blogging. The blessings that have shown up in my life as a result have been more than I could have hoped for. Here’s a handful of my biggest blessings:

I’ve learned that failure is an inevitable part of success. I’m better today at learning from the failures instead of feeling bad because I didn’t achieve what I had hoped.
Being the best Amy I can be has become a daily practice. Instead of comparing someone else’s outsides with my insides, I focus (and refocus…) on identifying and developing my unique gifts and talents.
I published my first cookbook.
I’ve been able to experience new foods and culinary points of view at the National Restaurant Association show, the Fancy Food Show, and presented at The Gluten & Allergen-Free Expo.
My understanding of baking gluten-free & refined sugar-free had multiplied a hundred times over through interaction with you, learning from other bloggers, and good, honest practice.
I’ve completed two semesters of baking & pastry arts classes, and haven’t had to eat anything that doesn’t work for my body.
I’ve made life-long friends – some are my blog readers and others are fellow bloggers. This was an unexpected bonus!

Since you’ve been the most important part of my journey at SS&GF, I’d love to hear from you. To celebrate SS&GF’s 2nd birthday, share the two biggest blessings in your life.

If you’re reading this in an email click on through to www.SimplySugarAndGlutenFree.com and share with us. I want to hear from you, too!

Bloggers, feel free to leave a link to your blog so others can stop by. FYI – all links have to be approved by me before they’re live in the comments so don’t fret if you include a link and your comment disappears.

About the cake…

Perfectly Moist Cake with bits of Strawberries in Every Bite

This idea was shared with me a long time ago by one a friend on Twitter or Facebook – I can’t remember which. I finally got around to making it and it is divine. The strawberries keep the cake moist for days.

Use the back of a large serving spoon to get fun dips and peaks in the frosting

It’s healthier, too, because most of the moisture comes from the fruit. It’ll make the perfect Mother’s Day dessert.

Other Mother’s Day Recipes

Fresh Fruit Tart with Pastry Cream
Baked Alaska with Chocolate Cake & Raw Cacao Nib Ice Cream
Blackberry Kefir Smoothie (to start Mom’s day off with a bang!)
Blueberry Lemon Scones

Printer-friendly recipe
Chocolate-Strawberry Layer Cake with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
makes 1 8 inch cake; serves 8 – 10

1 1/4 cups Amy’s Basic Gluten-Free Flour Blend
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
3/4 cup palm sugar, divided
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup lowfat buttermilk
1 1/2 cups chopped strawberries

For Frosting:

2 recipes Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
enough sliced strawberries to cover the cake

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 8 inch round cake pan with parchment paper and lightly mist with cooking spray.

Sift together the gluten-free flour blend, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and xanthan gum. Whisk until uniformly mixed.

Add grapeseed oil to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle. Gradually add 1/2 cup of palm sugar while mixer is running on medium speed until sugar and oil mixture is grainy. Add egg and vanilla and mix well. Add remaining palm sugar slowly and mix until smooth.

Add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Scrape down the bowl as needed. Fold in the chopped strawberries. Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan. Bake in the middle of the oven for 30 – 40 minutes, rotating half way though, until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center of the cake.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes then remove pan from cake and let cool completely on a paper towel lined wire rack. (This prevents the wires from making impressions in your cake.)

Once totally cool, use a sharp, serrated knife to level the top of the cake if necessary. Torte, or cut, the cake into two even layers. Top the bottom layer of cake with a layer of whipped cream cheese frosting that’s as half as thick as the layers. Place a single layer of strawberries on top of the frosting, then put add the top layer of cake. Finish frosting the top and sides of the cake. Use the back of a large serving spoon to make playful dips and peaks in the frosting. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Note: To make this into cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350. Line a standard cupcake tin with papers. Makes 12 cupcakes. You’ll only need one batch of Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting.