Like I said…I’ve been cooking with pumpkin a lot recently. I love how versatile it can be in cooking. Sort of like substituting your baking fat with Greek yogurt or applesauce. The same sort of holds true for pumpkin. It’s a healthy way to liven your food. And it’s especially delicious in breakfast foods. As I did a similar take with scones, these pancakes were a synch to make. The only difference is that I used some spices to really enhance the pumpkin flavor.
3/4 cup milk (I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg light brown sugar
dash of ground ginger
dash of ground cloves
Directions:
Combine the ingredients in a large bowl.
Blend all ingredients by whisking vigorously in a bowl until thoroughly mixed.
Let batter stand and preheat a nonstick griddle to medium-high temperature. Lightly oil or spray griddle with cooking or baking spray.
Pour 1/4 cup of batter onto griddle and cook until the top is bubbly. Turn and cook until golden brown. Adjust the temperature as needed.
Top how you wish…margarine, a sprinkle of cinnamon/sugar, or my favorite go-to for pancakes…gluten-free maple syrup.
Enjoy!
~*~*~
The combination of pumpkin and chocolate is killer. These pancakes cooked up light and fluffy and remained moist thanks to the addition of the pumpkin. I don’t even miss the eggs and oil that usually go into these. These were filling without being heavy and that’s what I consider to be a perfect pancake.
Go ahead…give it a try. Maybe add some candied pecans or whatever combination you like with your pumpkin. Have fun with it, but more importantly…make it delicious.
I love pumpkin. Why? Because it is so versatile. It’s flavor is so subtle that, if done correctly, you can add it to anything and not even be able to tell that it’s a component in the list of ingredients. In addition, it makes a fantastic substitute for eggs, oil, and butter. And in the case of these scones, that’s what I did. I removed the egg and the 4 tablespoons of butter that I normally incorporate into the mix and, instead, used pumpkin. The whole intention for this one was to have a pumpkin flavor scone.
Right in line with that…I contemplated what might pair well with pumpkin. I finally decided on some semi-sweet mini chocolate chips. Perfect. And the scones themselves? Moist, chewy, and delicious.
Recipe: Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Scones
Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Scones
Servings: 12
Time: 20-25 minutes
Ingredients:
2-1/4 cups Pamela’s Baking & Pancake Mix
1/3 cup sugar (I used Truvia)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp pure pumpkin (I used Libby’s)
1/2 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips (I used Hershey’s)
2/3 cup milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°.
Mix the dry ingredients together.
Add the pumpkin and almond milk. Mix together with a fork. Dough will be thick.
Drop large, tall dollops of dough (scones will spread when baking) onto lightly greased baking sheet.
Bake for 15-17 minutes.
~*~*~
One of the best things I discovered about baking with pumpkin is just how many calories it saves you in the end. By replacing the egg and the butter with pumpkin in this recipe, I cute a total of 425 calories out of the entire batch as a whole. That’s amazing!
I think the next time I make these, if going for more of a pumpkin flavor, I’ll add 3/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, a dash of ginger and a dash of cloves to really bring out some flavor. But, on their own…as they stand…really, really delicious!!
Product: Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Shortbread Cookie Mix – $2.50+
I blame Big Lots.
No, really, I do. But in a good way. Because Big Lots carries a variety of Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free baking mixes at a fraction of the cost of grocery stores and natural food stores. And on one particular outing while in Columbus, Ohio with my friend, Jenn…we stopped into Big Lots and I couldn’t resist buying at least one (if not more) of everything they had that was in Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free line of products. Included in this buying spree was a package of Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Shortbread Cookie mix.
It sat in my pantry for awhile. I don’t know why. It wasn’t like the ingredient list was daunting or that they were really going to be difficult to make. Not at all. In fact, all you really need to make these is a mixer, water, an egg yolk, butter, and the mix itself. Nothing could be simpler.
Well, on a mission to go through the stuff in my pantry, I decided that these would be ideal for dessert this week for my roommate and I. After all, I already had all of the ingredients on hand. Might as well give it a whirl.
And that’s what I did last night after a long day of being out and about. I settled into the kitchen, got my roommate to help me separate the egg before kicking her out of the kitchen, and pulled out my KitchenAid mixer and got to work creaming 1-1/2 sticks of margarine (I used Smart Balance). After that, the egg yolk was added, followed by 2 tablespoons of water. Once that was mixed in, I started to add the cookie mixture per the directions on the package…first 1/2 cup, then half of the mixture, than the last bit, allowing it to mix until the consistency was…crumbly.
Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Shortbread Cookie Mix in it's crumbly, just-mixed state
I think I got that.
From there, I took the crumbly mix and mashed it into a ball, kneading it until smooth. This then got cut in half. Half remained on a piece of parchment paper, while the other was wrapped up in some plastic wrap and set aside. The part that was out was then covered with plastic wrap, and with a rolling pin, rolled out to about 1/4-inch thick. Off came the wrap and out came my cookie cutters. I cut little flowery-star like shapes into the dough, then gathered the scraps, re-rolled it out, and repeated. I did this for both halves of the dough, baking each sheet as I went along. The cookies took about 12-15 minutes to begin lightly browning on the edges. I pulled them out and let them cool on a wire rack while other batches went in. The bag says that it makes 36 cookies, but I managed to get 54 out of it. No complaints there.
Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Shortbread Cookies
After the cookies completely cooled, I melted down some gluten-free dark chocolate squares and topped off each cookie with a drizzle of dark chocolate. Shortbread cookies and chocolate go hand-in-hand. And this made for a very pretty, very nice pairing.
The shortbread cookies baked to perfection. This is exactly how shortbread should be…light, buttery, flaky…delicious. Bob’s Red Mill got this gluten-free mix down to the last detail. If you are a fan of shortbread (and I am!), then this mix will definitely do it for you. I absolutely loved the mix of buttery flavor with the crumbly texture of the shortbread. And it was so easy to make…which made the delicious reward even better.
Now I need to go buy another bag of the mix…because it’s safe to say…I’m addicted to these gluten-free shortbread cookies.
My applause to you Bob’s Red Mill…for continuing your delicious gluten-free tradition.
Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Shortbread Cookies drizzled with dark chocolate
Product: Katz Honey Muffin – $5.99; Sample Pack – cost of shipping (varies per state)
Following up with my first free sample review, I bring to you the second product that I indulged in yesterday morning for breakfast. Katz’s Gluten-Free Honey Muffin. Nothing says breakfast to me more than muffins. You gotta love muffins. I know I do…especially the top part where all the flavor bakes up into that perfect bulb of flavor. It’s where it forms that little layer of crust that is just…delightful to bite into. Yeah…muffins sort of rule. But you have to watch it with muffins. Especially the prepackaged sort as you might be biting into more calories than you care to even know about. A lot of times, those little muffins you buy at the store are meant for 2-3 servings. YIKES! Those calories sure add up.
But…never fear because while I found Katz to be a little higher in calories than I prefer, I also knew that it was for the entire muffin. Of which…I only had half. So, that 200 calories wasn’t too hard to swallow.
So, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty of the product, yes? This was actually my first time ever having a Honey Muffin. Ever. Not even before having to go gluten-free. So, this was an experience all around. These packages from Katz mostly have to be frozen upon delivery, and much like the cupcake, I hadn’t anticipated breaking into this so I didn’t give it a thaw on the counter, leaving that job to a brief nuking in the microwave. It works in a pinch.
Katz Gluten-Free Honey Muffin
My roommate actually dug into hers first, and as I was warming mine in the microwave I heard her say something about it being…interesting. Now, I’ve watched enough Top Chef to know that interesting can go either way. It’s either good…or bad. I inquired as to which way she meant it and she assured me that it was good…it was just like nothing she had ever tasted before.
I sat down with my own plate of gluten-free breakfast goodness and decided to see for myself.
She was right. It was interesting…but in a good way. These were definitely of a more dense variety than the chocolate cupcake was. It came with a bit of a streusel topping baked on top. The flavor was subtle, but sweet. What really made it was that streusel topping. It was delicious and really kicked up that sweetness you’d expect from something flavored with honey. That being said, I’m also not a huge fan of honey, so having it subtly infused into the muffin was the best way to go to win me over. I absolutely loved every bite of this little treat. And with not having eaten anything similar prior to this, well, I can’t actually tell you how it stacks up, but it is a very filling, very delicious muffin to say the least. It’s not too sweet, but it definitely carries that little tang of honey in each bite.
Katz has just continued to prove to me time and time again the quality of their products. This is why, since I absolutely have to, I don’t mind logging onto the Web site and placing an order. It’s worth it. And the items ship very quickly and arrive 2 days later. I love that kind of turnaround. These muffins usually come in a pack of 6, so the cost is not so bad. A dollar a muffin normally. Hard to argue with that.
If you love muffins, I’d definitely recommend this. But, do as I did…and save the muffin top for last. Honestly…it is the best part.
Product: Katz Chocolate Cupcakes – $5.49; Sampler Pack – cost of shipping (varies per state)
There is this amazing and awesome feature on the Katz Gluten-Free Web site that allows you, for simply the cost of shipping, to receive a sample pack of some of their amazing products. How awesome is that? Well, that being said, my gluten-free life would have been incomplete without it.
I admit, this was actually the first thing I ever got from Katz. But after they introduced the donuts, those took precedence over my sampler. I mean…they are gluten-free donuts of awesome goodness™ and therefore were broken into first. And then more donuts arrived. And then there were the pizza shells (and I had been craving pizza). Oh, and the sprinkle cookies…
So, yes, it’s safe to say that I discovered my love of Katz Gluten-Free without even breaking into the sample pack. And with that being said, yesterday when I finally decided it was time to test some of these products, I was fairly confident I would be impressed with what I found.
I chose two of the items in the sampler to split with my roommate for breakfast. My roommate chose the Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcake and I chose the Gluten-Free Honey Muffin.
Katz Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcake
As I pulled these straight from the freezer, not really having planned ahead on this form of breakfast, I didn’t really give them a proper thaw on the counter overnight, as I do most products from Katz. So, I gave them each a nice heat in the microwave. And it didn’t detract from the texture of flavor that I could see.
Since it was the first thing I bit into, my first sampler pack review goes to the Chocolate Cupcake.
Despite not being able to be given a proper thaw, this cupcake was still fantastic. It looks just like a chocolate muffin. And here’s why – by the grace of the Gluten-Free gods, Katz left them unfrosted. This makes me a happy cupcake devouring girl because I don’t like frosting. I’m actually not even that big of a fan of cake, but do eat it in very small portions. It’s not a weight watching thing…it’s just I’m more of a cookie/brownie girl. Always have been. But, one thing has never changed since growing up and that is that I do not like frosting. I’ve always scraped it off…or given it to my sister or a friend. I’m an odd one, as most people prefer the frosting to the cake itself. So having an unfrosted chocolate cupcake is awesome. You can almost tell yourself it is a muffin.
I loved the taste of these. Rich with chocolate flavor without being too heavy. Especially in the morning, some chocolate products can just be too much and too heavy. I loved that this was had a good flavor balance. I found my sampler to be a little dry, but I think a lot of that can be attributed to going straight from the freezer to the microwave, instead of thawing on the counter overnight. So, I won’t hold that against Katz. If given a proper thawing, I could tell how these would be moist enough that if you pressed on them, they would rise back up and reform. Yeah…this was chocolate goodness.
This is the second gluten-free cupcake I have ventured to eat since going gluten-free a year ago. I liked this one better because it didn’t seem as heavy or as dense as the (frosted) vanilla cupcakes I got from Fresh Market Bakery back in October. Those had also been frozen before I consumed them and I also commented on how they were dry. So…there you go. Normally, Katz chocolate cupcakes come six to a pack, when ordered simply as the product.
When it comes down to it, Katz is on a winning streak with me. This non-cake-loving gluten-free girl was impressed with the chocolate cupcake. I really think Katz can take pride in the products they put out there because, honestly, they put a lot of care into their products and really strive to put out the best.
Hands down…they are achieving it. If you have a reason to celebrate, or just are craving one hell of a gluten-free chocolate cupcake, I highly recommend that you order from Katz. They won’t let you down and you will get simply the best. And if you are a frosting fanatic…now you can just top it off the way you want. No harm, no foul. Just good.
Product: Katz Gluten-Free Colored Sprinkle Cookies – $4.70
I told you…I’m a cookie monster. They are my Achilles heel of desserts and snacks. Of course, these days I can’t just dive into a box of Girl Scout Cookies or those pre-packaged Toll House or Keebler soft-baked goodies that just tempt you from the grocery shelves. Nope. I’m one of the unfortunate (or fortunate, depending on how you look at it) ones who can’t even sample those birthday cake Oreos, no matter how much my friends rave about them. When it comes to my favorite snacks, I either have to find a gluten-free variety or make my own…gluten-free…either from scratch or from a mix.
I think I’ve sampled just about every gluten-free cookie out there. There are some that I love. Some that I like. And some that I haven’t cared for. There are some that are crunchy, some that are soft, and each one has either won me over or made me vow never to buy them again.
So, when I got my deal on Katz’s products via a gluten-free web deal, I knew I was getting donuts and pizza crusts. I still had some money left, however, so I decided to give some of their cookies a go. My choice, the Colored Sprinkle Cookies.
Why? Because sprinkles RULE!
And the other day, I finally had the chance to sample them. It’s a good thing I portion these things out, because this little container would have been devoured and licked clean of every sprinkle and crumb. Yes…these cookies are really, really good. And here’s why. They start off with that initial crunch that you expect from a packaged cookie. But they are soft. Not soft-baked, chewy soft, but soft in texture. Smooth in flavor. Light. And the sprinkles are a fun, even if unnecessary touch. I loved the balance of sweetness that these cookies have in each bite. I don’t feel like I’m going into sugar shock. They are full of cookie-good flavor…that reminds me a lot of what shortbread cookies taste like. Crumbly, and sprinkled with rainbow goodness.
I have been so impressed with the products I have ordered from Katz. Not bad for taking a chance on a Web site order and hoping for the gluten-free best. Let me tell you…they truly deliver in flavor, texture, taste…and the price isn’t bad either. The shipping costs may get you, but the products, as I have found, are worth every dollar!
Around Christmas last year, I put up a recipe for vegan lemon blueberry scones. But this is a recipe completely of my own finagling. Honestly. I just took the basic scone recipe from Pamela’s Products Baking & Pancake Mix bag and tweaked the ingredients and hoped for the best.
What I got was a low calorie, pleasantly fruity, lemony fresh scone that makes a delightful breakfast that is refreshing and also good for you!
Really!
Recipe: Gluten-Free Lemon Blueberry Scones
Gluten-Free Lemon Blueberry Scones
Servings: 12
Time: 20-25 minutes
Ingredients:
2-1/4 cups Pamela’s Baking & Pancake Mix
1/3 cup sugar (I used Truvia)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup fresh organic blueberries
4 tbsp butter (I used Smart Balance)
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup lemonade
1/3 cup lemon juice
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°.
Mix the dry ingredients together.
Cut in the butter using two knives.
Add the lemon zest, lemonade, lemon juice, beaten egg and the blueberries. Mix together with a fork. Dough will be thick.
Drop large, tall dollops of dough (scones will spread when baking) onto lightly greased baking sheet.
Bake for 15-17 minutes.
~*~*~
I wasn’t sure if these would be lemony enough. While I probably would add more zest next time to give them a bit more zing, these prove to have great lemon flavor as it is. I think lemon and blueberry mesh well anyway so this was a match made in gluten-free scone heaven!
Okay…I admit it…I’m addicted to my newest cookbook. What’s not to love. This recipe was made, per another request by my roommate, after she flipped through my The Cake Mix Doctor Bakes Gluten-Free book and found another recipe that intrigued her. Since we’re a bit stocked on gluten-free cake mixes, this is actually ideal and it gives me a bit more experience in the kitchen with cakes (not something I’ve ever been big on…eating or baking), as well as working on some new techniques.
This recipe actually involved having to slice layers of cake in half to end up with four layers. Now, I’ve never done this before, and found out yesterday that craft stores usually have a device that makes this task easy. Wish I had known that sooner. I did it the old fashioned way…very carefully with a sharp, serrated knife. And, considering my cake mix didn’t fluff up like my mix from Betty Crocker, I was quite happy with that accomplishment.
I made this recipe as close to dairy-free as possible, substituting coconut milk for low-fat sour cream, almond milk for milk, and margarine for the butter. I did, however, use heavy cream in the ganache, but if you need to make it dairy-free, you can use a dairy-free whipped topping instead of making up the ganache to frost the cake with instead.
Anyway…this cake is very, very yummy. It has a nutty chocolate taste to it, and the layers look awesome once it’s frosted and sliced into. Otherwise, my cake prior to that, looked like a hot (but delicious) mess. So, straight from The Cake Mix Doctor Bakes Gluten-Free…I bring you this recipe.
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder or rice flour, for dusting the pans
1/2 cup whole shelled almonds
1 package (15 ounces) chocolate gluten-free cake mix (I used Cherrybrook Kitchen)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup reduced-fat sour cream (or substitute with coconut milk, which is what I did)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
For the filling and lemon whipped cream frosting:
1/3 cup almond paste (NOTE: Read the label…the stuff at Whole Foods had wheat in it. I bought a can at the grocery store that is gluten-free)
8 tablespoons margarine, at room temperature
2-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon milk or heavy (whipping) cream (I used unsweetened almond milk)
For the ganache:
8 ounces (1-1/3 cups) semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli)
3/4 cup heavy (whipping cream)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions:
Layers of Cherrybrook Kitchen Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake cooling in pans
Make the cake: Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly mist two 9-inch round cake pans with vegetable oil spray, then dust them with the cocoa. Shake out the excess cocoa and set the pans aside.
Place the almonds in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and process them in short pulses until finely ground, 30 to 45 seconds. Transfer the ground almonds to a large mixing bowl.
Place the cake mix and granulated sugar in the bowl with the almonds and stir to combine. Add the sour cream (or coconut milk if substituting), oil, water, eggs, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and the almond extract and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until the ingredients are just incorporated, 30 to 45 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat the batter until smooth, 1 to 1-1/2 minutes longer, scraping down the side of the bowl again if needed. The batter should look well blended. Divide the batter evenly between the 2 prepared pans, smoothing the tops with the rubber spatula. Place the pans in the oven side by side.
Bake the cake layers until the tops spring back when lightly pressed with a finger, 18-22 minutes. Transfer the cake pans to wire racks and let the cake layers cool for 5 minutes. Run a sharp knife around the edge of each cake layer and give the pan a good shake to loosen the cakes. Invert each layer onto a wire rack, then invert it again onto another rack so that the layers are right side up. Let the layers cool completely, about 20 minutes longer.
One layer of cake spread with the almond filling
Meanwhile, make the filling: Place the almond paste in a small glass bowl and heat on high power in a microwave for 10 to 15 seconds. Spoon the warm paste into a medium-size mixing bowl and add the margarine. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until the lumps are gone, 1-1/2 to 2 minutes. Add the confectioners’ sugar and milk and beat again on medium speed until the filling is smooth and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Set the filling aside.
Make the ganache: Place the chocolate chips in a medium size stainless steel mixing bowl. Pour the cream into a heavy saucepan, place it over medium heat, and bring to a boil, stirring. Remove the cream from the heat and pour it over the chocolate. Using a wooden spoon, stir until the chocolate is melted. Stir in the 1 teaspoon of vanilla, and set the ganache aside to cool slightly. Ganache needs to be thick enough to spread like soft butter. If your kitchen is cool the ganache will reach this consistency in 10 to 15 minutes. If the kitchen is warm you can place the ganache in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 minutes to speed up the process.
My "hot mess" assembly of the different layers and filling for the Gluten-Free Chocolate Almond Torte
To assemble the cake, using a serrated knife, slice each cake layer in half crosswise. Transfer the bottom half of one layer, cut side up, to a serving plate. Thinly spread the cut side with 1/2 cup of the filling, then place the top half over it, cut side down. Spread the top of this layer with 1/2 cup of the filling. Place the bottom of the second layer, cut side up, on top of the first layer. Spread that layer with 1/2 cup of the filling. Place the top half of the second layer on top, cut side down. Once the ganache has cooled to frosting consistency, frost the top and the side of the cake liberally with it, working with smooth, clean strokes.
Store the cake, in a cake saver, on the kitchen counter for three days, or put in the fridge.
Gluten-Free Chocolate Almond Torte, frosted with a chocolate ganache
~*~*~
Things I learned while making this recipe included that not every almond paste is gluten-free. READ YOUR LABELS! The same goes for vanilla and almond extract. Check the labels. Some gluten-free cake mixes bake up better than others. This is something you just learn the more you work with certain ones. I probably should have let my ganache cool a bit more. But it’s chocolate and it formed a nice layer over the cake, therefore it fulfilled its purpose. I need a better food processor. I should probably get one of those cake layer cutting thingies if I really get into this cake baking thing.
As for the taste…chocolate goodness. With just a touch of nutty flavor from the almonds and almond paste. It’s a moist, delicious, chocolate decadent treat that is just made to be sliced into and enjoyed…layer by layer. It’s a task to assemble, but honestly…worth all the hard work in the end.
Do you know what happens when you leave me alone in the kitchen and I find two oranges and some chocolate chips? Scones, of course. Now, the combination of orange and chocolate is often a favorite. I think the tang of the orange melds so well with the sweetness of chocolate, so it’s a match made in culinary heaven. So, when life gives you citrus and sweetness, scones happen.
If you are a fan of the chocolate/orange combination, give these a try.
Recipe: Gluten-Free Orange Chocolate Chip Scones
Gluten-Free Orange Chocolate Chip Scones
Servings: 12
Time: 20-25 minutes
Ingredients:
2-1/4 cups Pamela’s Baking & Pancake Mix
1/3 cup sugar (I used Truvia)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips)
4 tbsp butter (I used Smart Balance)
2 tbsp orange zest
1 egg, beaten
2/3 cup orange juice (I used freshly squeezed)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°.
Mix the dry ingredients together.
Cut in the butter using two knives.
Add the orange zest, orange juice and beaten egg. Mix together with a fork. Dough will be thick.
Drop large, tall dollops of dough (scones will spread when baking) onto lightly greased baking sheet.
Bake for 15-17 minutes.
~*~*~
These truly smelled awesome while they were baking up. There was this nice orange-y scent in the air. And when they were done, the warm scone was so pleasing to the taste buds. I actually ended up loving these more than I thought I might. So yummy!
So, get out your juicer, warm up that oven, and give these a try. Especially if orange and chocolate is a favorite flavor combination.
Never, ever turn me loose in a bookstore. Ever. Because I walk out of there with things like The Cake Mix Doctor Bakes Gluten-Free. It was at Half Price Books…and my roommate showed it to me. How could I not buy it?
Now, her birthday was coming up and I had every intention of making a gluten-free peanut butter chocolate cheesecake for her. But as I was reading off some of the recipes in this book, she fell in love with the lemon chiffon cake. So, when she said, “That’s what I want for my birthday!” I ditched the cheesecake idea and made her what she wanted.
Thank you Cake Mix Doctor for this recipe. While it seemed a bit daunting…in the end it all came together beautifully.
1 package (15 ounces) yellow gluten-free cake mix (I used Betty Crocker Gluten-Free Yellow Cake Mix)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup orange juice (fresh or from a carton)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
For the filling and lemon whipped cream frosting:
1 jar (10 ounces) gluten-free lemon curd (I used Dickenson’s)
1 cup heavy (whipping) cream, chilled
1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
Directions:
Make the cake: Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly mist two 9-inch round cake pans with vegetable oil spray, then dust with the rice flour. Shake out the excess rice flour and set the pans aside.
Rinse and pat dry the lemon or lemons with paper towels, then grate the yellow zest onto a small plate. Measure 2 teaspoons for the cake batter and place it in a large mixing bowl. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice through a fine sieve, discarding the seeds. Measure 1/4 cup of lemon juice, pour it into the mixing bowl with the zest, and set the bowl aside.
Layer of gluten-free cake cooling on wire rack
Separate the eggs, placing the whites in another large mixing bowl and the yolks in the mixing bowl with the lemon zest and juice. Beat the whites with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form, 3 to 4 minutes. Set the beaten egg whites aside.
Place the cake mix, sugar, orange juice, and oil in the bowl with the egg yolks and lemon and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until the ingredients are just incorporated, 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat the batter until smooth, 1 to 1-1/2 minutes longer, scraping down the side of the bowl again if needed. Using a rubber spatula and giving the bowl quarter turns, gently fold the egg whites into the batter until no traces of whites remain and the batter has lightened. Divide the batter evenly between the 2 prepared cake pans, smoothing the tops with the rubber spatula. Place the pans in the oven side by side. Place a large mixing bowl and electric mixer beaters in the refrigerator to chill.
Lemon curd filling spread over gluten-free lemon chiffon cake
Bake the cake layers until they are golden brown and the tops spring back when lightly pressed with a finger, 18-22 minutes. Transfer the cake pans to wire racks and let the cake layers cool for 5 minutes. Run a sharp knife around the edge of each cake layer and give the pans a good shake to loosen the cakes. Invert each layer onto a wire rack, then invert it again onto another rack so that the layers are right side up. Let the layers cool completely, about 20 minutes longer.
Meanwhile, make the filling and frosting. Measure 2/3 cup of lemon curd for the filling and set it aside in a small microwave-safe glass bowl. Pour the cream into the chilled mixing bowl. Using the refrigerated mixer beaters, beat the cream with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form, 3 minutes. Fold in the confectioners’ sugar and 1/4 cup lemon curd. Beat again at low speed until the lemon curd is incorporated, 30 seconds. Refrigerate the frosting until ready to use.
Lemon chiffon cake layers with lemon curd filling
To assemble the cake, place the glass bowl with the lemon curd for the filling into the microwave on high power for 10 seconds to warm it. Transfer one cake layer, right side up, to a serving plate. Spread the top with the warmed lemon curd. Place the second layer, right side up, on top of the first and frost the top and side of the cake with the lemon whipped cream frosting. Refrigerate the cake until time to serve.
Icing on the cake
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I couldn’t have been happier with the way this recipe turned out. It baked up beautifully. The layers easily came out of the prepared pans. They were light and fluffy. The filling was really good. The frosting wasn’t too heavy (much preferred as I am not a frosting or icing person!). And the birthday girl was totally thrilled with the end result. She said it was her favorite birthday cake…EVER! Just the right amount of citrus without overpowering the dessert. Cake perfection.
It seems daunting, but honestly, this recipe was easy to prepare and really, really delicious. Go ahead…try it.
The Celiathlete 