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I love chocolate. I did not always love chocolate. My love of chocolate came to me later in life, specifically ten years ago. I had just cut out gluten and I could not figure out what it was I was craving. All my life at parties and Halloween, I was the kid eating chips, not cake, not chocolate bars or candy bars. I had a salt tooth, never a sweet tooth. So you can imagine my surprise when I discovered that the craving that was driving my body up a wall was chocolate. I needed chocolate cake and I needed it asap. This gluten free chocolate cake recipe satisfies allllll of the cravings. It also is great for people who eat gluten- I promise, they won’t know the difference.

What do you need?

For the cake:

1. 1 cup of sugar
2. 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp all purpose flour
3. 3/4 tsp baking powder
4. 1 large egg
5. 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp cocoa powder
6. 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
7. 1/2 tsp sea salt
8. 1/2 cup sour cream (or greek yogurt)
9. 1/2 cup hot water
10. 3/4 tsp baking soda
11. 1/4 cup sunflower oil

For the icing:

1. 3/4 cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
2. 2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
3. 1/2 cup sour cream
4. 1/2 cup cocoa powder
5. 1/4 cup milk + dark chocolate (or bittersweet chocolate)
6. 1 tbsp vanilla

How do you make this gluten free chocolate cake recipe?

To make cake:

1. Set oven to 350°F
2. Take all of your dry ingredients and mix them together in a bowl. I like to use a whisk.
3. Add the rest of your ingredients.
4. Whisk together until there are no lumps.
5. Now, you can either make one 8inch cake and or you can use a mini loaf pan! I love the mini cakes because everyone gets their own cake. Either way, spray it with a nonstick spray.
6. Try to smooth is out so that it will bake evenly.
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes if you are using the 9 inch tin. If you are using the mini loaf pan, bake for 22 minutes.
8. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the middle. If the toothpick comes out clean, then you know it is ready.

How to make the icing:

This icing recipe is from the great Erin Jeanne McDowell. Her instructions are as follows:
1. Meanwhile, make the frosting: Add the butter to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the bowl from the electric mixer, and sift the confectioners’ sugar and cocoa into the bowl with the butter. Stir with a spatula a few times to incorporate slightly. Return the bowl to the mixer and beat on medium speed until smooth and uniform in color, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the sour cream and melted chocolate and mix on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the vanilla and salt and mix to combine.

You can read her entire recipe for Yellow Sheet Cake here.

Why should you make this gluten free chocolate cake recipe?

It is really such an easy recipe to put together and the taste is so good! It is so full of chocolate and the icing really just takes it over the top. I sold these cakes at my local farmers market and was told it was one of the best things my customer had ever eaten.

Looking for something similar?

Hagrid’s Cake click here
Carrot Cake click here
Orange Bundt Cake click here
Burnt Basque Cheesecake click here
Salvadorian Breakfast Cakes click here

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Candy Cane Cookies Recipe: A Perfect Holiday Cookie

I am not a big candy person. I love baked goods, pies, cakes, patisserie, you name it. Candy however, has never been my thing. On Halloween, I was the kid that would trade chips for candy. The one major exception to this rule is candy canes. A coffee chain in Canada is Second Cup and every winter they have the best Candy Cane Latte. These cookies fill me with nostalgia for that drink, but better than that, they satisfy my craving!

What do you need for this candy cane cookies recipe?

1. 1 1/4 cup gluten free flour (regular flour if you are not gluten free)
2. 1/3 cup good quality cocoa powder
3. 1 egg yolk (from large egg)
4. 1/2 tsp salt
5. 1 tbsp vanilla
6. 14 tbsp unsalted butter (room temperature)
7. 1 cup white sugar
8. 1/4 tsp baking powder
9. 1 cup sugar
10. 3/4 tsp peppermint extract

For the icing:

1. 1/2 cup milk chocolate & 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
2. 2-3 tbsp heavy cream
3. 2 tbsp unsalted butter

Topping:

Crushed Candy Cane

How do you make them?

1. You are going to whisk your flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl. While doing this, beat together your butter and sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer. Once it is light and fluffy (around 5 minutes) add the egg yolk, vanilla, and peppermint extract. Beat for 30 more seconds.
2. Pat the dough into the separate rectangles and cover with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes. If you take them out and they are not cold, put back in. * The dough can stay in the fridge wrapped for a few days if you want to make ahead.
3. Set your oven to 350°F. Line baking trays with parchment paper. Slice your cookies and line the trays with them. Place into the oven and bake for 20 minutes. They should have a bit of a darker color along the edge.
4. Remove from the oven, allow to cool for 10 minutes. Make the icing during this time. Melt the chocolate with the heavy cream and butter in a pot. Remove from the stove and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Drizzle cookies with icing and cover with candy cane!
5. You can eat these immediately, serve them, or store them in an airtight container in the freezer for weeks! The world is your cookie oyster.

Why should you make this recipe?

It is an easy recipe to put together and it is great because it is a 1:1 recipe. Easy to make gluten free for those who cannot eat gluten and just as easy for those who do! They are chewy, chocolatey, and delicious either way!

Looking for something similar?

Linzer Cookies click here
Sugar Cookies click here
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies click here
Tiramisu Sandwich Cookies click here
Peppermint Mocha Cookies click here

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How to make Pumpkin Pie

How to make pumpkin pie was a google search I did for the first time a few years ago. I did not grow up with pumpkin pie as a staple in my household. To be honest, the extent of my relationship with pumpkins was that I would carve them on Halloween and then we would part ways for the rest of the year. When I started my relationship with Josh, an American, it became clear that room would need to be made in our lives for pumpkin pie. I definitely feel that I was in the minority in that I felt it very strange that a savory item, pumpkin, became a sweet pie. Obviously now, I see the err in my ways and I present to you this delicious guide on how to make pumpkin pie! This recipe is a play off of Erin McDowell’s pumpkin pie recipe! I hope you love it.

What will you need for this recipe?

This recipe is broken into two parts for what you will need. You will need the ingredients for your crust and then the ingredients for your filling.

*If you want to make 1 pie crust use these measurements. If you would like to make mini pies by half a dozen, simply double.

For Crust:

1. 8 tablespoons (1/2 cup) cold butter (cubed)
2. 2 1/2 tbsp psyllium husk
3. 4 tbsp tapioca starch
4. 1 cup gluten free flour
5. 3-5 tbsp ice water

This filling is for one 9inch pie. If you are making mini pies, you will need to double the recipe (which I did). I made 14 mini pies, and then a crustless pie!

For the Filling:

1. 3 large eggs
2. 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
3. 1/2 cup granulated sugar
4. 1 tsp vanilla extract
5. 2 cups canned pumpkin puree
6. 2 teaspoons grounder cinnamon
7. 1 tsp ground ginger
8. 2 tsp pumpkin spice
9. 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
10. 1/2 tsp sea salt
11. 8 oz (1 cup) mascarpone cheese

How to make pumpkin pie?

Let us begin our how to guide!

1. You are going to make your crust! To make the crust: cube your butter and make sure the butter is cold. In your food processor, put your flour, tapioca flour, psyllium husk and pulse a few times. After add your butter and pulse until the butter looks like pea sized. Begin to pulse again and add one tablespoon of water at a time. Your dough will come together. Wrap with an eco-friendly sealer and place in the fridge for 30 minutes – an hour. In the photos I rolled mine out right away, but it really is better if you wait after chilling it.
2. Take the dough and place between two pieces of parchment paper and roll out. Form to your pie or tart pan.
3. Set the oven to 375°F. Use a fork to put some holes in the bottom of your crust. Place in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven while you make your filling.
4. Take your sugar and put in a bowl. Add the eggs and begin to whisk. Once they have been fully incorporated, add your pumpkin and spices. Once your mix is starting to look good, add the mascarpone cheese and continue to whisk!
5. Once your filling is all combined, add the mixture to your pie (or pies). Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes.
6. Once they are finished baking, they may still be a bit jiggly in the middle, and that is fine! They are to be placed in the fridge for 2 hours following their bake. When you are ready to serve, add some whipped cream, baked meringue, or, ice cream! Enjoy 🙂

Why should you follow this recipe on how to make pumpkin pie?

I hope you feel that is a comprehensive how to guide on the world of pumpkin pie! I did my best to include as much detail as possible as I know tackling something from scratch (or something you are simply unfamiliar with) can be daunting. I hope you give it a go and that you love it!

Looking for something similar?

Peach Tart click here
Pear and Frangipane Tart click here
Treacle Tart click here
Rhubarb Tart click here

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