Have your (gluten free) cake and eat it, too! My Little Chef made those candy hearts and shared some to accent my cake! Love!
February. Hearts, flowers...LOVE! Don’t you feel it in the air?? I do!
I’m sharing the love with YOU all month long with 4 more weeks of all-new heavenly gluten free recipes and information. I want to help you love and appreciate your gluten free lifestyle more each and every day!
You know by now there’s more to special diets here at GlutenFreeGigi.com than simply omitting an offending food. Just as I did before eliminating gluten (and dairy, soy, and nuts) from my diet, I continue to take a "lifestyle" approach to health, focusing on nutrition as fundamental to long-term wellness.
That doesn't mean there isn't room for favorite foods like cake! Foods we love need not be left behind, even on our healthy gluten free diet.
The cake recipe makeover I'm sharing with you today is a great example of how our favorite dishes, even decadent sweets, can fit into a healthy gluten free diet.
Pat, a member of our Gluten Free Community, sent in a note along with a coconut cake recipe her mother used to make. Pat wanted to enjoy her mom's cake again, but needed it converted to gluten free. The cake was full of flaked sweetened coconut, baked in a tube pan, and drenched in a coconut-flavored syrup after baking. Yum! No wonder Pat wants to be able to enjoy this heavenly cake again!
I wanted to give Pat's special cake recipe a real makeover. Instead of simply substituting my gluten free flour blend for wheat flour and using a dairy free product for the margarine called for, I kept those of us with multiple food allergies in mind and even managed to add a bit of nutrition!
Now, thanks to Pat, all of us can enjoy a gluten free version of her mom's wonderful cake that's a little healthier, too!
Pat, a member of our Gluten Free Community, sent in a note along with a coconut cake recipe her mother used to make. Pat wanted to enjoy her mom's cake again, but needed it converted to gluten free. The cake was full of flaked sweetened coconut, baked in a tube pan, and drenched in a coconut-flavored syrup after baking. Yum! No wonder Pat wants to be able to enjoy this heavenly cake again!
I wanted to give Pat's special cake recipe a real makeover. Instead of simply substituting my gluten free flour blend for wheat flour and using a dairy free product for the margarine called for, I kept those of us with multiple food allergies in mind and even managed to add a bit of nutrition!
Now, thanks to Pat, all of us can enjoy a gluten free version of her mom's wonderful cake that's a little healthier, too!
Smooth texture indistinguishable from the gluten-filled version!
You may be wondering, why bother with a recipe makeover in the first place? With so many pre-packaged gluten free baked goods and mixes available, it may seem easier to turn to one of them instead of baking for yourself.
But, before reaching for that box of pre-packaged gluten free cake mix, consider this:
But, before reaching for that box of pre-packaged gluten free cake mix, consider this:
- Most gluten free baking mixes, even those using all-natural and organic ingredients, use white rice flour, which is stripped of nutrients in processing.
- Sugar is the first ingredient in nearly half the gluten free cake and cookie mixes on the market. Those so-called "better for you" brands are the ones where this was the case more often than not!
- Other allergens are often present, either as (1) a primary ingredient, (2) as a cross-contamination risk, or (3) hidden in other ingredients.
For example, some mixes use nut-based flours (like almond flour) or soy flour. It definitely adds nutrition, but for individuals with a nut or soy allergy (or both, like me!), those mixes are off limits, reducing options.
Nuts and soy are also common risks for cross-contamination due to shared processing equipment or their presence in manufacturing facilities.
Another common hidden allergen is corn, which can be found lurking in ingredients like baking powder (click here to read my post on baking powder vs. baking soda), xanthan gum (click here to read my post on xanthan gum), and pure vanilla powder (often dried on maltodextrin, which is a modified corn starch).
- Gluten free baking mixes are expensive! On average, a single box of gluten free cake mix costs $5 and only makes a single 9-inch cake layer (or 12 cupcakes)... That means you need 2 of them, totaling $10 for a single cake. That doesn't even count the frosting!
Now you're beginning to see why it really is worth doing this ourselves. And I'm here to help you!
Take a look at this delish, affordable gluten free cake recipe! It's a great example of incorporating the foods we love into our healthy gluten free diet.
- Sugar is the first ingredient in nearly half the gluten free cake and cookie mixes on the market. Those so-called "better for you" brands are the ones where this was the case more often than not!
- Other allergens are often present, either as (1) a primary ingredient, (2) as a cross-contamination risk, or (3) hidden in other ingredients.
For example, some mixes use nut-based flours (like almond flour) or soy flour. It definitely adds nutrition, but for individuals with a nut or soy allergy (or both, like me!), those mixes are off limits, reducing options.
Nuts and soy are also common risks for cross-contamination due to shared processing equipment or their presence in manufacturing facilities.
Another common hidden allergen is corn, which can be found lurking in ingredients like baking powder (click here to read my post on baking powder vs. baking soda), xanthan gum (click here to read my post on xanthan gum), and pure vanilla powder (often dried on maltodextrin, which is a modified corn starch).
- Gluten free baking mixes are expensive! On average, a single box of gluten free cake mix costs $5 and only makes a single 9-inch cake layer (or 12 cupcakes)... That means you need 2 of them, totaling $10 for a single cake. That doesn't even count the frosting!
Now you're beginning to see why it really is worth doing this ourselves. And I'm here to help you!
Take a look at this delish, affordable gluten free cake recipe! It's a great example of incorporating the foods we love into our healthy gluten free diet.
Celebrate you healthy gluten free lifestyle and LOVE it!
Gluten Free Coconut Cake
also dairy free, nut free, soy free
Note: have all ingredients except coconut milk at room temperature before beginning.
Cake
2 cups gluten free flour blend (see below*)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder (for corn free, use baking powder made with potato starch, or substitute 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda for each teaspoon baking powder)
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar (you may substitute coconut palm sugar)
1/4 cup oil (your choice, I used vegetable oil)
1/2 cup canned coconut milk (cream portion only)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut flavoring
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (I used So Delicious)
3 eggs (use prepared egg replacer to equal 3 large eggs for egg free cake)
1/2 cup unsweetened grated organic coconut (use 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut like in the original recipe if you prefer)
Preheat your oven to 350F. Lightly grease a tube pan.
This cake can be mixed with an electric hand mixer, but a stand mixer works best for the smoothest batter.
In your stand mixer, combine flour blend, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Turn mixer on "stir" for 1 minute.
Turn mixer off and add remaining ingredients all at once. (Don't you love gluten free baking because you can do this?!)
Thai Kitchen canned coconut milk.
This is the canned coconut milk. Chill the can (unopened) to make separating the cream from the liquid easier. The cream will rise to the top and be quite firm. Scoop it off and press into a 1/2-cup capacity measuring cup using the back of a spoon for accuracy. Click here to discover how to use leftover coconut cream and the liquid portion.
Turn mixer on "stir" for about 30 seconds. Increase speed to low for 1 minute, then to medium for a minute more.
Make sure the batter is smooth and there are no lumps. To be sure, you can scrape the bottom and/or sides of your mixing bowl. (If you scrape bottom or sides, give the batter another little mix on low for about 30 seconds to be sure everything is blended.)
Baked gluten free coconut cake, unfrosted.
Spoon batter into the prepared pan and bake for approximately 35-40 minutes, or until the cake rises and looks like this.
If you are using the Simple Syrup (see below), make it while the cake bakes because it needs 30 minutes to cool. When the cake is done, pour the syrup over the hot cake in the pan. Before doing so, place the pan on a foil-lined baking sheet with sides in case some of the syrup seeps out of the bottom of the tube pan. Allow the cake to sit until cooled so that it soaks up all the syrup. The resulting cake will be incredibly moist, so take extra care removing it from the pan!
If you use my Sticky Chocolate Glaze (see below), cool the cake in the pan completely. Carefully remove it from the pan and place it on a cake stand or serving plate. Spoon the glaze over the top of the cake, allowing it to run down the sides.
The cake can also be served plain if you prefer, or with your favorite gluten free frosting!
See recipes for syrup and glaze below.
*Gluten Free Gigi's Gluten Free Brown Rice Flour Blend
2 cups brown rice flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1/2 cup potato starch
1 1/2 teaspoons guar gum
Whisk to blend. This makes 3 cups of flour blend. You will use 2 cups for this recipe. Store the extra cup in an airtight container and use for another terrific gluten free recipe!
2 cups brown rice flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1/2 cup potato starch
1 1/2 teaspoons guar gum
Whisk to blend. This makes 3 cups of flour blend. You will use 2 cups for this recipe. Store the extra cup in an airtight container and use for another terrific gluten free recipe!
Simple Syrup for Gluten Free Coconut Cake
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
2 Tablespoons dairy free butter substitute, butter, or cream from can of coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon coconut flavoring
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Combine sugar and water over medium heat. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, stir in butter (or substitute) and flavorings. Stir and cool for 30 minutes before pouring over cake.
Sticky Chocolate Glaze
Dairy free, soy free, nut free, gluten free
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 Tablespoons coconut cream (from canned coconut used in cake)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch salt
2 to 4 Tablespoons plant milk (to thin mixture to glaze consistency)
Whisk sugar and cocoa powder together to smooth and get out any lumps. Stir coconut cream into sugar mixture. By using the back of a wooden spoon, you can press the coconut cream into the dry ingredients to make mixing easier. When the mixture resembles large, coarse crumbs, add vanilla, salt, and milk (a little at a time), and stir vigorously until glaze is smooth.
Spoon over the cake and store leftovers in the fridge in a sealed jar.
Extras make excellent ice cream topping!
Now, let's talk about the makeover...
No one would ever guess this cake is gluten free!
Instead of white rice flour in my flour blend, I opted for brown rice flour. Brown rice flour is a whole grain flour (the bran and germ are not removed as they are in white rice flour) and contains lots of B vitamins, fiber, protein, and antioxidants.
I reduced a cup of oil to 1/4 cup oil and 1/2 cup coconut milk cream (canned). Although the coconut milk cream is full of saturated fat, the lauric acid it naturally contains is known to elevate "good" (HDL) cholesterol, unlike other saturated fats. The coconut cream adds a richness to the flavor and a silkiness to the cake's texture, making for a very fine, smooth crumb.
The cup of milk was substituted with unsweetened coconut milk. With 1 cup of sugar, unsweetened coconut milk was a good choice. It has only 50 calories per cup, and is great way to enhance this cake with only a few calories... even if you aren't dairy free.
I reduced the salt by 1/2 teaspoon. A bit of salt enhances the sweetness of baked goods. I try to use as little salt as possible for the desired effect. One teaspoon was the perfect balance.
The original recipe did not call for eggs. I added 3 eggs because I knew the cake would need eggs for structure, leavening, and texture.
Instead of sweetened flaked coconut, which has added oils and sugar, I opted for less unsweetened organic grated coconut. The fine texture is better distributed in the cake than large flakes and you're left with pure coconut flavor with no extra sugar.
I also provided substitutions for baking powder for those who don't eat corn, and an egg free option, too!
All simple changes, but they add up!
This cake lends itself to lots of choices for a variety of food allergies, it's so simple to mix up, and it's much more affordable than any gluten free box mix you'll find. It really takes the (gluten free) cake!
I hope my tips and insight into transforming a favorite recipe are useful and help you create a gluten free version of YOUR favorite dish so you'll love living gluten free!
Thanks so much to Pat for sharing an amazing recipe and allowing me to create this gluten free delight for all of us!
~g~
Join me in the kitchen and try more of my gluten free recipes. Click here to see all of the recipes I have for you! Living gluten free tastes so good... you'll see!
To receive every new gluten free recipe right in your inbox each week along with my latest “A Side of Science” articles be sure to click here to SIGN UP for my FREE E-LETTER!
Up Next on GlutenFreeGigi.com!
Tuesday, you'll be "pretty in pink" with my healthy twist on a breakfast and snack time favorite! Don't miss this one... You may want to make extra to share with your Valentine!
Thursday, we'll continue to LOVE GLUTEN FREE LIVING with another informative "A Side of Science" full of information you can use immediately to make living gluten free more simple, affordable, healthy, and fun! Join me and feel the love!
My February Webinar is only 6 days away! If you're gluten free AND dairy free, or if you're gluten free and considering going dairy free, this webinar is for you! You won't believe what I did in the name of science and the results will SHOCK you! Click here to learn more about the importance of dairy free and my February Webinar!
Thursday, we'll continue to LOVE GLUTEN FREE LIVING with another informative "A Side of Science" full of information you can use immediately to make living gluten free more simple, affordable, healthy, and fun! Join me and feel the love!
My February Webinar is only 6 days away! If you're gluten free AND dairy free, or if you're gluten free and considering going dairy free, this webinar is for you! You won't believe what I did in the name of science and the results will SHOCK you! Click here to learn more about the importance of dairy free and my February Webinar!
Let's Connect!
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Please share in the “comments” section below!
Do you have Questions?
Click here to check out my ALL NEW FAQs and you might just find your answer!
If you don't find your answer in my FAQs, email me: mailbox (at) glutenfreegigi (dot) com.
I’m always happy to hear from you, but need to ask for your understanding and patience when it comes to responding. I receive lots of email these days, which I love, but it can be challenging sometimes to respond to each one. I answer as many of your questions as possible in my How-To videos and posts so everyone can benefit. Keep watching my videos and website for my answer to YOUR question!
Follow Along...
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You can also check out my boards on Pinterest and find out what I’m posting on Google+!
These are places I like to go have fun and share what’s going on in the Gluten Free Test Kitchen and in my HOME Kitchen!
I love following you, too! Make sure you let me know you’re out there!
Please share in the “comments” section below!
Do you have Questions?
Click here to check out my ALL NEW FAQs and you might just find your answer!
If you don't find your answer in my FAQs, email me: mailbox (at) glutenfreegigi (dot) com.
I’m always happy to hear from you, but need to ask for your understanding and patience when it comes to responding. I receive lots of email these days, which I love, but it can be challenging sometimes to respond to each one. I answer as many of your questions as possible in my How-To videos and posts so everyone can benefit. Keep watching my videos and website for my answer to YOUR question!
Follow Along...
On Twitter and "Like" me on Facebook!
You can also check out my boards on Pinterest and find out what I’m posting on Google+!
These are places I like to go have fun and share what’s going on in the Gluten Free Test Kitchen and in my HOME Kitchen!
I love following you, too! Make sure you let me know you’re out there!
~g~
Thanks for taking time to visit! Come back for my weekly recipe and how-to video posts on Tuesdays and useful "A Side of Science" articles on Thursdays. If you don't, I'll miss you!
My mission here at GlutenFreeGigi.com is to share my experience and knowledge to make gluten free living easy and accessible for everyone. I can help you navigate your gluten free life with ease and confidence because I understand how challenging it can be! Click here to learn more about who I am and my gluten free story.
I’m super-excited to have YOU here!
The journey's fantastic when you're sharing it with folks who have things in common... I'm glad you're sharing the gluten free journey with me!!
P.S. -- Click here to sign up for my free e-Letter so you don't miss a thing!
xo,
Gluten Free Gigi
My mission here at GlutenFreeGigi.com is to share my experience and knowledge to make gluten free living easy and accessible for everyone. I can help you navigate your gluten free life with ease and confidence because I understand how challenging it can be! Click here to learn more about who I am and my gluten free story.
I’m super-excited to have YOU here!
The journey's fantastic when you're sharing it with folks who have things in common... I'm glad you're sharing the gluten free journey with me!!
P.S. -- Click here to sign up for my free e-Letter so you don't miss a thing!
xo,
Gluten Free Gigi
Don't Take My Word for It... Check My Sources!
Mensink RP, et al. (May 2003). Effects of dietary fatty acids and carbohydrates on the ratio of serum total to HDL cholesterol and on serum lipids and apolipoproteins: a meta-analysis of 60 controlled trials. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 77 (5): 1146–1155.
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