Chocolate Cake with Coconut Cream Frosting

On 13 May, 2016, my son turned 10. In these 10 years we have seen so many phases of the life and we have to see many more. He was the only reason when I started GFCF diet and since then we had a lot of research on diet and health. My son loves the chocolate cake so I thought this time I will bake the chocolate cake on his birthday. He celebrated his birthday with his friends in the school.

Chocolate Cake with 3 types of frostings - Chocolate Coconut Cream Frosting, Vanilla Coconut Cream Frosting and Strawberry Coconut Cream Frosting

There was one time when I was working on sugar free recipes, so I was looking for different replacements for sugar. And then I posted my cake recipe - Sugar Free Vanilla Cake. This recipe used xylitol as a sugar substitute. The cake was also yummy and everybody's favorite. But somehow for some reasons, I used sugar in this chocolate cake. The recipe is almost same as my other cake, but modified to make it rich chocolate cake. And the main part of this cake are different Coconut Cream Frostings.

Sugar Free Vanilla Cake

Chocolate Cake 

3/4 cup Coconut Oil (softened)

3/4 cup Sugar

1/4 cup Cocoa Powder

1 cup Brown Rice Flour

1/2 tsp Xanthan Gum

3 Eggs

1 tbsp Gluten Free Baking Powder

Few drops Vanilla Extract

1 tbsp Coconut Milk

 

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Grease and flour (gluten free flour) 8-inch round cake pan.
2. Combine cocoa powder, brown rice flour, xanthan gum and gluten free baking powder in a medium size bowl.
3. In a separate bowl mix sugar and coconut oil in smooth mixture. Add eggs and beat the mixture into a smooth batter.
4. Add dry ingredients to the bowl and mix thoroughly until the mixture is smooth.
5. Pour the mixture into the cake pan. Bake it for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
6. Let it cool in the pan for few minutes, take the cake out from the pan and put it on the cooling rack.

Chocolate Cake

I used 3 types of frostings and decorated the cake for my son's birthday.

 

Chocolate Coconut Cream Frosting

 

1 cup Coconut Cream (I used Nutiva coconut manna / purée)

2 tbsp Cocoa Powder

1/8 cup Sugar

Few drops of Vanilla Extract

 

1. Microwave coconut cream for few seconds to soften it. 
2. Mix all the ingredients in the bowl.

Chocolate Coconut Cream Frosting

Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Coconut Cream Frosting

 

Vanilla Coconut Cream Frosting

 

1/2 cup Coconut Cream

1/4 cup Sugar

1/8 cup Coconut Milk

Few drops of Vanilla Extract

 

1. Microwave coconut cream for few seconds to soften it. 
2. Mix all the ingredients in the bowl.

Vanilla Coconut Cream Frosting

 

Strawberry Coconut Cream Frosting

 

1/2 cup Coconut Cream

1/4 cup Sugar

4-5 Strawberries

Few drops of Vanilla Extract

1. Purée the strawberries in the blender.
2. Microwave coconut cream for few seconds to soften it. 
3. Mix all the ingredients in the bowl.

Strawberry Coconut Cream Frosting

 

Applesauce Chocolate Chips Muffins

Applesauce muffins are my favorite. My son loves them and I put these muffins into his lunch box. I have developed this recipe from the recipe for muffins using regular flour. And few friends asked me to bake these muffins for their kids.

Ingredients

 

2 cups Brown Rice Flour

1 cup Xylitol

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup coconut oil

1 egg, beaten

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/8 cup chocolate chips

1/8 cup raisins

Method

1. Combine brown rice flour, cinnamon, ground cloves, baking soda, salt in the bowl. 
2. Put the oil and xylitol in separate bowl and mix it till it is creamy. Mix egg and applesauce till it is smooth.
3. Stir in dry ingredients and mix it till smooth batter.
4. Fold in the chocolate chips and raisins into the batter.
5. Fill lightly greased muffin cups ¾ full. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.

Buckwheat Flour Bread covered with sunflower seeds

I have written in my previous post Yeast Free Bread how I needed badly a good recipe for the yeast-free gluten free bread. My son was happy what I was baking and he was eating it happily. My family and friends were also happy but I was not satisfied. My breads were tasty enough but something was missing - texture and fluffiness like regular bread. Sometimes they were crumbly and sometimes they were too moist.
 

After a lot of research and experiment I have few successes and I have posted them on my Facebook page - GFCF Rasoi - Breakfast. And time to time my friends asked for the recipes. Now the time has come that I should share my recipes with GFCF Rasoi fans.
 

So I start with my favorite bread - Buckwheat flour bread covered with sunflower seeds. I like sunflower seeds on the bread but my son doesn't. He eats middle part and gives me sunflower seeds crust part.

Ingredients:

5/6 cups Brown Rice Flour

5/6 cups Buckwheat Flour

1/3 cup Tapioca Flour

1 tbsp Xanthan Gum

1 tbsp Baking Powder

1 tbsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Sea Salt

2 tbsp Coconut Oil

2 Eggs, slightly beaten

1-1/3 cups Water

1 tbsp Honey (Any sweetener)

1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

1/8 cup Sunflower Seeds

 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 8”X4” loaf pan, and coat with white rice flour. 
2. Combine dry ingredients except sunflower seeds in bowl and mix with electric beater for approximately 30 seconds.
3. Combine oil, water, eggs, apple cider vinegar and sweetener (honey), and add to dry ingredients with mixer on slow. Mix only until well combined. Mix 1/4 sunflower seeds into the batter.
4. Pour batter into prepared pan and spread remaining sunflower seeds on the batter. Smooth the batter with wet spatula and bake for 70 minutes. Test as for cake, with a toothpick. Should be golden on top and test dry in center.

Buckwheat Flour Bread covered with sunflower seeds

Sugar Free Vanilla Cake

"Yeast is the beast". Since 5 years, we are on GFCF diet successfully.  I used to bake breads, cakes, cupcakes, muffins and cookies for my son. My son had yeast issues but still I could not control his sugar intake as he loves sweet goodies. I tried several recipes by replacing sugar with stevia, honey, agave nectar, but was never successful. I tried xylitol first time and my recipe was perfect. Finally, I have recipe for sugar free vanilla cake.

 

Ingredients:

 

3/4 cup coconut oil

3/4 cup xylitol

1 cup brown rice flour

1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp flaxseed meal

3 eggs

1 tbsp. gluten-free baking powder

few drops vanilla extract

1 tbsp. coconut milk

 

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease and flour (rice flour) an 8-inch round or square cake pan.
2. Combine all the dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl.
3. Beat the eggs with coconut oil in a separate bowl. Mix the coconut milk and vanilla extract in the egg oil mixture.
4. Stir in the dry ingredients and mix it until it is a smooth batter.
5. Put the batter in the prepared pan and place the pan in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until just firm to the touch.

Banana Almond Cranberry Bread

Last whole week, we were traveling around North Carolina and South Carolina. Before going on the trip, I made sure that no food is left outside from the refrigerator to avoid spoiling. And also I didn't buy any food which we won't be able to use in next week and can't survive for one week. But I totally forgot about bananas.

Bananas were raw when we went. When we came back, the bananas got over ripe. Now what? No one was ready to eat over ripe bananas. I, myself, don't like to eat over ripe banana. So, what should I do? I thought about it and went through my recipes. I find the recipe for Banana Walnut Bread. I decided to use this recipe with some variations.

Banana Almond Cranberry Bread

Ingredients:

2 cups Brown Rice Flour

1-1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/4 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon

2 Eggs, beaten

2 cups mashed, ripe bananas

1 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Slivered Almonds
1/4 cup Dried Cranberries

Few drops of Vanilla Extract

1/2 cup Canola Oil

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray medium bread pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Combine dry ingredients except sugar in a small bowl.
3. Mix other eggs, banana, sugar, vanilla extract and oil in a large bowl.
4. Add dry ingredients and mix it to make a smooth batter. Pour the batter into the pan.
5. Bake for an hour or until a toothpick comes out clean.
6. Cool for a few minutes before removing from pan and then cool on a wire rack.

Banana Walnut Bread

Banana Walnut Bread - Behind is the bread machine

One day I saw a recipe for Gluten Free Banana Walnut Bread on internet, and wanted to try it. This recipe uses Bread machine. My hubby also told me that he likes Banana Walnut Bread. But he used to eat the regular Banana Walnut Bread, not Gluten Free. So, I decided that I should give a try.

Yes, that was yummy. That was definitely delicious. Everyone liked the bread, even my both kids. And it was all finished in 2 days only.

But there was one ingredient which I wanted to avoid - yeast. So, I again tried to find another good recipe for GFCF Banana Walnut Bread. I found a recipe - Gluten Free Dairy Free Banana Bread from 'Book of Yum'  I tried that recipe. It was good. I modified the recipe according to our taste & also to make Banana Walnut Bread. So, here is the recipe. I hope you all will like this.

Ingredients:

2 cups Brown Rice Flour or Gluten Free All Purpose Flour

1/2 cup chopped Walnuts, toasted (See below)

1-1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/4 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon

2 Eggs, beaten

1-1/2 cups mashed, ripe bananas

1 cup Sugar

Few drops of Vanilla Extract

1/2 cup Canola Oil

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray medium bread pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Combine dry ingredients except sugar in a small bowl.
3. Mix other eggs, banana, sugar, vanilla extract and oil in a large bowl.
4. Add dry ingredients and mix it to make a smooth batter. Pour the batter into the pan.
5. Bake for an hour or until a toothpick comes out clean.
6. Cool for a few minutes before removing from pan and then cool on a wire rack.

Toasted Walnuts - Place the walnuts on a cookie sheet and bake them at 350 F for 15-20 minutes. 

Cooked Daal Pancake

Since I have used greens in my Green Pancake, I became very comfortable and started to hide greens in most of the food. I try to use veggies everywhere - khichdi, parantha, dosa, pancake, bread, muffins, pasta. I make very little pieces, sometimes I puree them and use in the recipe. Last weekend, I made Zucchini Bread (Still I have to be perfect). Then I put veggies in khichdi.

Yesterday, I made moong Paalak Daal (Spinach in mung bean). Tanay ate it happily. But, Tanishk didn't eat much. He doesn't eat vegetables because of the texture. He didn't like spinach leaf stuck on his teeth.

Next day, I mean today, it is leftover. I thought that Tanishk should eat it. I got an idea. I made Green Pancake once again, but with the leftover daal. Believe me, it was very very tasty. I hope Tanishk will like it. 

Moong Daal Palak Cheela (Cooked Daal Pancake)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Brown Rice Flour

1/4 cup Moong Daal Palak Puree (Blend Daal in the blender)

1/4 cup Milk (Any dairy free milk)

Salt to adjust as daal has already salt & spices

1/2 tsp Oil

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients except oil till smooth batter. Add some water if needed.
2. Heat the tawa and place 1 spoon batter on tawa & spread it like dosa. Use oil to cook it.
3. Cook it until both sides are brown.
4. Serve warm with any jam, jelly or syrup. Makes 4 pancakes.

Buckwheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup Brown Rice Flour
1 cup Buckwheat Flour
¼ cup Tapioca Flour
1½ tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Salt
1 cup Canola Oil
¾ cup granulated Sugar
¾ cup Brown Sugar (packed)
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
½ tsp Water
2 Eggs
12 oz package (2 cups) Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips
1 cup of Chopped Nuts

Method:

1. Sift together (or stir very well) all the flours, baking powder, and salt: set aside.
2. Combine the oil, sugars, vanilla and water and beat until creamy. Add the eggs into the creamed mixture; beat until well blended.
3. Gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing well. Stir in semi-sweet chocolate chips and any optional chopped nuts.
4. You can mix with an electric mixer or by hand. Dough will be thick. Roll between hands forming roughly 1-inch balls, or drop by spoonfuls, onto a greased cookie sheet.
5. Bake at 375 degrees F for 10-12 minutes. May be done in 10 minutes or less depending on oven and type of cookie sheet. Cookies will be light brown on bottom and top. Loosen with spatula when warm out of the oven (cookies will be soft).
6. Cookies become more hard and crunchy once they cool. Keep well in a covered container. Can also be frozen.