Banana Cake (GF, TMX)

I've been searching for the perfect Banana Bread recipe for years, with no luck. This is not banana bread (alas) but is the best banana cake recipe I've ever had!

Modified to gluten free from Trudy's recipe.


115g butter
190g Gluten free Self Raising Flour
150g brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon bi-carb soda
3-4 over-ripe bananas
2 eggs
50g milk
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Insert the butterfly whisk.
Cream the butter and sugar - whisk at speed 4 until creamy (approx 1 min), stopping once or twice to scrape down sides of TM with spatula.
Add eggs and chopped bananas, whisk till mixed (approx 10 secs). Scrape sides of TM
Add flour, milk, vanilla & bi carb, whisk at speed 3 until combined. Scrape down sides of TM
Spoon mixture into greased and lined tin (I use 20cm ring tin).
Bake approx 40 mins 180C or until skewer inserted in the centre of cake comes out clean.

Flourless apple & lemon cake (GF, TMX)

well, this is not a recipe (yet) as i didn't measure anything when i made it! next time i will write it up i promise!

however i just wanted to report in that I made this after a facebook friend gave me the link, and it was delish!!!!!

i reduced the amount of sugar to 2/3 cup (could possibly reduce to 1/2 cup) and used 2 apples.

basically i ground the chickpeas and added all the ingredients except the apples and mixed on speed 8 until smooth. then added the apples and chopped them on speed 5-6 until i couldn't hear any more big chunks in there.

YUM!

Quick Strawberry Cake (GF, TMX)

Rora wanted strawberry cake but all the recipes i'd used before, and those i could find, used nuts (our school is nut free) except those with jello / jelly. I had an unopened packet of jelly in the pantry without a box which i thought was probably strawberry or something like it, and one last packet cake box, so decided to go with that.

I started with this recipe but changed it to suit - i couldn't see why a recipe with a packet cake AND jelly would need more sugar! I also didn't have any strawberry puree, only frozen berries (fresh frozen by me for smoothies, but still frozen). the packet cake mix i had was the Basco Vanilla Cupcakes mix.

around 8 medium - large hulled Strawberries
1 box of Gluten Free cake mix
1 box of Strawberry Jelly mix
4 Eggs
110g Oil

place whole strawberries in the thermomix and "puree" for 60 seconds on speed 6, 90'

dump everything else in and mix until lump free (around 10 secs, scrape down, 10 secs)

place into muffin tray - makes 12 large muffins and bake at 160'c for around 20 minutes or until firm to touch

I will probably use the frosting pack to make some frosting to go on top later

super easy and the kids loved them! even if they aren't exactly health food ;)

Zucchini (& Pear) Cake (GF, TMX)

Based on my carrot cake recipe, this is easy and delicious. if you don't have any super-ripe pears to use up just use apple sauce, or up the amount of oil & sugar to the amounts in the brackets.


2 medium-large zucchinis, washed and chopped into 1" chunks
60g walnuts (optional)

130g (210g) brown sugar
130g (210g) rice bran oil
2 very ripe pears, cut off the core (or 160g apple sauce)
3 eggs
1/2 tspn salt
1 heaped tspn baking soda (bicarb)
1 heaped tspn gluten free baking powder
1 heaped mixed spice
240g gluten free plain flour (or 80g each of maize, and brown rice flour, and tapioca starch)

place wanlnuts in bowl, chop on speed 3-4 for approx 5-10 seconds, place in small bowl

place zucchini & pear in thermomix, chop on speed 5 for approx 10-15 seconds

add sugar and oil and combine on speed 4 for approx 10-15 seconds. scrape sides down, add applesauce and mix on speed 4 for another 10-15 seconds.

add eggs and mix on speed 4 for 5-10 seconds

add dry ingredients and mix on speed 4 for around 20 seconds until lump free

add in walnuts if using and mix on reverse speed 2 for 5-10 seconds

pour into a greased cake tin and bake in a mod. slow oven 160-180'c (325-350'F) for 1 hour.

Neapolitan Cake!

Isn't it fun! I even finally changed the pizza pic to use this cake! hehe

inspired by isi's zebra cake I decided to make a 3 colour one. I was too lazy to use her recipe so i just used the marble cake recipe from the EDC, with extra milk. to one third of the mix i added a little cochineal and some strawberry essence. the cake is very mild tasting though, and nice with less sugar.

the kids are still out (10 pin bowling with Geoff & my SIL) but I can't wait to see their faces! dessert tonight i believe!

I think I might make this cake for Rora's birthday, instead of cupcakes!

Got Stale Cake? (GF, TMX)

Last Wednesday I made a double batch of gluten free chocolate patty cakes (cupcakes) being one of the few things my whole family will eat (bar me ;))

quite a few got eaten but there were still a LOT left. we took them to a friend's on thursday morning where a handful more got eaten and then I didn't get home til 7pm that night, and they sat in the back of the car for hours before getting home. Gluten free cakes don't stay fresh at the best of times so i knew no one would want these after all that.

They sat in their container waiting to be thrown out. waiting. waiting. and waiting. Eventually today i decided that surely there must be something i could do with them instead of just tossing them (and bakerella's cake pops hadn't excited me all that much when we made them last). so after a bit of googling this is what i made. it was a huge hit :D

Stale Cake 'Stuff'

stale gluten free chocolate cakes - 1 whole cake or around 15 patty cakes
600g milk
40g white rice flour
60g brown sugar
2 eggs
20g butterscotch liqueur (plus extra for soaking if you are making an adult dessert)
strawberry sauce (optional *)

place the cakes in the thermomix, and chop on speed 5 until nicely crumbled, place in a bowl. if using extra liqueur add it now and mix well

place the rest of the ingredients (except strawberry sauce) into thermomix and cook 7 minutes 90' speed 4

place a layer of cake crumbs (around 6mm) on the bottom of a round glass dish (approx 20cm across). top with a gently poured layer of custard.
repeat crumbs, top with strawberry sauce if using, then repeat custard.
repeat crumbs and custard, then top with a final thinner layer of crumbs.

you could also top with grated chocolate or sifted cocoa

leave it to sit for around half an hour (or refridgerate if you want to have it cold) and serve.

* i didn't use the sauce as 2 of my family wouldn't have eaten it then, but i think it would go wonderfully.

Butterscotch Almond Cake (GF, TMX)

based on this recipe - yes I'm fete cooking again :) so far I've made a batch of vanilla cupcakes, chocolate cupcakes and this recipe. might do something else but hopefully it should be enough!

notes from the original recipe:

This cake is big (very big!) and beautiful and is, IMO, better the next day (or when cooled at least), as that gives the butterscotch flavour a chance to develop.

It's very good as a dessert cake (with a dollop of cream), also freezes well. Keeps well for a few days due to the amount of butter.

BUTTERSCOTCH ALMOND CAKE

Serves 16

140g almonds
375g softened butter, chopped
410g Gluten free SR flour
320g brown sugar (light brown sugar, not dark brown sugar)
6 eggs
55g honey
320g milk

Preheat oven to 140C. You'll need one large cake tin, or several smaller ones.

Place almonds in the tmx bowl. Make into meal by chopping for 30 seconds speed 8

Add all other ingredients and mix by starting on speed 4 and turning up to speed 5 over 30 seconds. scrape sides down and mix on speed 5 for another 5 seconds.

Pour into tins and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour, 15 minutes or until skewer inserted in middle comes out clean (cover cake with foil if over-browning during cooking.) Check after 1 hour

Let cake cool before cutting it or turning it out.

Serve with thickened cream.

Enjoy!

Recipe is from SuperFood Ideas, August 08.

Strawberry Cake (GF, TMX)

Making a few changes from this recipe I made a delicious cake - even though I halved the sugar I still found it so sweet I'd call it a cake not a bread. Plus I"ll be tempted to put even less sugar in next time.

1 punnet (around 250g) hulled strawberries
490g gluten free plain flour *
1 tsp. bicarb soda
good pinch salt
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. vanilla essence
200g sugar (forgot to weigh this sorry, have guestimated)
4 eggs
200g grapeseed oil


place strawberries in thermomix bowl and chop gently on speed 4 for a few seconds. remove from bowl.

add all other ingredients and mix on speed 4 until just mixed. add strawberries and mix through on reverse speed 2-3 until mixed in without being chopped more.

bake at around 180' for 35-45 mins (i made 2 smallish loaves and mine were done in around 30-35 mins)

* I make my own using the recipe in the Gluten Free Wheat Free cookbook

Gluten Free Chocolate Cake (TMX)

based on the Apple Tea Cake recipe this is SO quick and easy and the kids loved it!


Butter (60g)
Milk (200g)
Egg (1)
Vanilla Essence (half teaspoon)
Gluten free plain flour * (190g)
gluten free baking powder * 2 tspns
Raw Sugar (100g)
Pinch Salt
1 tablespoon Cocoa

Preheat oven to moderate and grease your cake tin (I made patty cakes, the traditional sort ;))

Melt butter in tmx bowl for 2 mins, 90 degrees, speed 1.

Add milk, vanilla essence and egg. Mix for 5 seconds on speed 7.

Add flour, baking powder, cocoa, sugar and salt. Mix for 10 seconds, speed 5.

Tip half batter into tin and bake for 30-35 minutes. (patty cakes took about 15 mins)

* I make my own using the recipes in the Everyday cookbook and the Gluten free wheat free cookbook.

Apple Tea Cake (GF, TMX)

Last week I made this cake for my parents and as i managed to snaffle a piece i will say it was delicious!!!! i did make some minor changes to the original recipe - including being gluten free. it was soooooo moist and just beautiful, and i am not a tea cake lover! Mum also raved about it - so give it a try!


Butter (60g)
Milk (200g)
Egg (1)
Vanilla Essence (half teaspoon)
Gluten free plain flour * (190g)
gluten free baking powder * 2 tspns
Raw Sugar (100g)
Pinch Salt
4-6 small - medium golden delicious apples, cored and cut into 8 pieces
Cinnamon and sugar extra

Preheat oven to moderate and grease your cake tin

Place apple in tmx bowl and chop for 10-20 seconds speed 4. remove from bowl, mix with extra cinnamon and sugar and set aside.

Melt butter in tmx bowl for 2 mins, 90 degrees, speed 1.

Add milk, vanilla essence and egg. Mix for 5 seconds on speed 7.

Add flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Mix for 10 seconds, speed 5.

Tip half batter into tin and sprinkle half the apple mix across the cake. pour the remaining batter over and give it a gentle stir with a knife. Place the remaining apple mix evenly over the cake.

Bake for 30-35 minutes.

* I make my own using the recipes in the Everyday cookbook and the Gluten free wheat free cookbook.

Lesson learned...

I make my Whole Orange Cake as often using lemons as I do using oranges, so this time I decided it would be great made with mandarins - i much prefer eating mandarins! so i bought some nice large clementines (I think, the firm ones) and used them this afternoon. Only to end up with a cake that was just too bitter - yes, even with all that sugar in it. none of us liked it. Not to mention it was much more fiddly getting the mandarins ready (they were full of tough white membranes I had to cut out, as well as heaps of seeds. so lesson learned, mandarins are OUT!

Ryan's birthday party

didn't go exactly according to plan food-wise, as i had been so sick before-hand (really only came good on the friday). here is what i was planning and here is what we ended up with, i wanted it to be as close to gluten free as possible:

• mini frankfurts (aldi american hot dogs cut into 3 pieces each)
• mini sausages (what are they called? these were the peppercorn brand ones)
• cheese sticks (the aldi brand)
• cherry tomatoes
• some fruit (the kids ate 2 full platters of cut up fruit!)
• fairy bread (i made a loaf of GF breadmaker bread but it was a disaster so we ended up with a gluten and a GF version) with GF sprinkles / 100's & 1000's (they also had all natural colours)
  

• nachos & pumpkin soup for grownups

• a GF caramel mud cake (this did not work well - it tasted nice but was as hard as a rock. well, nearly) for the birthday cake with a wall-e topper and some GF candy-coated mini choc chips (Blackwood brand)
  
• and (phew) huge GF cupcakes with a buttercream frosting and jelly crystals (which have virtually no colour so kind of pointless!)

afterwards i put out some Woolies "Free From" brand plain chips and some of the aldi twisties for the kids to eat. I had a stash of lollies but by the time we'd handed out chocolate freddoes and GF lollypops as prizes for various games, as well as the size of the cupcakes! I decided they'd had enough sugar ;)

The day before his birthday he had taken pattycakes to school - his request was carrot cakes and while i thought the kids would not be keen apparently they went down a treat, after his teacher told them they had baby carrots in them LOL they were topped with buttercream frosting and sprinkles (not gluten free as we didn't have any at home, just for school)

still can't believe my boy is 6!!!

Gluten Free Chocolate Cake recipes

I posted on eb and asked for some chocolate cake recipes as my kids love it (but I don't). here are the ones that were shared. so far I've only made Kerry's (it came out a little dry for me, probably my silly oven, but the kids love it anyway). going to try another today for a playdate this afternoon...

Kerry's GF Chocolate Cake

125g butter (i use dairy free)
1/2 cup of sugar
3/4 teaspoon of vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups SR GF flour (white wings i use)
1/3 cup of milk (soy milk)
1 tablespoon of cocoa

Mix butter , sugar and vanilla beat in one egg at a time
Add flour and milk alternately beat until smooth. Bake in 180 oven for about 30 mins or until springy

I have also changed it taken out the cocoa and added cinnamon and apple and it makes the yummiest apple cinnamon cake sprinkle a bit of cinnamon sugar on top before you bake it.

Sarita's Chocolate Cake
Gluten free, soy free, egg free, dairy free. The cornflour can be replaced with arrowroot or potato flour.

Makes one 24 cm cake

Preheat the oven to 190 C

Line a tin with baking paper.

½ cup boiling water (125 ml)
35 gm cocoa or 35 grams of carob powder
90 grams butter, nuttelex or margarine
220 grams sugar
6 tbps of apple sauce
80 grams ground almonds
80 grams rice flour
40 grams brown rice flour
40 grams maize cornflour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp guar gum or xanthan gum

Add the carob or cocoa to the boiling water. Leave to cool.

Beat the margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Then add the apple sauce. The mixture will look curdled but that won’t affect the cake’s taste or texture.

Sift the flours, baking powder and gum together.

Add the cooled water and carob/cocoa mixture and beat. Add almonds.
Beat in the flours.

Pour into tin. Bake for 40 minutes. Cool in tin.

Carrot Cake, the gluten free version (TMX)

I've just slightly updated this from the original thermomix recipe with a few changes including weights for everything i could!!! nothing drives me crazier than thermomix recipes i have to use cups to measure for lol (and yes, i have been a culprit too ;))

BRAZEN'S GLUTEN FREE THERMOMIX CARROT CAKE

170-190g carrot, chopped into 1" chunks
60g walnuts

130g sugar
130g oil (I use grapeseed)
160g applesauce (make in thermo, I freeze mine in small portion-sized containers)
3 eggs
1/2 tspn salt
1 heaped tspn baking soda (bicarb)
1 heaped tspn gluten free baking powder
1 heaped cinnamon or mixed spice
240g gluten free plain flour


place carrot in thermomix, chop on speed 5 for approx 10-15 seconds. remove.
place wanlnuts in bowl, chop on speed 4 for approx 10-15 seconds, place in bowl with carrot.

place butterfly in thermo.
combine sugar and oil on speed 4 for approx 10-15 seconds. scrape sides down, add applesauce and mix on speed 4 for another 10-15 seconds.
reduce speed to 2 and add eggs one at a time through top and beat till smooth.
add dry ingredients and mix on speed 2 for around 10-15 seconds.
add in carrots and mix on speed 2 for 5-10 seconds.

pour into a greased cake tin and bake in a mod. slow over 160-180'c (325-350'F) for 1 hour.

Rora's "Pink" Cake (GF, TMX)

rora wanted a "pink" cake yesterday, so lacking any cochineal or anything else to make a cake pink i decided to go with strawberries, even though the last time i attempted a strawberry cake it was awful!

well this one was NOT awful! it was divine! too much sugar for me, and next time i will add 2 punnets of strawberries, but this is a definite keeper :)

from the Lucullian Delights blog and her Ricotta and Almond cake

Strawberry, Ricotta and Almond cake (gluten free)

100 g whole almonds
1-2 punnets (around 200-400g) hulled & halved strawberries
75 g butter
3 eggs
2oog sugar (* next time i will try 150g)
125 g ricotta
100g brown rice flour
few drops of cochineal, optional :)

place almonds in bowl and chop at speed 6 until almonds become meal. (sorry i have mine already ground so can't remember how long! maybe 40-60 seconds?) remove and place in another bowl

add strawberries and chop at speed 6 for 1-5 seconds until finely chopped and slightly pureed

add chopped butter and mix for 1 minute on speed 4 90'c

add in eggs and sugar and mix on speed 4 for 5 seconds

add ricotta and brown rice flour, mix on speed 4 for 5-10 seconds or until well mixed.

pour into a lined, greased tin and bake at 180'c for 25-35 mins. serve with a dollop of fresh thick cream.


this would be lovely for dessert or a decadant afternoon tea (it is very rich, moist and sweet)

Banana, Yoghurt & Blueberry Cake

this cake was delicious! i was asked if i'd bought it ;p (thanks girls, your cheque is in the mail ;)) but it was lovely and moist like a cafe cake. it didn't rise a lot and i think that helped. it doesn't have a really strong banana flavour and the blueberries were a delicious extra touch.

next time i'll try a gluten free version (even though rory's not much interested in cake)

originally from taste, and with non-thermomix instructions there :)

125g butter or margarine
175g caster sugar
2 eggs
2 very ripe bananas
200g plain yoghurt
200g (1 1/3 cups) plain flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 - 1 punnet fresh blueberries

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 22cm springform pan and then line the base with non-stick baking paper.

Mix butter or margarine and sugar in thermomix until pale and creamy - i used speed 4, scraping down a few times and it took maybe a minute, probably less.

turn speed down to 2 and add eggs one at time through the lid.

Remove lid and add in yoghurt, flour and baking powder, mix on speed 4-6 for 10-20 seconds (until the flour is well mixed through).

Add (whole peeled) bananas and mix reverse speed 4 for approx 10 seconds until they stop sounding "chunky"

remove bowl from thermomix and use a spatula to mix the blueberries through. Pour into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for 40-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven. Stand for 5-10 minutes then remove cake from pan and place it on a wire rack to cool.

just before eating sift some icing sugar over it. serve on its own or with a dollop of double thick cream

photo tomorrow :)

random links

i need to clear out my bloglines and i don't have the time or patience to put these into my othe rlinks posts, so just posting the lot here! thanks to all those who've shared these yummy recipes!

apple pie

black & white chocolate bark

Eggnog Bread Pudding with Bourbon Cranberries

Mocha Sandwich Cookies

Chocolate Covered Homemade Marshmallows

Sour Cream and Green Onion Biscuits

CrockPot Chai Tea Latte Recipe

CrockPot Roasted & Spiced Nuts Recipe

Asian Coleslaw

Hummingbird Cake Recipe

Capsicum and Tomato Relish Recipe

Pasta alla Vodka

Polenta Casserole with Fontina and Tomato Sauce

Sauteed Kale with Smoked Paprika

curried pork empanadas

vietnamese baguettes

caramelized onion dip

brown butter brown sugar shorties

pie crust 102
pie crust 103

parmesan grissini (tmx)

Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffeecake
cream cheesecoffee cake
Chili Cheese Souffle
Spiced Apple Cider
French Breakfast Puffs
Strawberries and Brown Sugar Cream

garlic cheese biscuits (scones)

peanut butter pinwheels

mexican meatball soup with rice & coriander

wheat-free banana loaf

white chocolate holiday bark

cranberry cinnamon rolls

lemon shortbread
brown sugar shortbread

sweet & sour grilled pumpkin

buttermilk cranberry scones

sweet potato biscuits with bacon and thyme (scones)

rosemary garlic sweet potato fries

panforte (tmx)

Bandh Gobhi Massallam (a whole cabbage smothered in a nutty curry and baked until tender)

Mughlai-style Indian tomato soup

Lasuni Dal Palak (daal)

Dahi Wale Aloo (potatoes)

Links - Sweets (cakes, slices, pancakes etc) #3

first lot of links
second lot of links

apple pancakes

big batch banana trail mix bread

buttermilk sweet potato pie

chocolate almond bars

chocolate cheesecake brownies

chocolate cream pie (aka chocolate bavarian pie)

pumpkin pie with pecan crumble topping

sweetened condensed milk cake

buttermilk lemon bars

lemon cupcakes filled with lemon curd

lemon torte

sweet potato muffins

Mandarin cranberry bread

apple fig & walnut bread

chewy chunky blondies

lime yoghurt cake

snickerdoodle blondies

ginger cherry chocolate chip bars

Blueberry Cake

oh gosh, i shouldn't have had a piece (which fitted into my ww plan) as now i want more more more!! lol

this is very nice - moist, not too sweet or rich and the blueberries i put in mine are DIVINE!

i used this recipe from Taste.

so far today... (Fete baking)

carrot cake
fruit cake (in the oven and a second batch cooling)
whole lemon cake
whole orange cake

still to come...
butterscotch almond cake
date slice

plus mum & dad are coming for dinner. on the menu:
chicken tikka masala
a vegie dish of some sort
spinach & potato dish
a simple daal
naan
and rice

i think i should probably go get out of my pj's have a shower, and brush my teeth soon though ;)