Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cake

                      Peanut Butter Cake

I have seen this recipe on Pinterest many times, I really like peanut butter and so does most of my family so I decided to try it.  The first time I made it, it was GREAT, however; something happened to my pictures, so I had to make it again.  The second time I made this, I did however learn something.  The kind of peanut butter you use does affect your cake.  I used Skippy the first time, my go to brand, the second time I used an off brand and man was my cake OILY.  Also I think the peanut butter frosting is great but, I think it is a little bit of a peanut butter OVERLOAD; so I personally would make a Chocolate Ganache frosting for it next time.  Honestly, who doesn't love peanut butter and chocolate, except for my daughter and my sister, I just don't understand it!?  Try it either way, you can't go wrong.  Happy Baking, Natalie 

 Ingredients: This recipe originated from The Clever Housewife

-1/2 cup water

-2cubes butter

-1 cup Skippy Peanut Butter( I used chunky)

-2 cups sugar 

-2 tsp baking soda

-1 tsp baking powder

-1/2 tsp salt

-2 cups Pamela's Bread Flour

-1 tsp pure vanilla extract

- 2 large eggs

-1 cup buttermilk

 

   In a large bowl or mixer add baking soda, baking powder, salt,  and Pamela's mix into the bowl.  In a sauce pan add butter, peanut butter and water, bring to a boil and stir them together.  Once they have boiled turn it off and then add it to the mixed flour mixture.  When you add the two together mix well, then add vanilla, eggs and buttermilk,  scrape down the sides and mix well for 2 MINUTES ON LOW, if you don't it gives you air bubbles.  If you get air bubbles just pop them with a tooth pick, it tastes just the same.  The batter is thick, so just spread it into the bottom of the pan.

       Preheat your oven to 400 degrees, use a large cookie sheet, spray with Pam.  Bake for 23-25 min or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool on a wire cooling rack, then frost.

Frosting:

-1 cube of butter

-1/2 cup of peanut butter

-6 tsp milk( I used more to make it thinner)

- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

- 1 lb of powdered sugar( so half a bag of of a new 2 lb bag or 2 cups)  

  Put all of this in a pan, just re-use the same peanut butter pan from earlier.  Turn it on medium, melt the butter and peanut butter, then add the powdered sugar, and milk, STIR WITH A WHISK NOW, COOK ON LOW, IT WILL GET VERY THICK. THIS IS WHEN I ADDED MORE MILK TO THIN IT DOWN.  When you like the consistency pour it over the cake and spread.  Then enjoy !!!

 

Gluten Free Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

      As you probably know it is Zucchini season again, and I never want to let any of the fresh Zucchini to go to waste.  So my friend Niccole, who is also GF had this WONDERFUL recipe  that she loved to make when she wasn't GF and really wanted to enjoy this cake again.  So I put forth my best effort to convert this recipe for her and EVERYONE else, it is so DELICIOUS, and what a good way to get a vegetable into a treat and not have your children know!   There is no way your kids will even think about a vegetable being in this dessert, all they will see is chocolate goodness.  Thanks again Niccole, and thanks for tasting all of my desserts; even the not so good ones too!   I need to also say thanks to all of my neighbors who are NOT GLUTEN FREE , thank you all for being such good sports, and taste testing all of my Desserts  and giving me all of your input and taste buds.   Happy Baking,  Natalie  

  Ingredients-

-1 cup brown sugar

-1 cup granulated sugar

-1 TB pure vanilla extract

-1/2 tsp baking powder

-1 tsp salt

-2 tsp baking soda

- 1/3 cup cocoa( I use half dark/ half regular Hershey's unsweetened )

-3 large eggs

-1/2 cup butter milk

- 2 cups grated zucchini 

-2 3/4 cups Pamela's bread flour

-1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips Guittard (they are GF) 

        Preheat oven to 350 degrees, bake for 36-38 min or if poked with a toothpick in the center it comes out clean.  Use a large sheet pan 1x13x18, spray it with Pam cooking spray.  When the cake is poured in just smooth it to the sides with a spatula.  

 

 Mix all of the ingredients together in a mixer or large bowl,add the flour last, make sure and scrape the sides down.  Once you have added the flour, mix all of the ingredients on low for 2 minutes; if you don't it will make your cake have AIR BUBBLES for some strange reason.   Make sure and cool it completely before frosting.  I frosted my first cake with chocolate and the second one with cream cheese, I had people who liked both; I happen to like the cream cheese because of the contrast with the chocolate.  Either way, I hope just enjoy it!  I do have a cream cheese recipe post if you would like to try my recipe.

 

Gluten Free Chocolate Zucchini Surprise Cupcakes

Chocolate Zucchini Surprise Cupcakes

 

   When I was making a Chocolate Zucchini Cake recipe, my good friend Niccole gave me to convert to GF,  after I had converted it, I loved it so much I wanted to make it into a cupcake recipe too; it is FANTASTIC!  As we all know it is growing season and most people either have Zucchini coming out their ears, or family and friends who have that problem, and would love to drop some off at your house, so the question is what to do with it all.  In my world why not make a TREAT with it, I guarantee there will be no complaining about having Zucchini tonight, and with the surprise of caramel in the middle, you can't lose.  I hope you love this recipe, Natalie.

Ingredients:

 -1 cup brown sugar

-1 cup granulated sugar

-1 cup vegetable oil

-1 TBS pure vanilla extract

-1/2 tsp baking powder

-1tsp salt

-1/3 cup Hershey's Cocoa (I use half dark/ half regular unsweetened)

-2 eggs

-1/2 cup buttermilk

-2tsp baking soda

-2 cups grated zucchini

-2 3/4 cups Pamela's Bread flour

-1 package of caramels

- cupcakes liners

  Mix the sugars, oil, vanilla, baking powder, salt and  cocoa together.  Scrape the sides, then add eggs, buttermilk, soda, zucchini and scrape again, lastly add the flour.  Mix for 2 min on low.  Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to fill the cupcake, insert the caramel in the middle, don't push all the way to the bottom, then cover with a spoonful of batter.

     Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, bake for 30-33 min or until a toothpick comes out clean in the center, but don't push it down into the caramel.  Should make 26 cupcakes.

   

I have a really great Cream Cheese frosting recipe if you are wanting to frost it with that, just look under Cream Cheese frosting in my posts.

 

 

Cream Cheese Frosting

 Cream Cheese Frosting:

- 1 package room ( 8oz.) temperature cream cheese

- 1 cube butter(softened) 1/2cup

- 1 tsp real vanilla

- 4 1/2 - 5 cups powdered sugar( depending on how sweet you like it)

 -1 dash salt

 - milk as needed(or whipped cream, I love what it does!)

      Beat together the cream cheese and butter until creamy, then add vanilla, and salt.  Next add powdered sugar and mix together, add milk if it gets too thick.  Beat well.  I put a layer of frosting in the middle of the cakes, and then tops and sides.  If you want it to look really clean and nice, put wax paper underneath the cake, then pull it out when you are done and it will look like Martha Stewart did it( I learned the tip from her).  I make this recipe, it makes a lot, if I don't use it all I put it in a sealed container in the freezer and get it out for the next time I need to frost something, it works great when your in a hurry.    I hope you enjoy this recipe, let me know what you think. Natalie

Gluten Free Dark Chocolate Cheesecake

                  Dark Chocolate Cheesecake

  On my list of  FAVORITE desserts, Cheesecake is on the top of the list; there has been only one problem with this, ALL of the Cheesecakes have some form of Gluten in them.   Some recipes have flour in the batter, some in the mix-ins and all in the CRUST.  So I was bound and determined to find a recipe that was fabulous and then make the crust just as delicious, and easy.  I'm not going to lie, I have made a ton of Cheesecakes in my life and some have turned out and some have not.  So I sucked it up and bought a really nice pan from William Sonoma, and I am POSITIVE that is what made all of the difference in the world, my Cheesecake turned out perfect!!!  Better then any cake before, try it and see Natalie

 Ingredients:

Crumb crust-

-1 1/2 cups Annie's Homegrown Cocoa and Vanilla cookies (crushed) these are GF

-6 TB powdered sugar

-1/3 cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder

-1/3 cup melted butter

Cheesecake filling-

-24 oz. cream cheese softened( let them get up to room temp)

-14oz. sweetened condensed milk ( I used Eagle)

-12oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips  (melted)

-4 eggs 

-2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 300 degrees, and spray your 9 inch spring form pan.  Bake for 65 min or until the center is set.  When done cool it in the fridge while still in the pan for at least 4 hours, then you can take the pan off and it won't stick.

 

In a medium bowl combine cookie crumbs, cocoa,  melted butter and powdered sugar together.  Press it onto the bottom and  up 1/2 inch on the sides of the 9inch spring form pan.

Next in a large bowl beat cream cheese until smooth, then add in the sweetened condensed milk and beat until smooth, then add the remaining ingredients and mix well, make sure and scrape the sides down.  Pour into your prepared pan and bake

  This recipe originally come from the Eagle Brand web site

 

The little white specs are from frozen cream cheese, so don't use it, the taste is the same but the presentation is not as nice.