Harvest Day Cake and Maple Frosting

This cake is my hands down fall favorite, and I often choose it for my October birthday - even over chocolate!!   Steve's birthday was Monday, and we got to celebrate with the kids Tuesday night.  I am not surprised that this is what he chose for his cake.   This cake is very moist and dense and is a fanatastic spice type of cake.  I love pumpkin in absolutely anything, and this is no exception. The frosting recipe is amazingly simple - even after making Powdered Sugar in my Magic Bullet!   The maple is an amazing compliment for the pumpkin in the cake.  I'm sure it will become as requested in your house as it is in mine!

Harvest Day Cake

1 cup sorghum flour

1 cup all purpose gluten free flour blend***

½ cup tapioca starch

1 ½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. Hain Featherweight Baking Powder

1 ½ tsp. guar gum

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ground cloves

1 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. ground ginger

½ tsp. sea  salt

1 ¼ cups grapeseed or canola oil

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

3 Tbsp. flax meal combined with 9 Tbsp. hot water (let stand 5 minutes) **

1 can (15 oz) pumkin

¾ cup Craisins brand dried cranberries

¾ cup toasted chopped pecans

1.        Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease bottom and sides of “9x13” pan, or two 9” round pans.  Set aside.   Combine flours, baking powder and soda, spices, and xanthan gum in a medium bowl.  Set aside.

2.         Add oil and flax goo, and  mix for one minute.  Add sugars and beat another couple of minutes.  Add in pumpkin and flour mixture.   Stir in cranberries and pecans.  Pour into greased pans.

3.       Bake rectangular pan for 47-55 minutes, and rounds 38-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and center feels firm.   Cool on a wire rack.  When cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar or frost with Maple Frosting.

** May use 3 whole eggs instead of flax, or the equivalent of egg replacer

***Whole wheat or all purpose flours may be substituted for gluten free flours.

Maple Frosting

3 Tbsp. lard*

2 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/8 cup maple syrup**

Combine all ingredients in your mixer (I use my Kitchenaid) and whip until it reaches spreading consistency.  Sometimes I have to add 1/8 cup of additional maple syrup.

    * Instead of lard you may also use butter or shortening of choice

     **  Instead of maple syrup, you can use milk of choice

Linked to: Third Thursday Blog Hop , Gluten Free Fridays, Whole Intentions Weekend Whatever Linkup,            
LauraGluten Free Pantry Allergy Free Wednesdays
 

Super Power Muffins

I made these muffins as a combination of a few recipes, which of course I further modified to suit our family.  I sent a weeks worth to school with Mandie for her snack, and she LOVED them.  I made a huge batch to take to the air show with us last weekend.  After the energy bites were gone, these were the next thing we all ate.  I wouldn't have even needed to make sandwiches.  They are really yummy and really really healthy.


SUPER POWER MUFFINS

1/3 cup Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Gluten Free Flour
1/3 cup buckwheat flour
1/3 cup amaranth flour
1 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup quinoa flakes (I use Ancient Harvest brand)
1/2cup ground millet
2 Tbsp chia seeds
1 tsp. non-iodized sea salt
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. Hain Featherweight Baking Powder
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
2 eggs (or equivalent egg replacer)
2 mashed ripe bananas
1/2 cup applesauce 
1/2 cup ground flax meal
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract (I make my own)
2 cups grated zucchini or finely chopped fresh spinach
1 cup grated carrot
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2 tsp. guar gum
OPTIONAL:
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 24 muffin cups with cooking spray.  Add all dry ingredients to a large bowl and whisk to combine.  In a smaller bowl, combine bananas, applesauce, eggs, carrot, and vanilla.  Fold wet ingredients into dry mix and stir until combined.    Fill muffin cups 2/3 full.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.   Cool completely on a wire rack.  
   These freeze very well.  I am going to try them as mini-muffins for Mandie's class treat in a few weeks I think.

Whole Intentions Weekend Linkup

I linked this post to the above blog.

Overwhelmed

      This loaf of bread looks like I have felt all day.  I am feeling completely and totally overwhelmed, to the point of tears in fact.  It was a silly thing that started it - a couple of loaves of bread that somehow fell in the oven --- for the second day in a row.  Gluten free bread is so picky!!!!  (Well, any gluten free baking, to be honest.)  I really and truly do not know what happened, but when I pulled them out of the oven, they looked like the above photo.   At least the ends of both loaves are able to be cut and used for sandwiches.  The rest will be frozen in a gallon freezer bag for use as stuffing for Thanksgiving and Christmas.   Still - why didn't it turn out when it I did the same thing I always do to get beautiful bread???

       The bread is not all that has me overwhelmed today.  Tomorrow we are going to spend the day at the Waukegan Air Show, which will be totally incredible, but packing food for 5 people for an 8-10 hour day, plus wipes, safe hand soap, sunblock, clothes, drinks, .... etc.  I also have to make sure everyone has enough medication along, and of course bring the bottle of Benadryl.    My plan is to fill the family up with pumpkin oatmeal (pumpkin cream of rice for Mandie) before we leave the house, then bring my Super Power Muffins, Energy Bites (a batch for Mandie, and a batch for the rest of us)  {recipes for both will follow}, Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches for the boys, Steve, and I and Cashew Butter & Jelly sandwiches for Mandie, apples, and bananas.  This means that tonight after work and dinner and homework (yes, on a Friday night!) I will make Energy Bites.  Luckily my muffins are made and thawed!       Before I leave tomorrow,  I'll toss a roast in the crockpot with fresh rosemary, potatoes, carrots, onions, and mushrooms, so we can have dinner ready when we get back.          

        Also overwhelming me is the construction going on in our home - not only because of the noise and mess and having everything displaced, but also  because we have hit the painting stage, which MUST be done in the next few days so that the work can continue.  Of course, Mandie's airborne latex allergy and my asthma and chemical sensitivity make this extremely complicated.   The only primer we have found that is safe is by PURE, and of course contains latex.  It has no VOC's and low/no odor, so it only gives me a mild headache.  The paint, Dutch Boy's No VOC and no/low odor paint is also latex paint - which is how we figured out that Mandie's latex allergy had gone airborne when we were painting Steve's office last fall and she went down to see what he was doing and started reacting.  (She started turning red, got a dry, barky cough, and told Steve she itched all over and could not walk up the stairs, but needed Benadryl).   So, the kids' dad will meet up with us after church on Sunday, and take them for an extra afternoon and night so we can get our painting done on schedule.  It kills me to give up any time at all with them, but it is the only safe thing we can do.   As much as I know they are safe with their dad, being a mom and especially an allergy mom, I can't help but worry about them when they are not with me. It is tough, the need to have them out of the house to protect them, but wanting them with me all the same.  
            
             A few minutes ago I went to make the Energy Bites, and was going to use carob chips in Mandie's in place of the chocolate chips.  No problem, as I had a new bag in the fridge.  After I cut them open I again read the label - and saw palm kernel oil.  Sigh.....   These were from Barry Farms.  I hope to find a safe brand, but fear I will be making my own soon.  I know the Sunspire brand are not Mandie-safe.  And yes, I shed a few tears on Steve's wonderful shoulder, then started laughing like a mad woman.    Then I got busy and made Mandie's using carob powder instead of chips.  I will post the recipes tomorrow night or Sunday.  Now it is time for bed so we can get up and make lunches to take to the airshow tomorrow!  I am sure I will feel more positive in the morning.