Flourless Chocolate Cake (my new favorite chocolate cake recipe!)

We don't actually have anyone in our immediate family who is allergic to gluten, but no matter--this   chocolate cake recipe (from my friend Mirien at Mirien's Kitchen) is simply the best I've ever made.  I've been asked for the recipe time and time again and no one can believe that it contains absolutely no flour and instead is made with 2 cans of garbanzo beans.  It's got the perfect texture and just the right amount of moisture (my big beef with most other cakes) and we thought it was even better than the gourmet chocolate cupcakes we bought from a bakery.  We've made this into cupcakes, single layer cakes, and my sister-in-law even used it to make a 17-layer cake (check out the picture at the bottom of the post)!   You simply need to try this totally gluten free recipe to believe it! 

Click here for printable recipe. 

The ingredients:


CAKE: 
1-1/2 cups semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
2 cans (15-oz. each) garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
6 eggs
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 Tbs. cocoa powder
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla

CHOCOLATE FROSTING:
1/4 cup butter
4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup milk
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla

WHITE CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE: 
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 tsp. shortening

Directions:  FOR CAKE:  In a small bowl, melt the chocolate in the microwave for about 2 minutes on 50% power, stirring frequently until smooth.  In a blender, blend the beans and eggs until creamy.

 

Add remaining ingredients, including the melted chocolate and blend well.  If your blender is not big enough, pour into a bowl to mix.  Put batter into a greased and floured 9x13-inch baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 40-45 minutes, until a toothpick in center comes out with moist crumbs--DO NOT OVERBAKE.  For cupcakes, bake for 20-25 minutes.  When cool, frost with chocolate frosting. 

FOR FROSTING:  Beat all ingredients until creamy and spreadable. 

FOR DRIZZLE:  In a small microwaveable bowl, melt white chocolate chips and shortening together on 50% heat for 2 minutes or until melted and smooth.  Take care to stir frequently.  Immediately after melting, drizzle over frosted cake or cupcakes and allow to set.

Check out this 17-layer version my sister-in-law made for her sister's 17th birthday!  

Enjoy!

Gluten-Free Pie Crust

A nice, thick, flaky gluten-free pie crust coming your way....



Gluten-Free Pie Crust - Gluten-Free Pantry Recipe
Makes 2 tick 9-inch pie crusts

1 bag Gluten-Free Pantry Perfect Pie Crust Mix
1/4 tsp. baking powder
2 T sugar
10 T cold butter
10 T cold shortening
2 eggs, beaten
2 T cold water
3 tsp. apple cider vinegar

Combine mix, baking powder and sugar.



Cut in the shortening and butter.





Combine eggs, water and vinegar.



Combine with the mix; and form into a ball (or 2 balls, one for each crust).   





Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Then, roll out the crusts between two pieces of waxed paper.



Refrigerate again for about 10 minutes.

Invert into a pie crust and flute the edges.



Fill the pie, and use a crumble topping (using more GF flour), if desired.  Or, use the second pie crust on the top.





Bake the pie at 350 for about 45 minutes, until done.



We also made a pumpkin pie!

Gluten-Free Banana Bread

About 2 years ago, my MIL was diagnosed with celiac. This means she can't have any wheat (or barley), and dairy. While she'd been dairy-free for years, going wheat free has been an adventure. One recipe she shared with me while visiting for Christmas was for this gluten-free banana bread.

Doesn't it look wonderful?!
My MIL makes this bread often, and enjoys it for breakfast.



Gluten Free Banana Bread - From my MIL

2 C gluten-free flour mix*
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. xanthan gum
1/8 tsp. salt
1 stick unsalted butter (try replacing 1/4 with apple sauce)
1 C sugar (you can use brown sugar and reduce to 3/4 C)
2 eggs
3 ripe bananas; peeled and mashed

*My MIL buys GF flour in bulk --



So this is what we used in the banana bread.

First, combine the flour, soda, salt and xanthan gum in a large bowl. Mix well.



Meanwhile, using a mixer, cream together butter (or margarine/shortening in my MIL's case) and sugar.



Add eggs, one at a time.

While the egg/sugar mixture mixes... mash up the bananas.



Add the bananas to the sugar blend.



Then, mix in the GF flour blend.



Pour batter into one greased 9x5 bread pan, or into 2 smaller loaf pans.



Bake at 350 for 1 hour, or until a toothpick comes out clean.



This post is linked to Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays.