Gluten Free Ghiraradelli Chocolate cake with Whipped cream frosting and fresh Strawberries

Gluten Free Ghirardelli Chocolate Cake with Whipped cream frosting and fresh Strawberries

 I found a "featherlight chocolate cake" recipe from foodnetwork.com. I modified this recipe to make it gluten free for my sister's Birthday.

Recipe

from:  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/gale-gand/featherlight-chocolate-cake-recipe/index.html

Ingredients -This will make enough for either two 8-inch round cake pans or one 9-inch cake pan and one 5-inch cake pan. I used a 9 inch and a 5 inch cake pan.

12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), plus more for the pan
1 3/4 cups sugar  

3 eggs - since this is Gluten Free, you must use 3 eggs.
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups Cup Domata brand Gluten Free flour

1 cup Betty Crocker Gluten Free Biscuit Mix brand flour

1/2 cup Ghirardelli Premium baking cocoa-Sweet ground Chocolate and Cocoa. 
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups ice water

Instructions 

Arrange a rack in the upper 1/3 of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.

Butter and flour a bundt pan, or different size round cake pans. Use a mixture of cocoa powder and gluten free flour to prevent white spots on the cake.

In a standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, or using a hand mixer, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Mix in the sugar. One at a time, mix in the eggs, then the vanilla, occasionally scraping down the mixing bowl.

Meanwhile, in another bowl, sift together the flours, cocoa powder, baking soda, and 3/4 teaspoon salt.

Add 1/3 of the flour mixture; then 1/3 of the ice water. Repeat, mixing after each addition. Transfer the batter to the pan and bake until springy and dry, about 40 to 45 minutes.

Let cool in the pan on a rack, then carefully turn the cake out

You can use dental floss to cut the layers of the cake in half

 

Whipped Cream frosting- This should be made about 30 minutes before serving the cake

1 half pint of heaving whipping cream chilled.
Put the whisk and the mixing bowl in the refrigerator or freezer for 15 minutes pirior to making the whipped cream
2 tablespoons of granduated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

*Put the heavy whipping cream in the chilled mixing bowl. Set the mixer on high setting
* Gradually add the sugar, one tablespoon at a time.
*Add the vanilla extract in.
*Whip the cream until soft peaks form. This will take about 3-4 minutes
* Put the whipped cream in the freezer for about 10 minutes

Cake Assembly

*Cake must be completely cooled before you begin assemply

 *Cut the layers, length wise, of the cake in half, using dental floss. You should have 4 thin layers of cake.
*Start with the larger layers and spread strawberry-lavender or strawberry jam on the layers and then put a SMALL amount of whipped cream on top of the jam of the cake layers. Then work with the smaller layers. Set the smaller layers on top of the larger cake layers.
*The whipped cream should be chilled enough so it doesn't melt when spreading in on the layers.
*Frost the cake with the remaining whipped cream
*Cut on strawberries, length wise and put them on top of the cake.
*Chill the cake in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving it.
*Cake should be put in the refrigerator immediately after you've finished frosting it.

Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap cookie crust

I decided to try to make a Vegan Pumpkin cheesecake for a community potluck where the members only eat Vegan or raw foods. I found a great recipe for one and then used my a GF Gingersnap crust recipe.

Preheat oven to 350°. Line spring form pan tightly with foil. Wrap outside of pan tightly with foil (to create a watertight seal during baking), pressing wrinkles flat.

Put half a package of GF Gingersnap cookies, 4 Tbsp. melted butter , 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 cup brown sugar in Food Processor. Press crumbs into bottom of prepared pan. Freeze for 10 minutes.

Bake crust for about 10 minutes and let it cool.


Filling:
1 can pumpkin
4 containers Tofutti Cream Cheese-softened
1/4 cup white granulated sugar OR  pure maple syrup  (which is what I used)
Egg Replacer for 4 eggs (I use Ener-G Egg Replacer) or, alternatively, 3 large eggs
1 teaspoon. pure vanilla extract
 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom


Directions: Beat the Tofutti Cream Cheese in a mixer. Then add the sugar/maple syrup and egg replacer. Mix this up until it's fluffy. Then add the canned pumpkin. Mix this well and then add the rest of the ingredients.

Then pour the filling into the spring form pan that is already sealed with aluminum foil. Put the spring form pan onto a cookie sheet that has at least 1 inch sides. Put it in the oven and then add the water to the cookie sheet.

Bake Cheesecake at 350 degrees. Check the cheesecake every 30 minutes to add more water to the cookie sheet is necessary. Cheesecake should be done in 1.5 hours.

After Cheesecake was baked and had cooled, I topped it off with leftover GF Gingersnap cookie crumbs and coconut flakes.