I make - Applesauce Cake

This is one of the easiest and surprising tasting cake I've made. The original recipe just uses the first three ingredients, a great base to go with your wildest imagination.

Applesauce cake

- 200 g apple sauce/compote/puree (unsweetened)

- 1 1/4 cup self-raising gluten free flour (190g)

- 1 can of condensed milk (397g)

- 1/4 tsp mixed spice

- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

- 1/4 cup of dried fruits/candied peel (cranberries and orange peel are very nice)

- walnut pieces to decorate the top

Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan)/Gas Mark 4. Line a 20cm x 20cm square baking tin or a loaf tin with baking parchment.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the applesauce and condensed milk. Whisk until thoroughly mixed.

Add the flour, mixed spice, vanilla and dried fruit/candied peel to the wet mixture and whisk until fully incorporated and smooth. If any lumps remain, use the same back-and-forth whisking motion to break them up.

Pour the batter into the prepared tin. Scatter walnut pieces on top. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. A few cake crumbs on the skewer are fine, but there should be no wet batter. Allow the cake to cool completely before removing it from the tin and slicing.

Serve and enjoy.

I make - Daniela's Gingerbread Loaf

Daniela's recipes are amazing. Tastes great and highly reproducible. I don't know why it took me so long to make it. My tasters found the spice is at the right level. I may use fresh ginger next time as I prefer super gingery. and I used lemon glaze instead of cream cheese topping.

Gingerbread Loaf 

Ingredients

320 grams Gluten Free Plain Flour (I used Asda)
20 grams cornstarch
8 grams cocoa powder, dutch processed
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon sea salt flakes
3 teaspoons ground ginger
1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon mixed spice
235 grams molasses (I used blackstrap)
100 grams light brown sugar
140 grams neutral oil (I used sunflower)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, room temperature
240 grams hot water, around 100F/38C

Cream Cheese Frosting

115 grams cream cheese, room temperature
30 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
70 grams powdered sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of kosher salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan/Gas Mark 4) and line a loaf tin with baking parchment. Set aside. Daniela uses an 8.4 x 4.5 x 4.1 inch Pullman loaf tin and I used a standard 2lb (8 x 4 inch) loaf tin which works just as well. 

In a small bowl, sift together the gluten-free plain flour blend, corn starch, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cocoa powder, mixed spices and fine salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the light brown sugar, molasses, vanilla extract and oil. Whisk until well combined.

Add the eggs, one at a time, to the molasses mixture, whisking until smooth after each addition.

Place the water in a microwave-safe jug or heatproof measuring cup and heat for about 1 minute, until very hot (approximately 38°C). Whilst the water is heating, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. The mixture will be quite stiff.

Carefully pour the hot water into the batter and whisk until smooth. The batter will become much thinner and resemble a typical quick bread mixture.

Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf tin and use a spatula or the back of a spoon to level the surface evenly.

Bake for 55 to 65 minutes. If the loaf begins to brown too quickly, loosely cover it with foil during the final 10 to 15 minutes of baking. The loaf is ready when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. The internal temperature should be between 93°C and 96°C.

Allow the loaf to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then carefully remove it and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before icing.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Place the unsalted butter, cream cheese, salt and vanilla extract in a large bowl and beat together using an electric hand mixer. Alternatively, use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Continue mixing until light and fluffy.

Gradually add the icing sugar, mixing well after each addition. You can always add a little more if you prefer a sweeter frosting. Continue beating until smooth, light and fluffy.

Once the gluten-free gingerbread loaf has cooled completely, place it on a serving plate or cake stand and spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the top. Use an offset palette knife or the back of a spoon to smooth the surface.

Slice the loaf into thick pieces using a serrated knife and serve.

I make - Fresh Ginger Cake

Fresh Ginger Cake

- 220 g gluten-free flour
- 20 g ground almond (optional)
- 1/2 tsp mixed spice
- 1/4 tsp xanthan gum
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 baking soda
- 1/2 baking powder
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (100 g)
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1/2 cup hot water
- 60 g butter
- 100 g fresh ginger, coarsely grated
- 1 egg, beaten

Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease and line a 20x20cm metal tin.

In a large and microwavable jug, combine molasses, hot water and butter. Microwave 1 min until the mixture is heated and butter is almost melted completely. You can use a milk pan and warm the mixture on the stovetop too.

Place the brown sugar in a large bowl and pour in the liquid mixture. Stir to mix the liquid mixture thoroughly until no visible sugar granules and molasses completely dissolved. Let the mixture cool until it is no warmer than your body temperature. Stir in the beaten egg. Place the remaining dry ingredients on top (flour, ground almond, mixed spice, salt, xanthan gum, baking soda and baking powder). Stir everything to combine. It is a loose batter. Pour into the prepared tin.

Bake the cake at 180C for 20-22 minutes, until it passes the toothpick test. Cool completely before serving.

Note: Great taste. Best texture on the day of baking. Reheat in the microwave from day 2.

I make - Gluten Free Mooncakes with Jujube and Walnut Filling

Yes, I did it. Happy Mid-Autumn!

Gluten Free Mooncakes with Jujube and Walnut Filling 

Jujube and Walnut Filling

Cook Jujube (pitted) and dates (pitted) with 1/4 cup of water until they become paste. Use a stick blender to make the paste smooth. There is no need to remove the jujube skin. I don't add extra sugar because of the dates. Add in butter and toasted glutenous rice flour to turn the paste into a playdough like texture. Cool/chill the filling completely.

Right before making the mooncakes, add in chopped toasted walnuts. Stir to combine and set it aside while you prepare the pastry.

Mooncake pastry

200 g gluten free flour + extra (1-3 tbsp) to form a dough

50 g powdered sugar

1/2 tsp xanthan gum

20 g grated cheddar/parmesan cheese

20 g milk powder (~ 3tbsps)

1/4 tsp baking soda (not sure it makes a difference)

80 g butter, cubed

1 egg, beaten

a big squeeze of honey

Egg wash to brush

Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Rub in butter cubes with gloved hands. You are looking for fine sandy texture before stopping. Switch to a rubber spatula and stir in beaten egg and a big squeeze of honey. Stir everything to combine. If the dough is too wet, add 1 tbsp of flour at a time. For me, I need to add roughly 3 tbsps of flour. When you achieve a playdoh like texture, wrap the dough in clingfilm and chill for 30-60 minutes.

If you want a traditional mooncake look, you will need a mooncake press. If not, a round or a square shape would work too. I use 30 g dough and 20 g filling to make a mooncake, which fits my mooncake press too. Please scale the mooncake up or down depending on your preference or press size.

Brush the top of mooncake with egg wash before baking them at 160C. After 10 minutes, rotate the tray and bake for another 10-15 minutes (so the total baking time is 20-25 minutes) before removing them from the oven. Cool them completely on a wired rack before serving. I find the filling is less likely to burst out of the crust when baking at 160C.

I make - Taiwanese Pineapple Pastry

This is a famous pastry from Taiwan. Traditionally in a square shape, like majong piece, it is a popular gift to offer in Taiwan and well received in the west.  The only way to have gluten free version is to make my own. So in 2026, I've made my first batch of pineapple pastry. To my surprise, this is one of the few gluten free baking goods which doesn't require reheat and tastes great even after a week if stored in a covered box at room temperature. The coconut oil brings the pastry to another level. I encourage you to try at least once.

Taiwanese Pineapple Pastry

Filling ingredients

1000 g pineapple chunks, core removed

270-300g granulated sugar

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

60g unsalted butter

30g glutinous rice flour, dry roasted on a skillet or toasted 10 mins in the oven

Puree pineapple chunks in a blender. Cook pineapple and sugar in a large wide bottom pot. Start with medium heat to bring the mixture to boil and lower the heat and stir regularly. The mixture will spit during the first 30 minutes and gradually quieten down.

When the mixture is reduced by half and longer spits violently, taste the mixture (attention: hot!) and adjust with lemon juice. If your pineapple is on the sour side, you may want to add more sugar. I like to have a whiff of vanilla so I also add vanilla here. Continue to stir until the mixture starts to slowly merge back after scraping the pan bottom with a rubber spoon.

Mix in butter and continue to dry fry the mixture for 10-15 minutes or so. Scatter in cooked rice flour in two batches, each time stirring well until you see no white specks. Keep stirring and folding the mixture from bottom to the top. When the mixture has become a paste, the filling is ready.

Yes, this is the most labor intensive part and can take up to an hour or more. Patience is required here. The result is worth it.

Pastry ingredients

200 g gluten free flour

1/2 tsp xanthan gum

12 g grated parmesan (can skip if using coconut oil)

20 g milk powder (or ground almond, ~3 tbsps)

50 g powered sugar

100 g butter

20 g coconut oil (can skip or use butter instead)

1 egg, beaten

dash of vodka if the dough is on the dry side

Beaten egg to brush the top if not using the mold

The traditional method is to beat the softened butter (and coconut oil) with powdered sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Mix in beaten egg, parmesan and milk powder. Switch to a rubber spatula and blend in gluten free flour. Mix to combine. The dough may be a bit sticky. Wrap the dough in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. The dough can be used straight away. 

I prefer rubbing the butter/coconut oil into all dried ingredients with gloved hands. Stir in beaten egg when a dough starts to form. The dough should feel more like playdoh than wet sand.

A good ratio of dough to filling is 30 g to 20 g, for each pineapple pastry.

I roll the filled pastry on the surface on all edges and directions to even out the pastry distribution. Traditionally each filled pastry is fit into a metal square mold and bake in the mold. If you are not using the mold, you can brush the top with additional beaten egg to give it a color.

Bake at 160C for 15 mins. Remove the tray and flip the pastries over. Continue baking for another 10-15 mins.

I make - Japanese Curry Powder

This homemade Japanese curry powder mix came from SpiceRally. The flavor is gentle but unmissable exotic fragrance from the subcontinent. I have most of the ingredients at home (how amazing) but used Chinese 5-spice and garlic/herb seasoning to replace star anise down to ground thyme. Also, I didn't dry roast the whole lot. Instead, I cook the spice during curry preparation during the onion caramelization stage.

Japanese Curry Powder

Ingredients:

- 2 tbsp Ground Turmeric
- 4 tsp Ground Coriander Seeds
- 3 tsp Ground Cumin Seeds
- 1 ½ tsp Ground Fenugreek Seeds
- 1 tsp Ground Fennel Seeds
- 1 tsp Cinnamon Powder
- 1 tsp Ground Black Pepper
- 1 tsp Ground Green Cardamom
- 1 tsp Ground Star Anise
- 1 tsp Ground Ginger

- ½ tsp Ground Cloves
- ½ tsp Ground Allspice Berries
- 1 tsp Dried Mandarin Peel Powder
- 1 tsp Cayenne Pepper Powder
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder

- 1 tsp Ground Bay Leaves
- 1 tsp Ground Sage (dried)
- 1 tsp Ground Thyme (dried)

Directions ~

- Add Ingredients
- Mix well to combine
- Transfer to a grinder jar
- Grind until well incorporated
- Transfer to a pan
- Dry-toast until aromatic for 1-2 minutes (low heat)
- Let cool
- Store in an air-tight container
- Enjoy!

I make - Anna Jones's Red Cabbage Soup

Post Christmas, half red cabbage left, despite my best effort buying the smallest tolerable one. Thinking that if regular cabbage makes good soup, perhaps red cabbage too? My web search led me to Anna Jones's purple soup. Her creative use of caraway seeds transformed red cabbage completely. It tastes so differently from any other soup I've made and comforting in mouth, perfect for a freezing night like tonight.

Red Cabbage Soup (adapted from Anna Jones's recipe)

Ingredients
500g red cabbage, finely shredded
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
Butter or olive oil, for frying
1 large red onion, peeled and finely chopped
3 sticks of celery, finely chopped
2 apples (I used one carrot)
1½ tsp caraway seeds
1.5 litres vegetable stock
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp honey or sugar

To serve
50g walnuts, crumbled
1 small bunch of dill, leaves chopped, fronds reserved for garnishing
4 tbsp sour cream or thick yoghurt
Salt and black pepper

Instruction

Put the cabbage into a bowl with a good pinch of salt and the red wine vinegar, scrunch together in your hands, then put to one side to pickle. (Notes: I didn't do the pickling step and the soup tastes great)

Warm a little butter or oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over a medium-low heat. Add the onion and celery. Sweat, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes, or until soft and translucent.

Meanwhile, peel and roughly chopped the carrot.

Once the onions are soft and sweet, add the caraway seeds and stir for a minute. Turn the heat up a little, add the carrots and ¾ of the cabbage to the onions. Fry for a further 5 minutes, or until the cabbage begins to soften.

Add the stock, balsamic vinegar and honey or agave syrup. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and simmer for another 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat some oil in a frying pan. Once it’s really hot, add the rest of the cabbage and cook until it’s crisp. For the last couple of minutes add the walnuts and half the dill.

Stir the rest of the dill into the soup and season to taste with salt and pepper. Blitz it to a vibrant purple soup. Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and top each with the cabbage and walnuts, a spoonful of sour cream or yoghurt and some more dill, if you like.

I make - Ox Cheek Stew

It's not a tomato heavy stew but still with nice color and taste. The lemon bits are a nice touch.

 

Ox Cheek Stew (inspired by Alison Roman's Short Rib recipe)

Precooking ox cheek

1000 g Ox Cheek, in big chunks
Water, enough to submerge the beef
2 star anises
2 cloves of garlic
2 slices of ginger
1 onion or 2 banana shallots
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp soy sauce


Stew ingredients

Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons neutral oil
1 lemon, sliced and seeds removed
1 large yellow onion, peeled, quartered
1 garlic head, peeled and separate cloves
1 red bell pepper
1 carrot
2 tablespoon tomato paste
2 teaspoons gochujang
2 bay leaves
1 tsp Italian dried herbs or 4 thyme sprigs
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup vinegar or pickle juice
Beef broth
Salt and pepper to season
1 cup parsley and/or cilantro, tender leaves and stems, finely chopped

Preparation

Pre-cook the ox cheek in a pressure cooker for 18 minutes along with all listed ingredients. The minimum ingredient is water plus beef. The more ingredients you add, the better the broth is. Turn off heat after pressure cooking time. Set the pot aside to continue its natural release.

Use food processor to chop onion, garlic, red bell pepper and carrot.

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook the chopped vegetables and lemon slices, stirring occasionally, until they get a bit of color.

Add the tomato paste and gochujang. Cook for a minute or two. If the pot looks a bit dry, add some water or white wine to deglaze.

Add the bay leaves, dried herbs, sugar, vinegar and enough broth to submerge everything. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, scrape up the bits on the bottom of the pot.

Add the precooked ox cheeks back in and bring to a strong simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the pot and lower the heat to low-medium. Let it simmer for 1 hour, with the last 30 mins lid off.

Check the ox cheek. They should be tender enough to insert your knife or chop stick in. If not, back on the heat for more cooking.

Serve straight from the pot or transfer the stew to a shallow bowl or plate with high sides, spooning the braising liquid over. Sprinkle with the herb mixture before serving.

I make - 3-Ingredient Christmas Fruit Cake

I had my doubt but I am convinced by the outcome. This is a fruitcake you can make on a whim. The result is plump fruits and moist cake without being damp. This recipe has no added sugar so the cake tastes naturally sweet without making your dentist frown.

3-Ingredient Christmas Fruit Cake

Ingredients
375 g dried fruits
600 ml liquid (chocolate milk, coffee, tea, juice, Bailey, Rum)*
2 cups of self-raising gluten free flour** (with 1/2 tsp xanthan gum added)

Soak the fruits with your choice of liquid the night before, up to 48 hours. 

Grease and line a 20x20cm tin. Preheat the oven to 180C.

Put the flour in a large bowl and add in the soaked fruits (juice and all). Stir until no dried pockets of flour is seen.

Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 35-40 mins until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Cool the cake completely before slicing.

*Although popular, I don't recommend 100% alcohol as it would be too strong. I added 100ml Bailey to my liquid mix. The Bailey flavor is prominent after baking and I like the result.

**If you don't have self-raising flour, add 3 tsps of baking powder and 1/2 tsp baking soda to the flour.

I make - Egg Free Lemon Polenta Cake

Nothing changed, only with a one variation. Lovely cake, ready for a day when kitchen is down to the bare minimum.

Egg Free Lemon Polenta cake by Nigella Lawson

Ingredients for the cake
150g ground almonds
150g fine polenta
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda (gluten-free if necessary)
¼ tsp fine sea salt
100ml light olive oil or melted butter, plus a little extra for greasing the tin
200g caster sugar
Zests from 2 large lemons, juice for the glazing
250ml plain yogurt, at room temperature

Ingredients for the glazing

75ml lemon juice from the two lemons

75g icing sugar

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180ºC/160ºC Fan, and line and lightly grease the sides of a 20cm springform cake tin. Measure the ground almonds and polenta into a bowl, add the baking powder, bicarb, and salt, and fork to mix.

2. Pour the oil into a wide-necked large measuring jug, add the sugar and finely grate the zest of the 2 lemons on top. Stir together for a minute, then beat in the yogurt until completely incorporated. Then simply pour your jug of wet ingredients into your bowl of dry ingredients, making sure everything is completely mixed.

3. Scrape into the prepared tin, and bake in the oven for about 40 minutes, until the cake is beginning to nudge away from the sides of the tin, and a cake tester comes out clean. Make the syrup, though, as soon as the cake goes in the oven.

4. Put the icing sugar into a small saucepan and add 75ml of juice from your zested lemons. Heat, whisking gently to beat out any lumps, just until the sugar’s dissolved into the juice, and pour straightaway into a little jug to cool.

5. When the cake’s cooked, transfer it to a wire rack and, with your cake tester, prick it all over, going in deep, to help the syrup run down into the cake. Pour or spoon the syrup over, trying to be patient, so the syrup doesn’t just make a large pond on top.

6. Leave the cake, drenched with its syrup, to cool and, before unclipping, run a slim palette knife round the edges to help dislodge it where the syrup has stuck it to the tin. If you don’t feel confident of getting the cake off the base in one piece, don’t worry. Serve the cake plain, or with berries of your choice.

I make - Eggless Fruit Cake

Tasty and easy, another fruit cake of Indian origin. My current number one fruit cake recipe.

Eggless Fruit Cake (adapted from here)

Ingredients
1/2 cup orange juice
1 1/4 cup dried fruits (sultanas, cranberries, sour cherries and a few chopped dates)
--

zest from 1 orange
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup melted butter
1/4 cup milk
1/2-3/4 cup apple sauce or yogurt (original recipe: caramel syrup from 1/4 cup sugar + 1/4 cup water)
1/4 cup chopped nuts
1/4 cup ground almond (or gluten free flour)
3/4 cup gluten free flour blend

1/2 tsp xanthan gum (if not part of gluten flour blend)  
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp mixed spice
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
walnut pieces to decorate the top

Method

1. In a bowl combine orange juice and dried fruits. Soak them while you prepare the other ingredients.

2. Heat the oven to 180C. Grease and line a loaf tin.

3. In another bowl, mix orange zest and powdered sugar with a spatula. Stir in butter, milk and apple sauce.

4. Mix in the dried fruits from Step 1 including soaking liquid, as well as the rest of the dried ingredients (ground almond, flour, xanthan gum, nuts, baking soda/powder, spice/extract). Stir well to combine. Add dash of milk if the batter too thick. The consistency should be like thin yogurt.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and decorate the top with nuts if desired.

6. Bake at 180C for 55 minutes or until it passes the toothpick test.

7. My loaf tin is made with stainless steel. For bakeware of other material, the baking time may be different.

I make - Chocolate and Almond Cake

I cook and bake much less now than before. Being busy and realizing also that life can be pretty fun outside kitchen. That said, there are times a girl needs a chocolate cake, as fabulous as Ms Lawson and quick enough for anyone impatient. Another great recipe from Nigella.

Sunken chocolate amaretto cake

Ingredients

For the cake

100g dark chocolate, 70% cocoa solids, roughly chopped
100g unsalted butter, softened and cut into cubes, plus extra for greasing
4 large free-range eggs, at room temperature
125g caster sugar
75g ground almonds
2 tbsp cocoa powder, plus 1 tsp for dusting

1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp amaretto liqueur (I used Rum)

For the amaretti cream

250ml oz double cream
1 tbsp amaretto liqueur
4 amaretti biscuits, crumbled

Equipment: You will need a 20cm/8in springform cake tin.

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4 and lightly grease the sides and line the base of your springform cake tin with baking paper.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl, either over a pan of boiling water, making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water, or in a microwave. Pour into a jug and leave to cool a little.

Whisk the eggs and sugar until thick, moussy and doubled, if not tripled, in volume. This will take 2–3 minutes, using a freestanding mixer, or 4–5 minutes with an electric hand whisk.

Mix the almonds and cocoa together in a small bowl. Turn the mixer speed to low and gently whisk into the eggs and sugar, tablespoon by tablespoon.

Stir the amaretto liqueur into the slightly cooled, melted chocolate and butter, then pour this glossy mixture in a slow, steady stream into the cake batter, whisking all the time; it will look like a fabulous chocolate mousse. Give a final fold by hand to make sure everything is combined.

Pour and scrape the batter into the prepared tin. Bake for 20–25 minutes until the cake is beginning to come away at the edges, the top has formed a slightly cracked and bubbled thin crust the colour of pale milk chocolate – the cake will be dark and tender underneath – and a cake tester comes out with just a few damp crumbs cleaving to it. 22-23 minutes gave me slightly molten centre.

Remove to a wire rack, drape a clean tea towel over the tin and leave to cool. As it cools, the top of the cake will crack a little more, and it will sink slightly, leaving a frilly edge. Once the cake is cold, unclip the tin, and gently lift the cake out – remove the base only if you are very brave – onto a cake stand or plate. Dust the teaspoon of cocoa through a tea strainer over the top, rather like the coating on a chocolate truffle.

Just before serving, whip the cream and amaretto together, until ripples start showing on the surface and it’s thickened but still soft enough to dollop alongside the cake. Very gently fold most of the crumbled amaretti biscuits into the cream, which will thicken it slightly more. Decant into a small serving bowl and sprinkle the rest of the amaretti crumbles on top.

I make - Browned Butter Carrot Cake (New Favorite)

Yes, this is my new favorite of carrot cake recipe. I was initially intrigued by the browned butter but to be honest with you, its flavor was overshadowed by the spice mix. Not that I mind, cardamon, cinnamon and nutmeg, all my kind of things. The cake is light, with lots of carrots, feels healthy enough to have it at breakfast (sans frosting). My go-to recipe for now.

Browned Butter Carrot Cake, adapted from justine doiran

Ingredients for cake
350 grams carrots, grated
115 grams salted butter
150 grams dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
210 grams gluten free flour
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1.5 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sultanas
Walnut pieces for topping (optional)

For the cardamom cream cheese frosting (optional)
1/4 cup salted butter softened (57 grams)
1/4 cup cream cheese softened (57 grams)
1 cup powdered sugar (120 grams)
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

Grease and line a loaf tin or a 20x20 metal pan. Position a rack to the center of the oven and preheat to 180°C.

Set a small sauté pan over medium heat and add all of salted butter. Let it melt and foam. The milk solids will begin to brown at the bottom of the pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until deeply brown. Transfer this to the bowl with the carrots. Mix so the carrots cool the butter.

Add brown sugar, 2 eggs and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to the bowl. Mix all the wet ingredients together.

Add to the bowl, flour, xanthan gum, all spices, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix to form a batter. It will be thick, so don’t worry!

Mix sultanas into the batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin or square pan. Dot the top with walnuts (if using).

Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until you can insert a toothpick and it comes out clean.

While the loaf is baking, use an electric mixer to beat together 57 grams of salted butter and 57 grams of cream cheese. Add 120 grams of powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of cardamom and continue to beat until an icing forms. Transfer this to a piping bag.

When the loaf is out of the oven let it cool for 30 minutes before slicing.

The cake itself microwaves well to bring back the light and fluffy texture.

I make - My go-to Gluten Free Brownies

I think I found my go-to brownies recipe (thank Kat again) and perhaps cracked the issue I've long had with brownie baking. All the brownie recipes say with the toothpick test to look for many moist crumbs attached for fudgy brownies. The thing is, it always takes a lot longer than the specified time for my brownie toothpick test to come out with moist crumbs and every time my brownies ends up too dry. So this time, I decided to remove my brownies when an inserted toothpick covered in half-baked batter while baking for the specified time. Voila, although the inserted toothpick comes out with half-baked batter, it cools down to just a few moist crumbs afterwards. The brownies does continue to cook after being removed from the oven and the right texture (for me) is obtained to have it slowly cooks in its own heat.

The recipe I used is from The Loopy Whisk, so far the most reproducible gluten free baking website/author I've ever come across. With slight alternations, here is my go-to gluten free brownies, chocolaty and fudgy.

My Go-To Gluten Free Brownies

140 g unsalted or salted butter
250 g chopped dark chocolate, 60-70% cocoa solids (I sub 50 g of gianduja for chocolate)
3 UK medium eggs, room temperature
200 g sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1-2 tbsps black coffee (optional)
75 g plain gluten free flour blend
30 g cocoa powder
½ tsp xanthan gum (Omit if your gluten free flour blend already contains xanthan gum.)
½ tsp salt
chopped walnuts or pecans to decorate the top

Preheat the oven to 160ºC. Line a 20x20cm metal tin with baking paper.

Melt the butter and chocolate in a milk pan on low heat. Stir to mix everything together. Remove from the heat when everything has melted.

Whisk the eggs and sugar in a large bowl for 2 minutes. Add in vanilla and coffee (if using) for another 3 minutes or until the egg mixture is pale and fluffy, without any visible sugar granules.

Pour in the butter and chocolate mixture, and fold them in using a rubber spatula until fully incorporated.

Sift in the gluten free flour blend, Dutch processed cocoa powder, xanthan gum and salt, and fold them in until just combined.

Transfer the brownie batter into the lined baking tin and smooth out the top.

Sprinkle the chopped nuts (if using) on top and bake at 160ºC for 24-26 minutes for fudgy brownies. Do the toothpick test at 24 minutes. It's likely that the toothpick will come out with half-baked batter. This is when you need to know your oven. I removed my brownies at 26 minutes and the texture is just right for me, fudgy not dry nor gooey. 

Allow the brownies to cool completely in the baking tin before removing them out of the tin, slicing and serving.

I make - Cranberry and Orange Loaf

I've found a new Christmas tradition, my friends, Cranberry and Orange Loaf!  The festive red and the wintry warming orange scent just speak Christmas all over to me. I adapted the recipe from Joy of Baking. Have to say, recipes from this website rarely fails me. That's why it's been 25 years and going strong!

Cranberry and Orange Loaf, adapted from Joy of Baking.

Ingredients

3/4 cup granulated white sugar

1 tablespoon (5 grams) finely grated orange zest (outer orange skin)

1 large egg (50 grams), at room temperature

4 tablespoons (55 grams) melted butter (or 1/4 cup olive oil)
1/4 cup ground almond

1 1/2 cups gluten free flour

1/2 tsp xanthan gum (or 1 tsp psyllium husk powder)
1 1/2 teaspoons (6 grams) baking powder
1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) baking soda
1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) salt
1 cup of juice from the zested orange combined with yogurt
1 teaspoon (4 grams) pure vanilla extract
1 cup (120 grams) fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped (I use scissors)

1/4-1/2 cup of dried fruits with candied citrus peels

1-2 tablespoons of Demerara sugar and walnut pieces for topping

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees C. Butter and line a 9 x 5 x 3 inch (23 x 13 x 8 cm) loaf pan.

In a bowl mix sugar and orange zest with your fingers or a rubber spatula to release the scented oil. Your sugar will quickly turn orange color. Whisk the egg until frothy. It usually takes me three minutes with electric beaters. Drizzle in melted butter to the egg mixture with the beats on.

Sift in all the dry ingredients from ground almond to salt to the wet bowl. Pour in juice/yogurt and vanilla. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Lastly stir in cut up cranberries and dried fruits/candied peels. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with the back of a spoon or offset spatula. Scatter the Demerara sugar and walnut on top.

Bake for about 35 - 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. Then remove the loaf from the pan and let cool completely. This loaf is best if stored overnight before serving. It can also be frozen.

I make - Magic Peach Cobbler

I accidently came across this "magic cobbler" recipe. Looks and tastes like British sponge pudding but easier. Yum!

Magic Peach Cobbler, adapted from here

For the filling:

5 peaches , peeled, cored and sliced (about 4 cups)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

or 4 450g-cans of peaches (4 cups of peach slices)

For the batter:

6 Tablespoons butter
1 cup gluten free flour
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup milk
ground cinnamon

Add the sliced peaches, sugar and salt to a saucepan and stir to combine. 


Cook on medium heat for just a few minutes, until the sugar is dissolved and helps to bring out juices from the peaches. Remove from heat and set aside.

If you use canned peaches, you need a kg can, fruit and juice.  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Slice butter into pieces and add to a 9x13 inch baking dish. Place the pan in the oven while it preheats, to allow the butter to melt. Once melted, remove the pan from the oven.

In a large bowl mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and vanilla. Stir in the milk, just until combined. The batter will be thin, like single cream.

Pour the mixture into the pan, over the melted butter and smooth it into an even layer.

Spoon the peaches and juice (or canned peaches, if using) over the batter. Sprinkle cinnamon generously over the top.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 38-40 minutes. Serve warm, with a scoop of ice cream, if desired.

I make - Sticky Ginger Cake

This is proper sticky ginger cake, like the store bought version. Thank you Sarah.

Sticky Ginger Cake, adapted from Sarah Howells' Ginger Cake

Ingredients
150 g plain gluten free flour

1/2 tsp xanthan gum

1/4 tsp salt
4 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp mixed spice
75 g butter
75 g honey
75 g treacle
125 g crystallized ginger, finely chopped
25 g honey (to make up the ginger syrup)
125 ml milk
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1.5 tsp baking powder
1 large egg

Preheat the oven to 160'C / Fan 140'C / Gas Mark 3. Line a 2lb loaf tin with a loaf tin liner and set to one side.

Add the butter, honey and treacle to a large saucepan and place on a low heat. Keep stirring until the butter has melted and it's fully combined. Remove from the heat for 1-2 minutes to cool slightly.

Mix the plain gluten free flour, xanthan gum, salt, ground ginger, mixed spice, baking soda and baking powder into a bowl and stir.

In a separate bowl, add the milk and egg to the cooled butter honey mixture, thoroughly whisk.

Sift the flour and spices into the butter-egg mix and whisk together until fully combined. Fold in the chopped stem ginger, and then pour the batter into the baking tin. It should be quite a runny batter.

Place in the centre of a hot oven and bake for 40-50 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean and the cake is starting to come away from the sides of the pan.

Remove from the oven and leave in the tin on a cooling rack until completely cool before slicing. For best results and sticky-ness, leave for at least 24 hours before tucking in - the longer you leave this cake, the better it is!

I make - Nigel Slater's Teatime Fruit Cake

What can I say, Nigel Slater has never let me down. Another fabulous cake to enter colder and darker days with before the festive period starts. 

Nigel Slater's Teatime Fruit Cake, adapted

Ingredients

150-200 g sugar

1/4 tsp salt

125g butter 

2 large eggs
1 1/2 cup gluten free flour

1/2 cup ground almond

1/2 tsp xanthan gum

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp mixed spice
100ml kefir/yogurt/milk/tea 
1 cup of assorted dried fruit, soaked in 1/4 cup of liquid (water/tea/rum)

1/3 cup of walnut pieces

You will need a metal cake tin, 20cm in diameter (round) or length (square).

Line the cake tin on the base and sides with lightly buttered baking parchment. Preheat the oven to 160C.

I use all-in-one method to prepare the batter. First beat together sugar, salt, butter, eggs and ground almond in a large bowl. Add in flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, vanilla, mixed spice and your choice of liquid. Beat for another minute or two. You should have a cohesive batter, on the thick side. 

Stir in the dried fruit (and the remaining liquid), then transfer to the lined cake tin and lightly smooth the surface with the back of a spoon. Bake the cake for about 35 minutes (the original baking time is 70 minutes). Test for doneness by inserting a metal skewer into the cake. If it comes out with any raw mixture attached, return the cake to the oven for 10 minutes longer then check again. Set the cake to cool in its tin, then remove and leave until cold.

I make - Raspberry Almond Bars

Very easy to whip up and tastes wonderful with tea. The thick cake batter bakes into cookie style, with tender centre. A great recipe for many adaptations.

Gluten-Free Raspberry Almond Bars (adapted from Baking Bites)

1 cup all purpose gluten-free flour (I used 3/4 cup)
1/4 cup ground almonds (I used 1/2 cup)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup fresh raspberries
1/4 cup almond flakes
1 tbsp demerara sugar

Preheat oven to 180C. Grease and line an 20x20cm baking pan.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, almond meal, baking powder and salt.

In a medium bowl, whisk together butter and sugar until light. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. Add flour mixture and mix on low speed until just combined. Fold in raspberries. Dough should have a cookie dough-like consistency.

Spread dough into prepared pan using a spatula to push it into the corners. Sprinkle almond flakes top of the dough, followed by demerara sugar.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until top is lightly browned and the center springs back when lightly pressed. Cool completely before slicing.

I make - Fruit Scones

This is my scone recipe going forward after my coeliac disease under control (knock-on wood) and eliminating oats (sadly) from my life. As I tend to have scones for breakfast, the default flavoring is orange zest. Citrus fruit always brightens up my day.

Gluten-Free Fruit Scones

- 310 g gluten-free self-raising flour*
- 50 ground almond
- 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1-2 tbsp sugar
- zest from 1 orange
- 1 tsp baking powder (if using plain flour 1.5 tbsp baking powder + 1/2 tsp baking soda)
- 90 g cold butter, cubed (25% of flour/almond)
- 100g dried fruits
- 1 cup of crème fraiche or cream** thinned with milk/yogurt (it should pour like double cream)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 beaten egg, saved 2tbsp aside for glazing
- 2-3 tbsps milk to adjust the dough

Preheat the oven to 200 C. Line a baking pan with baking paper and set aside.

In a large bowl mix together the flour, ground almond, xanthan gum, salt, sugar, orange zest and baking powder. Stir a few times to mix thoroughly the dry ingredients.

Put the butter cubes on top of the flour mixture and use a pastry cutter (or two knives or fingers) to work the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Mix in the dried fruits and stir a few times. 

Make a well in the centre and add the cream mixture, vanilla plus remaining beaten egg.

Use a rubber spatula to mix the wet ingredients into the dry, until everything clumps together. Keeping turning the mixture downside up as you mix. If there is dry flour at the bottom of the bowl, add 1 tbsp milk each time as you turn and mix the dough. The dough should be on the damp side, not crumbly nor dry to touch.

Dust gluten free flour on a clean work surface. Tip the dough out onto the floured surface, sprinkle a little more flour on the top and tap the dough out so that you can fold in halves or 3 thirds. I like to refrigerate the dough at this stage (at least for 1 hour, overnight fine) before I continue. If you are in rush, you can continue the rest of the steps below.

Gently roll out the dough to a depth of about 3 cm.

Use a round/fluted cookie cutter (I use 5cm) to cut rounds from the dough and carefully transfer to the lined baking pan. Gather any remaining dough and repeat the rolling and cutting process until all the dough is used up. I usually get 8 proper ones plus 1-2 taste (smaller) sizes.

Brush the scone top with the saved beaten egg. Bake in the oven for 15 to 18 minutes, turn the baking pan halfway, until well-risen and golden.

Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool.

The scones are the best on the day of baking. Otherwise, reheat in the microwave for 20 seconds before eating.

*For chocolate scones, replace 40 g flour with cocoa powder. Up the sugar to 60 g to offset the cocoa bitterness. 

**The richer the dairy, the lighter taste the scones (not in terms of calories unfortunately). Dairy mixture with yogurt gives a slight spongy texture compared to creme fraiche thinned with milk.