GLUTEN FREE PUMPKIN SPICE DOUGHNUTS WITH A BROWN BUTTER GLAZE AND GF VEGAN PUMPKIN SPICE DOUGHNUTS WITH A MAPLE CINNAMON GLAZE PLUS INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAKING FUN WORMS IN DIRT CUPCAKES

Posted by Bryna Bear aka Gluten Free Baking Bear

     These baked Pumpkin Spice doughnuts are perfect for the autumn season.  These are flavorful and moist with the perfect doughnut denseness. The worms in dirt cupcakes are made from the recipe on my Chocolate Cake post.

     I invented the doughnut from a regular vanilla cake recipe I found on-line.  I have been trying various vanilla cake recipes to find the perfect one to make for my friend’s daughter’s wedding.  I will be making a small two-layer wedding cake for the GF guests.  This recipe looked great in the photos, but the texture turned out differently than it looked with GF flours.  Not good for a wedding cake, but perfect for doughnuts.

     I will also give instructions for vanilla doughnuts in case you are not crazy about pumpkin and spice ones. (My sister says she doesn’t like pumpkin at all, but she took one taste and then ate the whole thing.)

     These are baked in doughnut shaped pans and not fried like regular doughnuts.  The brown butter glaze is amazing.  I am with Julia Childs with the butter thing…”If you're afraid of butter, use cream.”  Nothing tastes so wonderful as butter in baked goods.  My son is Vegan, so I make most things in a dairy-free and egg-free version.  Please, if you have no dairy restrictions, try the brown butter glaze!

                                PUMPKIN SPICE DOUGHNUTS

Ingredients

1 cup	Sorghum Flour
½ cup	Chickpea Flour
½ cup	Tapioca Flour
1 tsp.	Xanthan or Guar Gum
1 tsp.	Salt
4 tsp.	Baking Powder
2 tsp.	Cinnamon             (Omit for vanilla doughnuts.)
1 tsp.	Ground Ginger      (Omit for vanilla doughnuts.)
½ tsp.	Ground Cloves      (Omit for vanilla doughnuts.)
1 cup	Sugar (I use evaporated cane juice.)
½ cup	Unsalted Butter (for Vegan or Dairy-Free use non-hydrogenated margarine such as Earth Balance)
¼ cup	Cream or Milk (for Vegan or Dairy-Free use non-dairy milk or cream such as soy or almond.)
¾ cup	Pumpkin puree.  (For vanilla doughnuts use ¾ cup milk, cream or non-dairy milk or cream.)
2	Eggs  (For Vegan - In a small bowl mix until frothy: ½ cup water; 2 Tbs. cornstarch; 2 tsp. oil; ¼ tsp. baking powder; and 1/8 tsp. xanthan or guar gum.)
1 tsp.	Pure Vanilla Extract

Directions

     Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

     Grease doughnut pans.  Recipe will make 12 large doughnuts and 6 small ones.

     In a medium sized bowl add flours, spices, xanthan or guar gum, salt and baking powder.  Mix with a whisk until well blended.

     In a separate bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer cream sugar and butter or margarine until fluffy.

Batter in mixing bowl.

     In a separate bowl add eggs or egg replacer; vanilla; milk or cream or non-dairy milk; and pumpkin puree (or extra milk for vanilla doughnuts). Mix until well blended.
     Add the flour mixture alternately with the egg mixture to the creamed butter and sugar.
     Beat until well blended and smooth.  Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl half way through.

Squeezing batter from a plastic baggie into a greased doughnut pan.

     Place batter into a large plastic baggie and cut the tip of one corner large enough to allow batter to squeeze out in to the doughnut pan.

     Squeeze the batter into the doughnut pans.  Batter should be just under the top of the pan.

Glazed and unglazed doughnuts on a rack with waxed paper underneath to catch  drips.
I made large and small doughnuts and some doughnut holes with a cake-pop pan.

Raw dough in large and small doughnut pans.

     Bake in the center of the oven for 20-25 minutes until cake springs back when touched lightly with a finger or when a toothpick inserted in the thickest part comes out clean.

BROWN BUTTER GLAZE

Ingredients

½ cup (1 stick)	Unsalted Butter
¾ cup	Confectioner’s Sugar
2 tsp.	Vanilla
2 Tbs.	Milk or Cream

Directions

Brown butter pan with burnt residue left inside.

     In a small saucepan, heat butter over medium heat.  Stir occasionally until butter gets light brown in color, about 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and pour butter into a bowl.  Leave burnt sediment in the saucepan.

Bowl with brown butter glaze waiting for the doughnuts to be dipped.

     Add sugar, vanilla and milk to the browned butter and stir until smooth.  I like to use a small whisk to do this so that there are no lumps of sugar.  Use the glaze right away or it will get firm.  You can reheat it by putting it in the microwave for 20-30 seconds or by heating the bowl of glaze in a bowl of water over hot water until it is runny again.

     Place a rack on a sheet pan or piece of wax paper to catch glaze drippings.

     Dip top half of each doughnut into the glaze and then place the doughnuts on the rack and allow the glaze to set.

Vegan doughnuts with Maple Cinnamon Glaze.

VEGAN MAPLE CINNAMON GLAZE

Ingredients

¾ cup	Confectioner’s Sugar
1 Tbs.	Pure Maple Syrup
½ tsp.	Cinnamon
1 Tbs.	Non-Dairy Milk

Directions

     Add all ingredients in a bowl and mix with a whisk until smooth.  Add more milk or sugar as needed to make the consistency you prefer. This recipe makes a thin ‘see-through’ glaze.  For a thicker glaze add more sugar until spreadable.

WORMS IN DIRT CUPCAKES

 

DIRECTIONS

     Make one recipe of Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Glaze found on a previous blog post.

     Sacrifice 2 or 3 un-iced cupcakes by removing the paper liner and crumbling them into a bowl.  The cake crumbs (dirt) should be no larger than small lumps of cake.

     Dip remaining cupcakes one at a time into the chocolate glaze and then into the cake crumb dirt.  Set on a plate or rack to set.  If you run out of crumbs, crumble additional un-iced cupcakes as needed until all the cupcakes are glazed and dipped in the cake crumbs (dirt).

Cutting marshmallow in half with a kitchen scissors.

Opening up cut marshmallow into a worm shape.

Putting natural dye eyes on marshmallow worm with a toothpick .

     Using a kitchen food scissors, cut marshmallows (use vegan marshmallows for vegan cupcakes) half way up the center.  Then bend the marshmallow (worm) flat and place onto the cupcake topped with cake crumbs (dirt). 

     Make eyes on each ‘worm’ by dipping a toothpick into natural red dye and dotting the dye where you want the worm eyes.

PUMPKIN SPICE DOUGHNUTS Ingredients 1 cup Sorghum Flour ½ cup Chickpea Flour ½ cup Tapioca Flour 1 tsp. Xanthan or Guar Gum 1 tsp. Salt 4 tsp. Baking Powder 2 tsp. Cinnamon (Omit for vanilla doughnuts.) 1 tsp. Ground Ginger (Omit for vanilla doughnuts.) ½ tsp. Ground Cloves (Omit for vanilla doughnuts.) 1 cup Sugar (I use evaporated cane juice.) ½ cup Unsalted Butter (for Vegan or Dairy-Free use non-hydrogenated margarine such as Earth Balance) ¼ cup Cream or Milk (for Vegan or Dairy-Free use non-dairy milk or cream such as soy or almond.) ¾ cup Pumpkin puree. (For vanilla doughnuts use ¾ cup milk, cream or non-dairy milk or cream.) 2 Eggs (For Vegan - In a small bowl mix until frothy: ½ cup water; 2 Tbs. cornstarch; 2 tsp. oil; ¼ tsp. baking powder; and 1/8 tsp. xanthan or guar gum.) 1 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease doughnut pans. Recipe will make 12 large doughnuts and 4-6 small ones. In a medium sized bowl add flours, spices, xanthan or guar gum, salt and baking powder. Mix with a whisk until well blended. In a separate bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer cream sugar and butter or margarine until fluffy. Add eggs or egg replacer; vanilla; milk or cream or non-dairy milk; and pumpkin puree (or extra milk for vanilla doughnuts). Mix until well blended. Add the flour mixture alternately with the egg mixture to the creamed butter and sugar. Beat until well blended and smooth. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl half way through. Place batter into a large plastic baggie and cut the tip of one corner large enough to allow batter to squeeze out in to the doughnut pan. Squeeze the batter into the doughnut pans. Batter should be just under the top of the pan. Bake in the center of the oven for 20-25 minutes until cake springs back when touched lightly with a finger or when a toothpick inserted in the thickest part comes out clean. BROWN BUTTER GLAZE Ingredients ½ cup (1 stick) Unsalted Butter ¾ cup Confectioner’s Sugar 2 tsp. Vanilla 2 Tbs. Milk or Cream Directions In a small saucepan, heat butter over medium heat. Stir occasionally until butter gets light brown in color, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and pour butter into a bowl. Leave burnt sediment in the saucepan. Add sugar, vanilla and milk to the browned butter and stir until smooth. I like to use a small whisk to do this so that there are no lumps of sugar. Place a rack on a sheet pan to catch glaze drippings. Dip top half of each doughnut into the glaze and then place the doughnuts on the rack and allow the glaze to set. VEGAN MAPLE CINNAMON GLAZE Ingredients ¾ cup Confectioner’s Sugar 1 Tbs. Pure Maple Syrup ½ tsp. Cinnamon 1 Tbs. Non-Dairy Milk Directions Add all ingredients in a bowl and mix with a whisk until smooth. Add more milk or sugar as needed to make the consistency you prefer. This recipe makes a thin ‘see-through’ glaze. For a thicker glaze add more sugar until spreadable. WORMS IN DIRT CUPCAKES DIRECTIONS Make one recipe of Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Glaze found on a previous blog post. Sacrifice 2 or 3 un-iced cupcakes by removing the paper liner and crumbling them into a bowl. The cake crumbs (dirt) should be no larger than small lumps of cake. Dip remaining cupcakes one at a time into the chocolate glaze and then into the cake crumb dirt. Set on a plate or rack to set. If you run out of crumbs, crumble additional un-iced cupcakes as needed until all the cupcakes are glazed and dipped in the cake crumbs (dirt). Using a kitchen food scissors, cut marshmallows (use vegan marshmallows for vegan cupcakes) half way up the center. Then bend the marshmallow (worm) flat and place onto the cupcake topped with cake crumbs (dirt). Make eyes on each ‘worm’ by dipping a toothpick into natural red dye and dotting the dye where you want the worm eyes.

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GLUTEN FREE STRAWBERRY CUPCAKES WITH STRAWBERRY CREAM CHEESE FROSTING INCLUDING INSTRUCTIONS FOR A DAIRY FREE VERSION

Posted by Bryna Bear aka Gluten Free Baking Bear

     These Strawberry Cupcakes are light, moist and soft with a natural and delicate strawberry flavor.  The strawberry frosting adds just the right amount of creaminess.

     I found a recipe called “Ponchatoula Strawberry Cupcakes” in a Southern cookbook, Screen Doors and Sweet Tea, by Martha Hall Fouse.  I changed up the flours, increased the baking soda and added xanthan gum and apple cider vinegar in order to convert the cake recipe into GF.  I also reduced the butter and sugar in the frosting recipe.  The cake turned out a little too sweet for my taste and I will reduce the sugar by ½ cup the next time.  When eating the cake with the frosting the sweetness of the cake is reduced and enjoyable, but it would be even better with less sugar.

      Instead of cupcakes I baked the batter in a mini bundt cake pan and also experimented with a rose shaped mini cake pan.  I did not think about how to frost these shapes beforehand or I would have made them in a muffin tin and used pretty cupcake liners instead.  The rose cakes could not be frosted with this frosting without hiding the rose shape, and the small bundt shaped cakes were difficult to frost with such a thick frosting.  I ended up piping out the frosting in a striped pattern to make the cakes pretty.  

     For the Southern Afternoon Tea I wanted to serve something dainty and from the South.  The idea of pink strawberry cakes conjured up thoughts of being on a veranda, rocking on a wooden rocker, and cooling off by sipping Sweet Tea and nibbling on these tiny cakes.   As it turned out the cakes went very well with Mint Juleps and we were transported to a shady veranda somewhere in the distant past.

GLUTEN FREE STRAWBERRY CUPCAKES

Ingredients

1 ½ cups	Sorghum Flour
½ cup	Tapioca Flour
½ cup	Chickpea Flour
1 tsp.	Xanthan or Guar Gum
2 tsp.	Baking Soda
¼ tsp.	Sea Salt
1 ½ cups	Sugar (for less sweet cake use 1 cup sugar)
½ cup (1 stick)	Unsalted Butter (Dairy Free use margarine [non hydrogenated such as Earth Balance Buttery Sticks])
1/3 cup	Buttermilk (Dairy Free use soy, rice etc. milk and add 1 Tbs. of apple cider vinegar and let sit for 10 minutes.)
¼ cup	Canola Oil
½ tsp.	Almond Extract
1 tsp.	Vanilla
2 large	Eggs
1 cup	Strawberries, mashed
1 tsp.	Grated Orange Zest
1 Tbs.	Apple Cider Vinegar

Directions

     In a bowl add flours, xanthan gum, baking soda and salt.  Using a whisk, stir until well mixed.  Set bowl aside. 

     In the bowl of a stand mixer or with an electric mixer beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

     Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

     Add buttermilk, vinegar, oil and extracts and mix at medium speed for 1 minute.

     Add flour mixture to butter egg mixture in bowl and mix on low speed until just combined.  Remove bowl from stand.

     By hand, stir the strawberries and orange zest into the batter.

     Scoop batter into paper lined muffin pans. 

     Bake 18-20 minutes or until done.  Cake is done when a cake tester or toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean or when cake springs back when pressed lightly with a finger.

Mini Bundt Pan

Cakes cooling on Rack 

Cakes from the Rose pan.  

The inside of a mini bundt Strawberry Cake.

 Cool cakes on a rack.  Frost when completely cooled, about 15 minutes.

         

STRAWBERRY CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Ingredients

½ cup	Chopped Strawberries
2 Tbs.	Strawberry Jam (fruit juice sweetened)
1 tsp.	Lemon Juice
8 ounces	Cream Cheese (Dairy Free use non-dairy cream cheese)
¼ cup (½ stick)	Unsalted Butter (Dairy Free use 2 Tbs. shortening [non hydrogenated such as Spectrum] and 2 Tbs. Margarine [non hydrogenated such as Earth Balance Buttery Sticks])
¾ cup	Confectioner’s Sugar

Directions

     In a saucepan, over medium heat, stir berries, jam and lemon juice together.

Strawberries, jam and lemon juice cooking in pan.

     Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently and crushing any large pieces of strawberry with the back of the spoon.  Allow to cool.

     With an electric mixer or using the paddle attachment of a stand mixer, mix butter, cream cheese at low speed until creamy.  Add sugar and mix in well.  Add cooled strawberry mixture and beat until well blended.

Cooked strawberry mixture added to whipped cream cheese mixture.

Finished frosting.

     When cakes are cooled frost as desired.

GLUTEN FREE STRAWBERRY CUPCAKES Ingredients 1 ½ cups Sorghum Flour ½ cup Tapioca Flour ½ cup Chickpea Flour 1 tsp. Xanthan or Guar Gum 2 tsp. Baking Soda ¼ tsp. Sea Salt 1 ½ cups Sugar (for less sweet cake use 1 cup sugar) ½ cup (1 stick) Unsalted Butter (Dairy Free use margarine [non hydrogenated such as Earth Balance Buttery Sticks]) 1/3 cup Buttermilk (Dairy Free use soy, rice etc. milk and add 1 Tbs. of apple cider vinegar and let sit for 10 minutes.) ¼ cup Canola Oil ½ tsp. Almond Extract 1 tsp. Vanilla 2 large Eggs 1 cup Strawberries, mashed 1 tsp. Grated Orange Zest 1 Tbs. Apple Cider Vinegar Directions In a bowl add flours, xanthan gum, baking soda and salt. Using a whisk, stir until well mixed. Set bowl aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer or with an electric mixer beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add buttermilk, vinegar, oil and extracts and mix at medium speed for 1 minute. Add flour mixture to butter egg mixture in bowl and mix on low speed until just combined. Remove bowl from stand. By hand, stir the strawberries and orange zest into the batter. Scoop batter into paper lined muffin pans. Bake 18-20 minutes or until done. Cake is done when a cake tester or toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean or when cake springs back when pressed lightly with a finger. Cool cakes on a rack. Frost when completely cooled, about 15 minutes. STRAWBERRY CREAM CHEESE FROSTING Ingredients ½ cup Chopped Strawberries 2 Tbs. Strawberry Jam (fruit juice sweetened) 1 tsp. Lemon Juice 8 ounces Cream Cheese (Dairy Free use non-dairy cream cheese) ¼ cup (½ stick) Unsalted Butter (Dairy Free use 2 Tbs. shortening [non hydrogenated such as Spectrum] and 2 Tbs. Margarine [non hydrogenated such as Earth Balance Buttery Sticks]) ¾ cup Confectioner’s Sugar Directions In a saucepan, over medium heat, stir berries, jam and lemon juice together. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently and crushing any large pieces of strawberry with the back of the spoon. Allow to cool. With an electric mixer or using the paddle attachment of a stand mixer, mix butter, cream cheese at low speed until creamy. Add sugar and mix in well. Add cooled strawberry mixture and beat until well blended. When cakes are cooled frost as desired.

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GLUTEN FREE HEAVENLY CHOCOLATE BROWNIE COOKIES WITH A DAIRY FREE VERSION

Posted by Bryna Bear aka Gluten Free Baking Bear

     These cookies are soft, chocolatey and delicious.  They are like small cookie shaped brownies.

     I served them at my Southern Tea Party and they were a hit.  You can make them dairy free by using margarine instead of butter and by making sure the chocolate you use is dairy free.  I have not tried making these without eggs; when I do I will post a vegan version.

     The original recipe for these cookies was given to me by Beverly, a nurse I use to work with.   She was famous for her holiday cookie baking.  She started baking cookies as holiday gifts.  Over time the cookies were so popular that she began to bake hundreds of cookies and mail tins of cookies all over the country.  She would spend all year searching for just the right tins to use.  I do not know which cookbook Beverly got this recipe from and, as we are no longer in touch, I cannot ask her.  We all looked forward to her cookies at holiday parties.  Beverly’s cookies were very delicious and looked very professional and beautiful.

     Unlike cakes or breads, cookies are easy to convert to a good gluten free version.  You just use an equal amount of gluten free flour (the same amount as the regular flour called for in the recipe) and also add ½ tsp. of xanthan gum.  The trick is in knowing which types of gluten free flour to use.  I find that for cookies, cakes, quick bread and pies the following formula works well every time:  replace 1 cup of regular flour with ½ cup sorghum flour, ¼ cup tapioca flour and ¼ cup of chickpea (garbanzo) flour.  I do not use rice flour in cookies, cakes etc as I find it makes them too heavy and grainy and they do not adequately replace the regular baked goods in texture.  There are many GF flour blends and mixes out there.  I prefer buying the three GF flours and measuring them out as needed instead of buying a more costly pre-mixed product.  Using flours that are different from the ones in the recipe will alter the baking results.

    

HEAVENLY CHOCOLATE BROWNIE COOKIES

    

Ingredients

4 ounces	Semi-sweet Chocolate
2 ounces	Unsweetened Chocolate
1/3 cup	Butter – Unsalted (for dairy free use a margarine such as Earth Balance)
¾ cup	Sugar
1 ½ tsp.	Instant Coffee Granules
2	Eggs
¼ cup	Sorghum Flour
2 Tbs.	Tapioca Flour
2 Tbs.	Chickpea (Garbanzo) or Fava/Garbanzo flour
½ tsp.	Xanthan or Guar Gum
½ tsp.	Baking Powder
¼ tsp.	Salt (omit if using margarine)
¾ cups	Chocolate Chips
¾ cups	Walnuts - chopped

Directions

     Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

     Cover baking sheets with parchment paper or use silpat liners.

     In a small saucepan melt butter (or margarine) and semi-sweet and unsweetened chocolate.  When smooth and melted remove from heat and allow to cool.

Butter, coffe and eggs beaten for 3 minutes.

     In a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, add sugar, instant coffee granules, and eggs and beat at highest speed for 2-3 minutes.

Chocolate mixture added to egg mixture.

     Add melted chocolate mixture and blend together with a spatula.

     In a separate small bowl add flours, xanthan or guar gum, salt and baking powder.  Mix with a whisk until well combined.

     Add flour mixture to chocolate mixture and mix well with a spatula or spoon. 

     Stir in nuts and chocolate chips and mix well.

Cookie dough scooped 2 inches apart onto a baking sheet lined with a silpat mat.

     Drop by teaspoonful, 2 inches apart, onto prepared baking sheets.

     Bake for 7-11 minutes or until the tops of the cookies are cracked.  Do not overbake or the cookies will be dry and hard. 

     Cool for 1 minute before moving to a rack to completely cool.

     Store cooled cookies in an airtight tin for up to a week, or freeze the cookies for longer storage and thaw before using.  You can also freeze unbaked dough balls until ready to bake.

     Makes about 3 dozen cookies. 

HEAVENLY CHOCOLATE BROWNIE COOKIES Ingredients 4 ounces Semi-sweet Chocolate 2 ounces Unsweetened Chocolate 1/3 cup Butter – Unsalted (for dairy free use a margarine such as Earth Balance) ¾ cup Sugar 1 ½ tsp. Instant Coffee Granules 2 Eggs ¼ cup Sorghum Flour 2 Tbs. Tapioca Flour 2 Tbs. Chickpea (Garbanzo) or Fava/Garbanzo flour ½ tsp. Xanthan or Guar Gum ½ tsp. Baking Powder ¼ tsp. Salt (omit if using margarine) ¾ cups Chocolate Chips ¾ cups Walnuts - chopped Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover baking sheets with parchment paper or use silpat liners. In a small saucepan melt butter (or margarine) and semi-sweet and unsweetened chocolate. When smooth and melted remove from heat and allow to cool. In a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, add sugar, instant coffee granules, and eggs and beat at highest speed for 2-3 minutes. Add melted chocolate mixture and blend together with a spatula. In a separate small bowl add flours, xanthan or guar gum, salt and baking powder. Mix with a whisk until well combined. Add flour mixture to chocolate mixture and mix well with a spatula or spoon. Stir in nuts and chocolate chips and mix well. Drop by teaspoonful, 2 inches apart, onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 7-11 minutes or until the tops of the cookies are cracked. Do not overbake or the cookies will be dry and hard. Cool for 1 minute before moving to a rack to completely cool. Store cooled cookies in an airtight tin for up to a week, or freeze the cookies for longer storage and thaw before using. You can also freeze unbaked dough balls until ready to bake. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

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