Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Yellow Cake with Chocolate Icing, gluten-free from author @DarylWoodGerber




From Daryl aka Avery:

Do you make a mess when you're in the kitchen? I've been trying hard to keep it "clean as I go" because I feel less frantic when I do. Use a bowl, wash it, move on. Well, sometimes that is just not possible. Especially if you don't have the right equipment.

I had a countertop mixer at one time, but I hated the way it wouldn't get the bottom of the bowl contents. I still had to stop it, spoon the bottom, and start up again. I gave up finally and bought a hand mixer. I love my hand mixer.

But there are recipes that really require the countertop version because you need your hands free. This is one of those recipes.

In addition, I used to have an old double boiler. My grandmother's. It was really used and bruised and, in one of my moves (from NC to CT to California), it found its way into the giveaway pile. Oops. I really needed THAT for this recipe, too.

But refusing to be daunted, I winged it  (wung it?) - whatever. This cake was a challenge but it was such a tasty result, that I'm thrilled I made it.

I found the recipe in The How Can It Be Gluten-Free Cookbook - a terrific cookbook! The authors give all sorts of tips for why something did or didn’t work for gluten-free items. They like using King Arthur GF all-purpose flour or Bob’s Red Mill GF all-purpose flour.  I used my own mixture of sweet rice flour, tapioca starch, and sorghum flour.

Note – have a lot of bowls at the ready, plus you’ll want to have all your ingredients ready ahead of time.

Happy MESSY cooking!


GLUTEN-FREE YELLOW CAKE AND CHOCOLATE FROSTING
The How Can It Be Gluten-Free Cookbook


Serves 10-12

6 ounces white chocolate, chopped
8 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
1 ¾ cups plus 2/3 cups King Arthur GF Flour blend
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 ¼ teaspoons xanthan gum
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
4 large eggs, separated
pinch cream of tartar
1 cup sugar
1 ½ tablespoons vanilla extract
2/3 cup sour cream
4 cups frosting

Adjust the oven rack in middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line bottom with parchment paper, and grease parchment.


Microwave chocolate and butter together in bowl at 50 percent power, stirring occasionally, until melted, about 2 minutes. Whisk mixture until smooth, then set aside to cool slightly. In separate bowl, whisk flour blend, baking powder, xanthan gum, salt, and baking soda until combined.





Using stand mixer fitted with whisk (I did not have this and managed), whip egg whites and cream of tartar on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minutes. Increased speed to medium-high and whip whites to soft, billowy mounds, about 1 minute.  Gradually and ½ cup sugar and whip until glossy, stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.




Return now-empty bowl to mixer, add egg yolks and vanilla, and whip on medium speed until well blended, about 30 seconds. Gradually add remaining ½ cup sugar, increased mixer speed to high, and whip until very thick and pale yellow; about 2 minutes. Reducer mixer speed to medium,  add chocolate mixture and sour cream, and whip until combined, about 30 seconds. Reduce speed to low, slowly add flour blend mixture, and mix until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute.


Using rubber spatula, stir one-third of whipped egg whites into batter to lighten. [I used my mixer; the batter was stiff.] Gently fold in remaining whites until no white streaks remain. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and smooth tops. Bake until cakes begin to pull away from sides of pans and spring back when pressed lightly.  30-32 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking.



Let cakes cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes.  Run knife around edges of cakes to loosen. Remove cakes from pans, discard parchment, and let cool completely on rack, about 1 ½ hours. Cake layers can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 1 day.


Place 1 cake layer on platter and spread with 1 ½ cups frosting evenly over top using small spatula or butter knife. Top with second cake layer, press lightly to admire, then spread remaining 2 ½ cups frosting even over top and sides. Serve.

Creamy Chocolate Frosting

This is not too sweet. It is quite “loose”. And it was difficult to make because I didn’t have the proper bowl to put on top of simmering water. But it still worked and tasted flavorful.

I also didn’t make the whole recipe. I cut it in half and only frosted half the cake.

Again, have all the ingredients ready right at the start.

2/3 cup sugar
4 large egg whites
pinch salt
24 tablespoons (3 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 24 pieces and softened
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled (I used 2 cups chips)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine sugar, egg whites, and salt in bowl of stand mixer; place bowl over pan of simmering water. Whisking gently but constantly, heat mixture until slightly thickened and foamy and it registered 150 degrees on a candy thermometer, 2 to 3 minutes.






Place bowl in stand mixture fitted with whisk. Beat mixture on medium speed until it has consistency of shaving cream and has cooled slightly, about 5 minutes. Add butter, 1 piece at a time, until smooth and creamy. It might look curdled after half of butter has been added; it will smooth out with additional butter.

Once all butter is added, add cooled melted chocolate and vanilla and mix until combined. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 30 seconds, scraping beater and sides of bowl with spatula as necessary. **If frosting seems too soft after adding chocolate, chill it briefly in refrigerator, then rewhip until creamy.











Savor the mystery and say cheese!
Daryl Wood Gerber aka Avery Aames
Tasty ~ Zesty ~ Dangerous!

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9 comments:

  1. Thank you for the gluten free cake recipe! The chocolate frosting looks good.

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    Replies
    1. Jen, it is really tasty. It is a tad thin, but I like it that way, almost like a ganache. I kept leftovers in the fridge. It's hardened, but warms in the microwave easily. Good for topping ice cream. ~ Daryl

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  2. I would love a piece of that for breakfast--my favorite combination! I wonder if anyone else has the secret for getting the bottom of the bowl mixed in with a stand mixer? the same thing happens to me!

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    Replies
    1. So I'm not the only one?? Ha! I thought I was being punked. LOL ~ Daryl

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  3. I think yellow cake with chocolate frosting is the quintessential cake. It used to be my birthday cake choice as a kid.

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    Replies
    1. Me, too, Libby, which is why I decided to attempt it from scratch. I was so pleased with the outcome! ~ Daryl

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  4. Daryl, have you ever thought of putting together your own cookbook of your favorite gluten-free recipes? You do such a great job of detailing them on this blog, and your pictures are always really great! I really think you should consider it :-)

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  5. Nicole, you are so sweet. I've considered it, but I wouldn't have a clue how to get started other than self-publishing it. I think the ones that make cookbooks are "real" chefs. No? Hugs to you for the suggestion!

    ~Daryl

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  6. You've done so well with Girl on the Run that I really think you should keep it on the back burner/bucket list. Hugs back and happy weekend! :-)

    ReplyDelete