Easy Gluten-free Vanilla Cupcakes

March 15, 2017 By Becky 65 Comments

When you need a simple but scrumptious spring dessert, look no further than these easy gluten-free vanilla cupcakes! Thank you to my friends at Bob’s Red Mill for sponsoring this post. Their gluten free 1-to-1 baking flour makes this recipe a snap!

It’s snowed twice in Chattanooga in the past three days, but I’m channeling spring with the blush tones of these easy gluten-free vanilla cupcakes. Now that we’ve sprung forward, the warm weather can’t be far behind, right?

Whether or not you’re buried under piles of snow this week, now is a great time to whip up a batch of these babies. They’re easy as can be and made with pantry staples, and are going to be on repeat around here for Easter, Mother’s Day, my birthday (hint HINT), and any old day that needs a sweet ending.

I use Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour from Bob’s Red Mill for these cupcakes. Bob’s Red Mill’s flours have always been my go-to. I usually bake with a mix of their super finely ground almond flour and tapioca flour, but this flour blend has won me over recently because it’s so convenient. You only need to measure one kind of flour, and it works as a cup-for-cup replacement for wheat flour in all sorts of recipes.

Bob’s has also recently come out with a paleo flour blend that I can’t wait to try in this recipe. And if you don’t follow a gluten-free diet, you can just use their regular flour here!

For these easy gluten-free vanilla cupcakes, I took an old family recipe for “little one-egg cakes” and made just a couple of substitutions: Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour instead of regular flour and butter instead of shortening. Boom! Easy and delicious vanilla cupcakes. No one will know that these are gluten free!

Grain-free Carrot Cake

March 21, 2016 By Becky 21 Comments

This grain-free carrot cake gets wonderful flavor from hazelnut flour, lemon zest, and just the right balance of spices. It’s perfect for Easter, birthdays, or an impromptu spring celebration.

Carrot cake–how do you feel about it? I’ve changed my tune over the past few years. As a kid, I thought carrot cake was a huge disappointment. I’d take a few bites if it was the only cake available, but just because even carrot cake was better than no cake whatsoever. As I grew older, I came to appreciate carrot cake as a vehicle for cream cheese frosting, which I do like, despite finding most store-bought versions way too sweet.

When Ben and I first started dating, I was flabbergasted to hear that carrot cake was his FAVORITE kind of cake. Because I love him so much, I started experimenting with homemade carrot cake and was gradually won over. This grain-free carrot cake is good enough to often get stuck in my head like a song, with the memory of its flavor playing over and over until I give in and bake it again. I won’t say carrot cake is now my number one cake, but it might actually be one of my top three. I like how the carrots keep the cake from drying out, and how the subtly spiced cake contrasts with the subtly tangy frosting.

Golden Cake with Strawberries and Whipped Cream

April 11, 2015 By Becky 6 Comments

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Golden Cake with Strawberries & Whipped Cream (Gluten free, Grain free) | acalculatedwhisk.com

How were your Easter and/or Passover celebrations? Ben and I had a few people over on Saturday and then went to another Easter dinner on Sunday. I won a pork crown roast from Snake River Farms over at Rhubarbarians, and it was pretty great. I also made this cake–we enjoyed one of the layers on Saturday, and brought the other one, pictured here, to the party on Sunday.

So, yes, I’ve been sitting on this cake recipe for an entire week. I apologize! I had one of those very busy weeks that I should have seen coming, but instead somehow managed to take me completely by surprise. Am I the only one that happens to? Between papers and evaluation reports and trying to get at least a little shuteye, it took me all week just to edit these photos.

Lemon Olive Oil Cake

April 14, 2014 By Becky 52 Comments

This grain-free lemon olive oil cake is easy to whip up and is perfect for feeding a crowd. It’s my go-to paleo cake recipe!

Passover starts tonight, and if you have your big seder this evening, I realize I may be getting this dessert idea out too late. However, it never hurts to have a delicious kosher for Passover snack cake on hand for days 2-8, right?

This grain-free lemon olive oil cake would also be perfect for Easter–since I celebrate both holidays, I’m planning on making this again next weekend and dressing it up with some eggs and/or bunnies.

This cake is delicious: moist, tender, and perfectly lemony. I couldn’t taste the olive oil, but I think it adds some hard-to-pinpoint depth to the overall flavor of the cake, and it’s nice to know you’re baking with a healthy, dairy-free cooking fat.

The glaze is cashew-based, but I worked hard to make honey and lemon the prominent flavors, so I think people who don’t know cashews are the main ingredient won’t be able to figure it out.

I’ve made this lemon olive oil cake countless times for dinner parties, birthdays, and all manner of holidays, and it never fails to please. No one can tell that it’s gluten free, grain free, dairy free, and paleo friendly, and everyone is surprised to hear it’s made from extra virgin olive oil. I hope you’ll give it a try!

Chag sameach and happy Easter, if you’re celebrating one of those holidays, and happy (finally) spring if you’re not.

Lemon Olive Oil Cake

Name: Lemon Olive Oil Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 10
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons lemon juice*; 1/4 cup honey; 1/2 cup cashews, soaked in water for 1-2 hours and drained; 1/2 teaspoon vanilla; Pinch of salt; 1 tablespoon lemon zest*; 2-3 tablespoons water (or more as needed); 2 1/2 cups lightly packed almond flour; 3/4 cup tapioca starch; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 3/4 cup honey; 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil; 1/4 cup lemon juice*; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 3 eggs; 1 tablespoon lemon zest*

Yield: 10-12 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

This grain-free lemon olive oil cake is easy to whip up and is perfect for feeding a crowd. It's my go-to paleo cake recipe!

Ingredients

For the cake:

2 1/2 cups lightly packed almond flour
3/4 cup tapioca starch
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup honey
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice*
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
1 tablespoon lemon zest*

For the glaze:

3 tablespoons lemon juice*
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup cashews, soaked in water for 1-2 hours and drained
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon lemon zest*
2-3 tablespoons water (or more as needed)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F, and thoroughly grease a large (12-cup capacity) bundt pan with olive oil. Place the pan on a baking sheet.
To make the cake, whisk together the almond flour, tapioca starch, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together all the wet ingredients and the lemon zest in a medium bowl or two-cup measuring cup. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and stir until well-combined. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, and put the pan (along with the baking sheet that's underneath it--this is just for ease of transport) in the oven. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until the middle is set and a toothpick comes out almost clean (a few small crumbs are okay, but no goo). Cool for about 30 minutes in the pan, then carefully run a thin knife around the inner and outer edges of the cake to loosen it. You can try to invert it onto a plate at this point if it seems loose, but it might need a little bit more cajoling. If it does, place it in the freezer for 30-40 minutes, then dip the bottom of the pan into a bowl of very hot water for about 30 seconds. Invert the cake onto a plate, and it should slide right out.
To make the glaze, combine all ingredients in your blender, or in a large bowl if you plan to use an immersion blender. Process until smooth, adding water as necessary to achieve a pourable consistency. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake (I transferred my glaze to a ziptop bag, snipped off a corner, and drizzled it on from the bag). Slice and serve!

Notes

*I got enough juice and zest for both the cake and the glaze from two lemons, but I'd recommend having a third lemon on hand just in case.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12 pieces Serving Size: 1 piece
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 355Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 47mgSodium: 167mgCarbohydrates: 38gFiber: 3gSugar: 25gProtein: 8g

The nutrition label provided is an estimate for informational purposes only and may not be accurate. I am not a nutritionist or medical professional.

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Lemon Coconut Cupcakes

March 31, 2013 By Becky Leave a Comment

I love cupcakes! I love them so much that I
named a kitten after them (she was the size of a cupcake when I found
her, so it totally makes sense). To go with my lemon kick, I decided to
create these lemon coconut cupcakes. The bird’s nest idea comes from
Martha and can be found here, and the recipe is inspired by Ina’s in the Barefoot Contessa cookbook and Gaby’s found here.
I know this may not be getting out there in time to be part of your
Easter dinner, but with regular decorating these could be enjoyed
anytime.

Ingredients (makes 18 cupcakes):

1/2 lb butter (2 sticks) at room temperature
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon lemon zest
3 teaspoons lemon juice
5 eggs at room temperature
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup coconut milk
3/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Lemony Cream Cheese Frosting (makes enough for 18 cupcakes):

1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temp
8 oz. Neufchatel cheese (or cream cheese), at room temp
Zest of one lemon
1/8 tsp. almond extract
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

To fill and decorate:

1 cup lemon curd(about half a recipe)

1 cup toasted sweetened shredded coconut

1 recipe cream cheese frosting

Cadbury mini eggs or other candy eggs

To make the cupcakes:

1. Preheat the oven to 325. Cream the butter and sugar in an stand
mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. With the mixer on low, add the
eggs one at a time, then add the lemon zest and juice.
2.   Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
3.   Add the dry ingredients to to the mixer in three parts, alternating with the coconut milk, and mix just until combined.
4.   Fold in the coconut.
5. Divide the batter among the cupcake cups, and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

To make the frosting:
Cream the softened butter and cream cheese together. Sift in the powdered sugar. Add the lemon zest and extracts and mix well.

To fill and decorate:

When the cupcakes are done, cool them completely. Use a paring knife
to cut a cone-shaped piece out of the top of each cupcake, making sure
not to cut all the way down to the bottom. Use a small spoon to fill
the empty cones with lemon curd (and have fun eating the little
cone-shaped pieces of cake! No one is going to miss those!).

Transfer the frosting to a large ziploc bag, and cut off the tip of one corner to make a dime-sized hole. Pipe a circle of frosting onto the outer edge of each cupcake. Sprinkle toasted coconut on top to cover. (To toast coconut, cook it in a dry skillet over medium-low heat until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Don’t turn your back on it because it burns easily.) Then, place 3 Cadbury mini eggs in the middle of each nest.