Chocolate "mini cakes" with Coconut Cream Cheese and Strawberry Buttercream

Chocolate "mini cakes" with Coconut Cream Cheese and Strawberry Buttercream

Instead of pre-made Valentines candy and what-nots,  why not make a special treat?!

I'm a sucker for chocolate and strawberries and will combine them any chance I get.   This actually is a cake we (my family) has been making for years.  It is one of the moistest chocolate cakes ever and really simple to bake.

 I hope you enjoy this special treat and make it  for your Valentine(s)!

(gf/vegan)

*please be sure your own ingredients are free of your allergens, for example: not all vanilla extracts are gf.  Always check with the manufacturers.

Chocolate Crazy Cake:
oven 350 degrees
12 x 8 Brownie pan- parchment lined

3/4 Cup  White Rice Flour
1/4 Cup  Brown Rice Flour
1/2 Cup  Potato Starch
1/2 tsp  Xantham Gum
1 Cup  Organic Sugar
1 tsp  Baking Soda
1/4 tsp  Sea Salt
3 TB  Cocoa Powder
6 TB  Canola Oil
1 tsp  Vanilla Extract
2 TB  Apple cider Vinegar
1 Cup  Coffee (decaf or reg., very warm)
1/2 Cup  Chocolate Chips (Enjoy Life)

Preheat oven to 350.  Line a 12 x 8 brownie pan with parchment paper.  Set aside.
In mixing bowl, sift all dry ingredients together and mix on low until combined.  Add all wet ingredients and mix until just combined, scraping down if needed.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Pour into prepared baking pan and bake 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool.

Coconut Cream Cheese:

1/2 Cup  Coconut Manna (butter)
1 Cup  Powdered Sugar
4 TB  Butter substitute
1/2 tsp  Lemon juice
1/4 tsp  Vanilla Extract

Combine all ingredients into small bowl and mix until smooth.  Set aside.

Strawberry Butter Cream Icing:

1/4 Cup + 1/8 Cup  Butter substitute -room temp
1/4 Cup + 1/8 Cup  Spectrum Shortening
pinch of salt
2 1/4 Cup  Powdered Sugar
1 1/2 TB + 1 tsp  Strawberry puree (or strawberry jam)

In mixing bowl, combine butter, shortening and pinch of salt.  Mix on medium speed about 4-5 minutes.  Add in powdered sugar and strawberry puree, mix on low until combined then turn up to medium speed and mix until fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.  Place in piping bag with desired tip.

*note- This butter cream icing is best at room temp.

To Assemble:

Once cake is cooled, cut out desired shapes.  (I used a 1/3 cup measuring cup to cut out small circles)  Spread "cream cheese" on top of one of the cut out shapes.  The "cream cheese" is fairly thick, but you can dip a knife in warm water to smooth out if desired.  Top with another cut out piece of cake and ice with butter cream.  Enjoy!


Or:

Cut cake into small squares and just ice with butter cream!

Save image to computer and print!

Also shared at: Fat Tuesday, Waste Not Want Not Wednesday, Allergy Free Wednesday, Gluten Free Wednesdays, Gluten Free Fridays, Whole Food Friday

Oven Baked Carrot Fries

Oven Baked Carrot Fries

As a parent of a Autistic child, getting my kid to eat a "balanced meal" is a real challenge.  I feel like I am jumping through hoops every day, especially during this time of the season when everybody is sick.  I hide veggies in everything.  From burgers to muffins.  So when she gobbled down two plates of these, I fell off my chair,  and then thought it might be worth posting the simple recipe!  I hope your "picky little eater" enjoys as much as mine did.

Oven Baked Carrot Fries:

oven 425

4 large  Carrots

1 TB  Olive Oil or Canola Oil

1 tsp  Sea Salt

Peel and cut carrots into "fries".   Place in small bowl and toss with olive oil and sea salt.  Once coated, place on parchment lined cookie sheet.  Bake for 20 minutes, then flip and bake for another 15 minutes.  

*These don't crisp-up like a regular french fry, they are soft like a sweet potato fry.  

Allergy Free Blueberry Cupcakes with Lemon Curd and Lemon Buttercream Icing

When I saw a picture of a similar cupcakes on Pinterest, I knew I had to try and re-create them Allergy Free.  Hope you enjoy!      (GF/CF/SF/ V)

Allergy Free Blueberry Cupcakes with Lemon Curd and Lemon Buttercream Icing:

Vegan Lemon Curd:     ( Make 1st to allow time for cooling and set up)
3/4 cup  Sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 TB Coconut (carton) Milk
2 TB  Lemon Juice
1 1/2 TB  Cornstarch
Pinch of salt
2 TB  Butter substitute

Add Sugar, coconut milk, lemon juice, cornstarch and salt to small saucepan.  Whisk until well blended.  Turn on stove to medium heat and whisk continuously until it starts to boil and thickens.  Add butter and keep whisking at a low boil until thick.  Place in a bowl and refrigerate to cool.

Vanilla Blueberry Cupcakes:
oven 350 degrees  9 cupcakes   

1 cup  Brown Rice Flour
1/4 cup  White Rice Flour
1/4 cup  Tapioca Starch
1/2 tsp.  Xantham Gum
1 tsp.  Baking Powder
1/2 tsp  Baking Soda
1/4 tsp  Sea Salt
1/2 cup  Coconut (carton) Milk
1/2 tsp  Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 cup Spectrum Shortening
1 cup  Sugar
1 TB  Egg Replacer mixed with 1/4 cup milk substitute
1/2 tsp  Vanilla
1/2 cup  Blueberries mixed with 2 TB white rice flour

Mix in separate bowl flours, starch, xantham gum, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk until blended.  Mix in another separate bowl coconut milk and apple cider vinegar.  Cream in blender, Spectrum, sugar, egg replacer mixture and vanilla.  Add 1/2 of dry mixture and 1/2 of milk mixture to the creamed mixture. Mix until well blended.  Add the rest of dry mixture and the rest of milk mixture and blend until smooth.  Fill cupcake liners 1/2 way up.  Drop in 4-5 coated blueberries and top off with batter until filled to top.
Bake 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  If using frozen blueberries, your cupcake may need a few more minutes.   Cool.

Lemon Buttercream:

1/4 cup plus 1/8 cup  Butter substitute
1/4 cup plus 1/8 cup  Spectrum Shortening
pinch of salt
2 1/4 cups  Powdered Sugar
1 1/2 TB  Coconut (carton) Milk
1 tsp  Lemon Juice

Cream butter, shortening and salt until very creamy on medium speed.  (about 4-5 minutes)  Add powdered sugar, coconut milk and lemon juice.  Mix until well blended and fluffy.  (about 3-5 minutes)

To Assemble:

Cut out center of cooled blueberry cupcake. Save top and cut off bottom so flat.  Fill with lemon curd and replace top.  Ice with lemon buttercream and add 1 single blueberry to top.  Store in cool area.  If refrigerated, bring out cupcakes prior to eating so buttercream softens.