I got inspired watching a vegan and gluten free cupcake win on Cupcake Wars and went on a mission to make some gluten free cupcakes for the shop.
My first mistake was trying to find gluten free ingredients on a Sunday in Tuscaloosa. I swear you would think it was alcohol (until a couple of weeks ago, we were a dry county on Sundays). The shop I KNEW would have everything I needed (Manna Grocery) is closed Sundays so I tried Publix with limited success. Probably should have gone to Target, but wasn't thinking in that direction until much, much later.
What did we make?
Orange cupcakes, with a combination of sorghum and rice flours, plus potato starch and arrowroot. Fresh orange juice and zest, plus sugar, agave nectar, baking soda and baking powder, salt, oil and eggs. Next time I'll fill the cups a bit more but they were pretty darned good, right out of the oven. Good taste and but very dense. This one needs work.
Then came chocolate cupcakes with the same combination of flours, adding cocoa powder and espresso powder. We used coconut milk and eggs for the liquid and added a little apple cider vinegar to power up the baking soda. These were dense too and I was beginning to lose hope.
A second attempt at chocolate, made from my grandmother's recipe for egyptian cake, and a different combination of flours did the trick. Heavenly taste AND texture, much like a cake-y brownie. YUMMM. A shot of whipped chocolate ganache in the center and more on top made them even better. Some of our regular customers even raved.
Lastly, carrot cupcakes, made with sorghum and almond flours, plus potato starch and arrowroot. Coconut milk and eggs for the liquid, plus cinnamon and nutmeg, and a cup of grated carrots. Paired with cream cheese icing and topped with either toasted coconut or chopped pecans. OMG, very good.
I think we'll have to have a gluten-free day once a month.
Thank you so much for doing this... it is really difficult to say no to an extremely cute (but gluten free) 4 year old who just wants to eat a cupcake like all his friends at preschool. He has loved everything we tried!
Posted by: Lisa Bagby | March 30, 2011 at 10:55 PM