Baking for Fun and Warmth!

Most people don't think too much about baking when its hot, especially since ovens tend to heat up the house unbearably in summer. But now that its cold...(12 degrees F tonight...) yeah, totally on my mind! I also have a huge bag of carrots that I am looking for ways to use up. So, I am on my way to carrot cake tonight. 

I enjoy baking, as long as it isn't hot. Its rewarding when recipes turn out just right, and even more rewarding when your adaptations succeed. I am going to take a carrot cake recipe and turn it into a gluten free carrot cake recipe. I know, there are plenty of gluten free recipes out there, but I am ready to experiment, so here goes.

First I do a Google search to find some good advice on how to convert cake recipes to gluten-free. The first result is For Dummies, but it turns out to be exactly what I am looking for...go figure. There are many different suggestions, which I am pretty sure are not meant to all be used in one recipe. The following are the suggestions I will use:

1. Include an additive such as guar gum, xanthan gum, flaxseed meal blended with a little water, whey, or gelatin to help hold it together.
2. Add an extra egg.
3. Increase flavorings, but don't go overboard.
4. Replace some of the liquid in the recipe with buttermilk or yogurt.
5. Replace sugar with brown sugar.
6. Of course, I had to replace the regular flour with an all-purpose gluten-free baking mix that I make from combining flours. I got the general instructions for this mix from Gluten-Free Girl.

Okay, here is my recipe, which I have adapted from a recipe provided by The Pioneer Woman Cooks.

Gluten-Free Carrot Cake

Ingredients

1 c. white sugar

1 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. vegetable oil

1/2 c. buttermilk

5 eggs

2 c. all-purpose gluten free baking mix (homemade or pre-made)

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1+1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. xanthan gum

2 c. grated carrots

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Mix first 4 ingredients in large bowl.
3. Mix remaining ingredients, except for carrots, in another bowl.
4. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix well.
5. Pour into a prepared pan (greased and floured).
6. Bake about 30-35 minutes for 9 x 13 inch pan, about 50 minutes for a bundt pan.
7. Cool completely, then frost if desired, preferably with cream cheese icing.

This turned out well, considering it was one of my first attempts at converting a recipe to gluten-free. I will try again soon, so expect to see a few more recipes interspersed through my blog!