Posts Tagged by Pamela GF Mix
Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes
| January 21, 2013 | Filled under Cakes & Cupcakes, Desserts, Kid-Friendly |
Do you smile and get giddy like a 2-year old when you see a cupcake that is disguised as an ice cream cone? If you don’t, you may want to check for a pulse, because I probably could have named this post ‘happiness in a cone’. I first made ice cream cone cupcakes back when I was a teen summer camp counsellor looking after pre-school aged kids. The utter joy the campers got from helping to create these and gobbling them up was priceless. As wise and mature teenaged counsellors, we made sure to serve these to the kidlets right before we sent them home with mom and dad so we got to experience the joy, and parents got to deal with the resulting sugar high afterwards *insert evil laughter*.
What’s in it? This simple recipe involves gluten-free cake mix from Pamela’s Products, egg-replacer from Ener-G, homemade frosting, and gluten-free cones from Let’s Do. These cones look just like it’s gluten-filled original except the texture is slightly little less crunchy but still delicious. These cupcakes would be perfect for a birthday party for kids of any age - I actually made these for my own birthday which happens to be next week. You can do just about any combination you would do for a normal cupcake – the options are endless. This version happens to be gluten/nut/egg/dairy-free – so almost allergen free but still super yummy. A rare combo indeed.
Specialty Bakeware Not Required: Now I’m not normally one to acquire too much specialty bakeware, as living in a condo means very limited storage, but I couldn’t resist this ice cream cone baker that was on sale. You don’t need it to make this, you just need some tin foil and a muffin pan – there’s a great tutorial here.
Test one first… I recommend doing one test cupcake before doing the entire batch. The cone only needs to be about 2/3 full with cake batter (using a small ice cream scoop or one tablespoon at a time), however, different cake recipes rise differently. Once you’ve tested one cone, you can fill the rest of the cones with the right amount of batter. Too much batter will result in overflow, look messy, and messy up your oven too. Once these cuties are baked, poke a small hole in the bottom of each cone with a fork to allow the steam to come out so the cones don’t get soggy.
MMmmm Fudgy Frosting… Most people will agree that the best part of a cupcake is the frosting. This fudgy frosting is dairy-free thanks to chocolate chips from Enjoy Life and coconut oil. This recipe is adapted from Elena’s Pantry - a great gluten-free resource. The instant espresso powder gives the frosting a more deeply chocolate-y tasting. The heart-healthy coconut oil allows me to enjoy my birthday cupcakes guilt-free, especially since birthday calories don’t count, right? I chose an unscented coconut oil so the chocolate flavor wouldn’t compete with coconut, but if you wanted a choco-coconut frosting, scented coconut oil would be perfect.
For garnish, I recommend some white chocolate shavings (contains dairy) or shredded coconut to pretty these up even more. I considered putting some sprinkles but all the ones I found had wax or shellac as an ingredient so I passed.
I plan to make these cupcake ice cream cones every year for my birthday from now until infinity, so that I always feel like a kid no matter how much older I get. I hope you enjoy these for your next celebration.
Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes (makes 12 ice cream cone cupcakes and 6 extra regular cupcakes) Adapted from Pamela’s Products
Ingredients:
- 12 flat bottomed gluten-free ice cream cones (1 package from Let’s Do)
- 1 package Pamela’s Chocolate Cake Mix (gluten-free)
- ½ cup canola oil
- 1/3 cup egg replacer (Ener-G brand) or 2 large eggs
- 1 and 1/2 cup water
- 1/3 cup chocolate chips (dairy-free from Enjoy Life)
Dairy-Free Vegan Chocolate Icing (for 12 cupcakes) Adapted from Elena’s Pantry
- 1 cup chocolate chips (dairy-free from Enjoy Life)
- 1/3 cup unscented coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (optional)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon soy milk
Special Equipment: Muffin pan and foil, or ice cream cone baker from Niftys
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover muffin pan with foil. Poke a hole over holes where cupcake would go and place ice cream cone in. In a large bowl, add cake mix, oil, egg replacer or eggs, water and chocolate chips. Mix all ingredients with a spatula until just combined. Do not over mix. Using a small ice cream scoop, fill ice cream cones until 2/3 full. Bake for 20 minutes on center rack or when toothpick comes out with slight crumbs. (Place a clean cookie sheet on bottom rack in case of spills.) Place on baking rack to cool. Poke a small hole in the bottom of each cone with a fork to release steam.
- For remaining batter, fill paper lined muffin tin until 2/3 full. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes. Place on baking rack to cool. Reserve or freeze for future use.
- Prepare frosting. In a small saucepan on very low heat, melt chocolate and coconut oil. Once melted, remove from heat and stir in espresso powder (if using), vanilla and soy milk. Stir and place in fridge for 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from fridge and beat with hand mixer until light and fluffy. Ice cooled cupcakes and garnish as desired.
A note about substitutions: I know many of my readers do not necessarily have gluten allergies or have varied food sensitivities. This post can be used as a guideline to inspire you to create ice cream cone cupcakes with your favourite options. My version is the most stripped down version and serves as a jumping off point for your own creations. I love hearing from you so if you end up tinkering with the recipe, I’d love to hear from you in the comments. Happy baking!
Buttermilk Biscuits
| October 22, 2012 | Filled under Breakfast, Pasta, Rice, & Grains, Sides |
Depending on where you come from, a biscuit can mean two different things. In North America, they’re little scone-like breads that are typically savoury while in the UK they’re a cracker or cookie. The recipe here is for the North American version and they’re super easy to whip up using my fave Pamela’s Products Baking & Pancake Mix. The mix is so versatile and these tasty biscuits are ready to enjoy hot out of the oven in under 15 minutes. They’re not only fast and easy but totally decadent – even my non-gluten-free friends love them.
The buttermilk is in the mix and all that’s added is shortening and milk. The original recipe on the bag calls for shortening, but I’ve swapped that out for heart healthier coconut oil this time, or when I have it around, I go for organic vegetable shortening. You can use any milk however, because of my dairy sensitivity I opt for unsweetened soy. Whatever you’ve got around should work just fine – just keep an eye on the baking time. When the tops and edges are browned, they’re done.
This recipe is also super quick because these are drop biscuits, rather than biscuits with a dough that needs to be rolled and cut. Just scoop some blobs of dough on the tray and they’re ready to bake. I like to enjoy these biscuits with my Potato Leek Soup, Tomato Soup, or at a holiday meal with my Inside Out Stuffing and Simple Roast Chicken. These are even great with breakfast. Clearly, I love biscuits and I thought that once I went gluten-free that I’d never have anything close to the buttery flaky ones of my past. However, this is a simple fast recipe that makes biscuits so amazing that I’ve never looked back at their doughy gluten-y counterparts. Thanks Pamela’s Products for making such great gluten-free stuff – you rock.
PS – the mix contains both dairy and nuts (almond meal).
Recipe Buttermilk Biscuits (makes 6) Adapted from Pamela’s Products
Ingredients
- 1 cup Pamela’s Products Baking & Pancake Mix
- 1/3 cup plus 1 Tablespoon milk (I use unsweetened soy)
- 1/4 cup coconut oil or shortening
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a mixing bowl, cut in the shortening or coconut oil with a fork until the mixture resembles course crumbs. Add the milk and stir until just combined. Do not let dough sit. Drop spoonfuls of dough onto baking tray lined with parchment paper or greased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges and tops are lightly browned.
S’mores Brownies
| February 22, 2012 | Filled under Cookies & Bars, Desserts |
Smell ya later winter – summer is around the corner. Days are getting a wee bit longer and that extra bit of daylight lingering in the early evening is such a treat. I find myself daydreaming about all the fun times that the upcoming warmer months will bring. And although it’s not here yet, it’s still kinda nice to enjoy a piece of summer (especially when it’s still chilly outside) and what’s more summer-y that s’mores? How about a gluten-free s’mores brownie? Here’s my step-by-step guide which involves a box of brownie mix from Pamela’s. It makes a pretty big batch and is perfect for sharing.
Fun factoid: S’mores is a contraction of ‘some more’. Read more about it’s history here.
Step 1: Make graham cracker crust.
Step 2: Add brownie batter.
Step 3: Bake and cool.
Step 4: Prepare ganache.
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Step 5: Spread ganache.
Step 6: Spread marshmallows.
Step 7: Toast marshmallows under broiler.
Step 8: Slice and serve.
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S’mores Brownie Recipe (makes 32 pieces)
Graham cracker crust:
- 1 ½ cups gluten free graham cracker crumbs (I used Kinnikinnick brand)
- ¼ cup melted butter (vegan or regular)
- 2 Tbsp sugar or brown sugar
Brownie Mix:
- 1 package Pamela’s Gluten Free Brownie Mix
- ½ cup canola or vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 egg or egg replacer equivalent
Topping:
- 6 ounces dark, semi-sweet or milk chocolate, cut into small pieces
- ½ cup milk (unsweetened soy or regular)
- 5 cups mini marshmallows (about 1 x 400 gram bag)
Special Equipment: half sheet baking pan (mine is from Sur la Table) or can also use disposable pan.
Directions:
- Prepare the crust. In a medium bowl, mix all the ingredients together until combined. Pour onto parchment lined baking sheet and press down into an even layer. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium mixing bowl, combine Pamela’s Brownie Mix, oil, water, and egg and stir until combined – do not over mix. Pour onto graham crust and spread into even layer. Bake for 16 to 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean with a few crumbs. Brownie will look glossy but will dry out when cooling. Do not over bake. Allow to cool.
- Prepare ganache. Place chocolate pieces in a medium heat proof bowl. Heat milk in a small pot on medium heat. Bring to boil and immediately pour over chocolate. Stir until chocolate is melted and mixed through. Spread onto cooled brownies. Add marshmallows and spread evenly.
- Heat broiler in oven to high. Place brownies under broiler for a few minutes or until the tops of the marshmallows start to brown – do not leave brownies unattended as they will burn very quickly. Allow to cool and slice to serve. Store in fridge covered for up to 1 week.
All Natural Red Velvet Pancakes (Gluten-Free)
| January 20, 2012 | Filled under Breakfast, Cakes & Cupcakes, Fruits, Kid-Friendly |
‘Red Velvet’ anything makes people go bananas. To be fair, the ’Red Velvet’ name itself is so luscious and enticing, that it just lures you in – brilliant marketing for basically a combo of cocoa powder and red food colouring. Personally, I’m kind of grossed out by food colouring in general and but still want to hop on this ‘red velvet’ bandwagon, so this is my all-natural homemade gluten-free version. They’re super easy to whip up thanks to Pamela’s Baking and Pancake Mix.
To any ‘Red Velvet’ purists out there who might argue that this isn’t really ‘Red Velvet’, well just call these cocoa-berry pancakes instead and enjoy. I promise, you’ll love them.
Recipe All Natural ‘Red Velvet’ Pancakes (makes 6, 4″ pancakes) Adapted from Pamela’s Products
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup fresh or frozen and thawed blackberries or raspberries
- 1 cup Pamela’s Baking and Pancake Mix
- 1 egg or egg replacer equivalent
- 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- ¾ cup water
- 2 Tbsp chocolate chips
- Extra cocoa powder/icing sugar for dusting (optional)
- Maple syrup for serving
Directions:
Mash the berries and and mix together with baking mix, egg, cocoa powder, water and chocolate chips and mix until there are no lumps. Batter should not be too thin or too thick; add additional water if needed. Pour 1/4 cup batter onto a preheated, lightly oiled griddle or frying pan (medium-low heat). Cook until golden brown, flipping once; pancakes will puff up a little in the middle when done. Serve immediately dusted with cocoa powder and icing sugar and maple syrup.
Extra pancakes can be cooked, cooled, then wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen or refrigerated. To reheat, remove wrapping and microwave wrapped in a paper towel until hot, approximately one minute per pancake.
Nutella Marbled Cupcakes (Gluten Free)
| May 30, 2011 | Filled under Cakes & Cupcakes, Desserts |
Before going gluten free a few years ago, I used to bake this amazing marble cake using a Martha Stewart recipe. It was such a huge hit that one year I made a whole bunch of them and gave them to my aunt’s and grannies and mom for Mother’s Day. The marbling of the chocolate and vanilla cake batters were so pretty and the perfectly sweet snack for afternoon tea. I thought I’d try doing a GF cupcake version and use a crunchy hazelnut spread for the marbling. They are so decadent that frosting is completely optional.
Now that I’m GF, baking is a new experience which requires patience and an open mind to bake with GF flours instead instead of regular flours. There are so many: amaranth, arrowroot, potato starch, xanthum gum, sweet rice, brown rice, and sorghum to name a few. Stocking up a pantry with the ingredients to make a GF cake requires ample cupboard space and a commitment to baking several GF goodies from scratch.
Determined to bake great GF cupcakes, I bought Erin McKenna’s BabyCakesNYC cookbook. She’s the ultimate gluten-free goddess – gorgeous and witty and glam to boot. Plus her recipes all turned out great. Her enthusiastic writing and clear directions made the daunting task of measuring out no less than a dozen or so ingredients more enjoyable. After a successful attempt at the chocolate cupcakes, I tried making her carrot cupcakes and lemon poppyseed tea cakes too which turned out great (the lemon poppyseed was a little to lemon-y and sweet for me though). So I’ve had some success in baking GF from scratch but the sheer variety of ingredients still leaves me feeling a little overwhelmed. And it left me with a pantry full of flours that went stale after my baking spree.
So to satisfy my need to bake occasionally, my dislike for waste (ie. GF flours), and to overcome my GF baking apprehension, I have been using GF baking mixes. Now some might argue that it’s ‘cheating’ or ‘fake baking’ but to those naysayers I say hey, the results are beautiful baked goodies perfect for sharing. And to make them more ‘outside the box’ (get it? outside the box? sorry, I couldn’t resist) I try and put my own spin on the recipes, like adding Nutella. I’m obsessed with all things chocolately and hazelnutty and decided to jazz up Cherrybrook Kitchens Gluten Free Dreams cake mix using Martha’s marbling technique. They were the perfect dessert to bring to our Scottsdale farewell bash hosted by our dear friend C (PS – have relocated to Toronto now, thus the temporary hiatus in posting). To make this nut-free, replace the hazelnut spread with a dark chocolate spread.
So you may have noticed that I didn’t post any pictures of the cupcakes frosted and that is because I tried making frosting using Trader Joes frosting mix and replaced the butter with coconut oil which was a huge flop. It turned out lumpy and unappetizing and I had to make a mad dash to the store to get some Duncan Hine’s frosting in a can. I was running late for the party and had to frost these bad boys at lightning speed. They were rough homemade looking at best and I didn’t have time to take pictures. But they were yummy nonetheless and people seemed to enjoy them even if they weren’t perfectly frosted. I’ve had much better luck with Pamela’s Dark Chocolate Frosting which I will use faithfully from now on. Plus with the moving I haven’t had a chance for a do-over and hope these photos will suffice.
Recipe (makes 12 cupcakes)
Gluten Free Nutella Marbled Cupcakes
- 1 box GF Yellow Cake Mix (Cherrybrook Kitchen’s Gluten Free Dreams is available at WholeFoods)
- 1/2 cup or about 12 tsp chocolate hazelnut spread (I used a crunchy version)
- 1 container chocolate frosting mix (Pamela’s Dark Chocolate Frosting Mix is awesome)
- Frangellico hazelnut liqueur or hazelnut coffee
- 12 whole hazelnuts for garnish (optional)
Prepare the cake mix according to package directions. Place about 1/3 cup of batter into lined cupcake pan. Microwave hazelnut spread for about 30 seconds or until softened slightly. Add 1 teaspoon of hazelnut spread to the center of the batter. Using a toothpick, swirl the hazelnut spread to creat a marble pattern. Repeat until all 12 cupcakes are prepared and bake according to package directions. Place on baking rack to cool before frosting.
Meanwhile, prepare chocolate frosting. Replace water with either Frangellico or hazelnut coffee. Frost each cupcake using an offset spatula. Garnish with a hazelnut in the middle and serve.
Strawberry Tea Cake
| April 13, 2011 | Filled under Breakfast, Cakes & Cupcakes, Desserts, Fruits |
I love lots of things, but my short list includes: my hubby, family/friends/dog Pucci, shoes, animal prints, and cake. Seriously, there are few cakes I have encountered in my life that I have not devoured and loved. Frozen Sarah Lee cakes as a kid, mom’s homemade apple cake, fancy restaurant chocolate cake… you get it. So now that I’m gluten free, my cake eating is limited to basically cake I make myself. And too much cake = too much muffin top. Since summer is around the corner (actually it’s here already in Scottsdale), I better make a figure friendly cake without fatty oils and butters like this strawberry cake. With this cake, I get to indulge in its berry cakey goodness without the guilt of say a cake from anywhere else.
This recipe is adapted from the muffin recipe on the back of Pamela’s Baking & Pancake Mix bag and is super easy to make. Important note: do not over mix the batter or you will end up with strawberry bricks. Be really delicate with the batter and only stir until ingredients are just combined.
I layered the strawberries between the batter but if you don’t feel like it, you can just mix the berries in the with batter and bake in the pan - it’s equally delicious and cuts down the prep time. And you can make this cake with any berries you like or even throw in some nuts for a little protein and crunch.
Strawberry Tea Cake (egg-free)
Recipe (makes 2 mini cakes)
- 1 1/4 cup Pamela’s Gluten Free Baking & Pancake Mix*
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 egg replacer (I use Ener-G brand)
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup sliced organic strawberries
Special Equipment: two 2″x5″ mini loaf pans (store bought disposables are great too)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all the ingredients except strawberries. Gently mix together until just combined. Line loaf pans with parchment paper. Scoop one quarter of the batter into each of the tins and smooth to cover bottom. Place a single layer of sliced berries over batter. Divide remaining batter between cakes and smooth. Place a layer of berries down the middle. Bake for 30 – 32 minutes. Place on racks to cool.
*Note about Pamela’s Gluten Free Baking & Pancake Mix: this product contains cultured buttermilk and almond meal. so not dairy or nut-free. This stuff is also kind of amazing for whipping up just about anything and it’s my go to pantry item.
I love lots of things, but my short list includes: my hubby, family/friends/dog Pucci, shoes, animal prints, and cake. Seriously, there are few cakes I have encountered in my life that I have not devoured and loved. Frozen Sarah Lee cakes as a kid, mom’s homemade apple cake, fancy restaurant chocolate cake… you get it. So now that I’m gluten free, my cake eating is limited to basically cake I make myself. And too much cake = too much muffin top. Since summer is around the corner (actually it’s here already in Scottsdale), I better make a figure friendly cake without fatty oils and butters like this strawberry cake. With this cake, I get to indulge in its berry cakey goodness without the guilt of say a cake from anywhere else.
This recipe is adapted from the muffin recipe on the back of Pamela’s Baking & Pancake Mix bag and is super easy to make. Important note: do not over mix the batter or you will end up with strawberry bricks. Be really delicate with the batter and only stir until ingredients are just combined.
I layered the strawberries between the batter but if you don’t feel like it, you can just mix the berries in the with batter and bake in the pan - it’s equally delicious and cuts down the prep time. And you can make this cake with any berries you like or even throw in some nuts for a little protein and crunch.
Strawberry Tea Cake (egg-free)
Recipe (makes 2 mini cakes)
- 1 1/4 cup Pamela’s Gluten Free Baking & Pancake Mix*
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 egg replacer (I use Ener-G brand)
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup sliced organic strawberries
Special Equipment: two 2″x5″ mini loaf pans (store bought disposables are great too)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all the ingredients except strawberries. Gently mix together until just combined. Line loaf pans with parchment paper. Scoop one quarter of the batter into each of the tins and smooth to cover bottom. Place a single layer of sliced berries over batter. Divide remaining batter between cakes and smooth. Place a layer of berries down the middle. Bake for 30 – 32 minutes. Place on racks to cool.
*Note about Pamela’s Gluten Free Baking & Pancake Mix: this product contains cultured buttermilk and almond meal. so not dairy or nut-free. This stuff is also kind of amazing for whipping up just about anything and it’s my go to pantry item.
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