Okay so it's been nearly a year and I have been meaning to update this page. Since my last post have I successfully completed a few cake decorating classes, all of which were gluten free. Along with learning some much needed skills I found a great gluten free baking product by Wilton. Its called Cake Release (Grease and flour pans in one step) The flour used is corn flour so it is gluten free!

My final course 1 cake was a chocolate cake with roses.

I also made a picnic cake for my daughters 3rd birthday.

Today I'm in the process of combining a few recipes I have used over the years to create a really awesome birthday cake, though not traditional in any way for myself.

I have taken our family favorite, Tin Roof Icecream, and a favorite desert of mine, Better than Sex Cake and combined the two with a little flare from an old craft kitchen recipe. Here is what I have come up with:

Jensen's Better than Sex on a Hot Tin Roof Icecream Cake:

1 package Pamela's brownie mix
1/2 can low fat sweetened condensed milk
6 Oz caramel ice cream topping
3 heath bars chopped
6 oz hot fudge ice cream topping
1 container of frozen whipped topping

Filling
Tin roof Sundae ice cream (recipe follows)

Directions:

1. Bake cake according to package directions for a 9x13 inch pan; cool on wire rack for 5 minutes. Make slits across the top of the cake, making sure not to go through to the bottom.

2. In a saucepan over low heat, combine sweetened condensed milk and caramel topping, stirring until smooth and blended. Slowly pour the warm topping mixture over the top of the warm cake, letting it sink into the slits; then sprinkle the crushed chocolate toffee bars liberally across the entire cake while still warm.

3. Let cake cool completely

4. Remove cake from pan and line with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan. Add Softened Tin roof sundae ice cream to the pan.

5. Gently place brownies on top of ice cream pressing gently to secure, Freeze 6 hours or until firm.

6. Invert desert onto serving plate and remove foil, when ready to server spread whipped topping onto top and sides of dessert.

Serve sliced with hot fudge drizzled over the top of the whipped cream.


For the Tin Roof ice cream I chose to make my own but if you can just buy it, just make sure to let it soften before you add it to your cake.

I followed Cafe Johnsonia's ice cream recipe using Cuisinart's Simple Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe

I will post pictures and reviews after tomorrows birthday celebrations.

Disneyland Success

We are back home from our whirlwind trip to Arizona and Disneyland. I am happy to say that Disney does gluten free and does it well!

I had read on countless message boards that Disneyland offers gluten free items. I contacted Disney dining to make reservations at a few restaurants and let them know that my daughter needs to be gluten free. They noted that on our reservation, gave me the name and number of the Chef at that restaurant so that we could have everything in place for the day we got there! It was amazing.

Thought we didn't use it I stopped by Town Hall to pick up their gluten free list. I was pleasantly surprised to see that my daughter could have a hot dog with gluten free bun if she liked!

Anyhow this made my life so much easier! Yeah Disney!


*A side note in case you are planning a trip there. We picked up a great little photo book/ autograph book while we were there. It has a place for each Character to sign and on that same page a place for a photograph. Its a great $10 souvenir because my daughter now has a book with pictures of her and Cinderella, Donald Duck, Goofy etc! She just loves it!

Amazing Coffee Cake

A month or two ago at playgroup a friend of mine made her famous coffee cake. While I was eating it I remembered all the Sundays that my mom would make something similar for us. So I asked for the recipe vowing to create its Gluten free equal.

I have modified Heathers recipe which was modified from her friends (endless modifications) anyhow this is a delicious treat that will fool anyone. Its a perfect recipe for someone new to Celiac disease! This will prove to you that Gluten free can mean delicious too :)

Blue Berry Coffee Cake:
1 Pint Blueberries (I like the small ones the best)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 egg
2 tsp lemon peel
3/4 cup + 2 tbs butter divided
2 cups Pamelas Baking and Pancake Mix divided
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Prehead oven 325

In a large bowl:
Cut 3/4 cups butter in to 1 1/2 cup Pamela's mix
Add egg and sweetened condensed milk and mix well
fold in blueberries
Pour mixture into a 9X9 greased pan

In a small bowl:
Combine 1/2 cup Pamela's mix and brown sugar
Cut in remaining butter (sugar mixture should be crumbly)
Sprinkle on the top

Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes checking occasionally to see that topping does not get to dark. (Once the topping has reached desired color place tin foil on the coffee cake and continue baking)

This is a great brunch coffee cake and is also delicious with ice cream served on top. Please experiment with fruits, Huckleberries, cherries, even blackberries would be delicious in this as well.

As another option you can leave off the sugar crumble crust the cake is not as sweet but it still tastes delicious!

I'd love to hear what some of you have done with this recipe... if you tried it and did something different please leave a comment letting me know how it turns out!