Gluten Free Gingerbread Cake

At Christmas time, the word Gingerbread usually brings cookies to mind. However, Gingerbread Cake is also very common. This year, after a Facebook follower recommended it, I researched recipes. I found many of them called for buttermilk. Which made me excited, because I was fairly certain I could use my favorite Kefir as a substitute. 

What is Kefir? (and Why I Prefer it to Buttermilk)

So glad you asked. Kefir is like a drinkable yogurt. It’s a fermented milk beverage, created by adding bacteria and yeast cultures. (Because of its fermentation, it’s often called the “Champagne of Dairy.”) The probiotics found in kefir help create good bacteria for the gut.

When it comes to baking, I don’t always bake items that call for buttermilk. Lifeway’s Organic Whole Milk thick and fermented Kefir is a perfect substitute for buttermilk. Buttermilk is mostly only used for baking. However, Lifeway Kefir can be used in many recipes, and more than just smoothies. One can use it in soups,  as well as my fluffy Gluten Free Biscuits!

Where Do I Find Kefir? 

You’ll find Lifeway Kefir in the yogurt section at your local grocery store. I also recommend using Lifeway Kefir’s store locator function on their website. They have over a dozen amazing flavors, and some flavors are only available at specific stores. (If you have a Fresh Thyme market, they have the largest selection of Lifeway Kefir I’ve ever seen!) 

Which Gluten Free Flour Blend Did You Use? 

For this Gluten Free Gingerbread cake, I used King Arthur Flour Measure for Measure Blend. I find it works as a great substitute for wheat flour in cake and cookie recipes. In addition, it’s fortified with vitamins and minerals, and tends to be available at most grocery stores. (That being said, I did use Cup 4 Cup to make my Gingerbread Cookies.) 

Why I Make Small Batch Recipes

The recipe, as written, makes a 6″ Gluten Free Gingerbread Cake. I prefer to make “small batch” recipes for two reasons. One, I live in a household of two. Some days I want something sweet, without a lot of leftovers. We’re at the stage of life where we’re taking care of older parents. One 6″ cake perfectly serves my husband and I and both of his parents. 

Second, gluten free ingredients can be expensive. When recipe testing, I like to make as small of a dessert as possible. In addition, I like to make small batch recipes that start with one whole egg. Then I can usually double the recipe, if I need to. (If you haven’t tried it, I recommend my small batch Applesauce Bundt Cake.) 

Can I Make This Gluten Free Gingerbread Cake as Cupcakes? 

Sure! After some research, I was fairly confident this was the case. I especially appreciated this post from Handle the Heat on Converting Cakes into Cupcakes. I love that she not only gives tips for standard size cupcakes, but also mini cupcakes as well! 

When it comes to gluten free cupcake making, I also reached out to my friend Daniela from The Gluten Free Austrian. One thing she definitely helped settle for me was using a 3 tbsp  (#20) scoop for filling your cupcake liners. (If you’re not following her, you should! She’s a trained pastry chef, who also lives with Celiac Disease.) Uniformly filled cupcakes = uniform baking times. 

Can I Make This Cake Recipe as Donuts?

Yes! Prepare the batter as directed, then pipe into donuts pans. I prefer Wilton donut pans. Then bake in a 375 degree oven for 10-12 minutes. Allow baked donuts to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack. Once completely cooled, frost as desired. I like Baking Mischief’s Small Batch Cream Cheese Frosting recipe. (I add a smidge of nutmeg to it, as well.) 

Can I Make This Gingerbread Cake as a Bundt Cake? 

I originally focused on making this recipe because a Facebook follower requested a recipe for gluten free gingerbread cake with lemon frosting. I figured a bundt would be a beautiful presentation! New to baking bundts? Make sure to read King Arthur Baking’s “Tips on how to Prevent Bundt Cakes from Sticking.” It’s a wealth of information!  

If you choose to make this as a bundt cake, double the ingredients, and bake it in a 8 -12 cup bundt pan. A doubled recipe makes 4 cups of batter. I baked mine in a 12 cup bundt pan, but wish I had used an 8 cup pan instead. I would have resulted in a taller cake. For more on which pan to use, read this article on Bundt Pan Sizes from King Arthur.

What Kind of Frosting Should I Use? 

Try Baking Mischief’s Small Batch Vanilla Frosting. for the cake or cupcakes. Any glaze you prefer would work well with the bundt cake, or simply dust it with powdered sugar. For a lemon glaze, try this 3 Ingredient Lemon Glaze recipe from Julie Blanner. (I cut the recipe in half.) You can also use Betty Crocker frosting, which is labeled gluten free. 

In addition to the frosting, I also like topping the cake with Gluten Free Austrian’s Cinnamon Spiced Pecans. You could also do sugared cranberries like A Dash of Megnut did on her Gingerbread Bundt. If you want to really boost the ginger flavor, you can make and add Alpha Foodie’s recipe for Crystallized (Candied) Ginger on top.

Recipe 

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Gluten Free Gingerbread Cake

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Cooling TimeTime 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Equipment

• USA Pan Bakeware Muffin Pan, 12-Well, Aluminized Steel
• SUNNORN Large Cookie Scoop, 3 Tbsp Scoop
• Fat Daddio’s Round Cake Pan, 6 x 2 Inch, Silver
• King Arthur, Measure for Measure Flour 3 Pounds
• Organic Brown Sugar Bulk Resealable bag (3lb)
• Organic Cane Sugar Crystals (5lb sugar packet)

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

• 1 cup King Arthur Measure for Measure Flour blend
• 1 tsp soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp clove
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg

Wet Ingredients

• 4 tbsp room temp butter
• 4 tbsp dark brown sugar
• 2 tbsp white granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 4 tbsp molasses
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 c. Lifeway Organic Plain Whole Milk 3.25% Kefir (added at end)

Instructions

• 20-30 minutes prior to baking, set out your butter and egg. This will make the butter soften, and allow your egg to blend together better when mixing.
• Combine flour, soda, salt and spices in a small bowl. Give it a whisk until all ingredients are blended together, and then set aside.
• In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream together softened butter and brown sugar. This will take 2-3 minutes.
• Add room temperature egg to creamed butter and sugar, and blend. Then add molasses and vanilla, and whisk again until all ingredients are creamy. *Note- I find it easier to measure molasses if i spray the measuring cup with cooking spray first. This makes the molasses come out of the measuring cup, easier.
• Alternate adding the flour mixture and the kefir to the wet ingredients, until all ingredients are added and batter is creamy.
• Preheat the oven to 350, and allow the batter to rest for 15 minutes prior to baking.
• Pour the batter into a greased 6" pan, and place on top of a cookie sheet in the oven. (I find it makes it easier to place/ remove from the oven, as well as catch any batter if it overflows.)
• Bake 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool 5 minutes in pan.
• Remove cake from pan on to baking rack to cool completely before frosting or serving.
• Frost with a buttercream or cream cheese frosting, and sprinkle with cinnamon, and/or top with candied nuts.
• To make as cupcakes, use a 3 tbsp (#20) large scoop to fill a lined muffin tin. This recipe should make 9- 10 cupcakes. Bake for 5 minutes at 400 degrees, then drop the temperature to 350 and bake for an additional 12 minutes. Remove muffin tin from oven, and place individual cupcakes on a rack to cool. (I don't recommend leaving the cupcakes in the tin to cool.)
• To frost cupcakes- I used a 1.5 tbsp (#40) small scoop to dollop on the frosting, then used an offset spatula to spread the frosting. I sprinkled them with a cinnamon and sugar blend.
• To make as a bundt – Double the recipe ingredients and bake in a greased 8-12 cup bundt pan. (I simply used cooking spray. Remember to spray the inner tube as well.) Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes (if baking in a 12 cup pan.) Standard bundt pan cooking times range from 35-55 minutes, depending on how much batter you have in the pan.
• Once the cake is full cooked, remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Then gently invert the pan onto a baking rack to allow it to compleetly cool. (You may to loosen the sides of the cake with a knife before flipping it over.
• Once cake is fully cooled, cover with powdered sugar or your preferred glaze.

Notes

Inspiration for this recipe was taken from King Arthur Baking's recipe for Gingerbread Cake.

**Lifeway Foods sponsored this post. This post does contain affiliate links. Purchases made through those links help support this blog with no extra expense to you. Thank you for your continued support!**

Originally Published Dec 2021

The post Gluten Free Gingerbread Cake appeared first on MI Gluten Free Gal.

Gluten Free Kefir Biscuits

So often in Facebook groups, I see people asking for brands that make premade, “whack and unwrap” gluten free biscuits. The reality is that there is not a brand that makes those. Which means we’ll have to make them ourselves. Luckily, gluten free biscuits aren’t that hard to make. The dough freezes exceptionally well, too!

What is Kefir?

So glad you asked. Kefir is like a drinkable yogurt. It’s a fermented milk beverage, created by adding bacteria and yeast cultures. (Because of its fermentation, it’s often called the “Champagne of Dairy.”) The probiotics found in kefir help create good bacteria for the gut. This keeps us healthy, and may even help us sleep better!

Why I Choose Lifeway Plain Whole Milk Kefir Over Buttermilk

Simply put, I don’t keep buttermilk in my house. It seems to be primarily used in baking, and I just don’t bake with buttermilk often. Kefir, however, I can use in lots of ways.

Especially as the base of a smoothie with lots of fruit! (Or this Sweet Potato Pie Smoothie!) Plus it works great as a Turkey Brine, or as a buttermilk substitute in this Oven Fried Chicken recipe. (Check out the chicken in a biscuit photo, below. Crazy good!)

In addition, Lifeway’s Organic Whole Milk Plain Kefir has less sodium, cholesterol and carbohydrates than buttermilk. While my local store’s house brand of buttermilk has 340 mg of sodium, Lifeway Kefir only has 125 mg. That’s a 200+ mg difference! (They both contain the same milkfat.) Please note that Lifeway also makes a 1% fat plain kefir. That is not what I’ve used in this recipe.

Can These Biscuits Be Frozen?

First, one batch of dough for my Gluten Free Biscuits weighs between 15-16 ounces. A can of Pillsbury biscuits weighs 16 oz. Also, the beauty of this biscuit dough is that it freezes well ! Prep a batch of these over the weekend, stick the uncooked biscuits in the freezer, and then pull out how many you need and bake them from frozen!

Also, these don’t take a long time to make. This recipe only uses 6 ingredents- flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, butter and Lifeway’s 3.25% Plain Kefir. One batch of my Gluten Free Biscuit dough should take you less than 20 minutes to pull together.

Can I Use This Gluten Free Biscuit Recipe to Make Gluten Free Monkey Bread?

No. I tried it, and it doesn’t really rise well enough. I recommend the Gluten Free Monkey Bread recipe I have on my site. Another person mentioned they previously used Pillsbury biscuits to make Gluten Free Pigs in a Blanket. I would recommend using my recipe for that, which uses yeasted cresent dough. (And also Cup 4 Cup flour.)

Can I Use This Recipe to Make Gluten Free Chicken Pot Pie/ Bubble Up?

Yes! I made the above dish based on the recipe on the Pillsbury website. To substiute the Campbell’s soup, I used Flippin’ Delicious’ recipe for homemade Gluten Free Cream of Chicken Soup. Of course this recipe for Gluten Free Biscuits would work well for Biscuits and Gravy. I like using Full Flavor Foods Cream Sauce Mix for this.

Can I Make This Dairy Free? Grain Free?

This recipe contains butter and Kefir. I would not recommend making dairy substitutions. If you need gluten and dairy free biscuits, try Allergy Free Alaska’s Gluten Free Biscuits. My recipe is already egg free, so no worries there.  If you’re looking for a grain free option, try these Herby Paleo Biscuits from A Saucy Kitchen.

Can I Use a Different Gluten Free Flour Blend?

I created this recipe using Cup 4 Cup Multipurpose Flour. I have tried this recipe with other flour blends, and DO NOT recommend using a different flour. Using a different flour blend will result in a denser biscuit. If you prefer to use Bob’s Red Mill, try these Gluten Free Southern Biscuits from Gluten Free Palate. If you use King Arthur’s Measure for Measure, try these Gluten Free Buttermilk Biscuits from Bakes & Blunders.

Jump to Recipe

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Gluten Free Biscuits

Keyword biscuit, gluten free biscuit

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Equipment

• Cup4Cup Multipurpose Flour, 3 Pounds
• Dreamfarm 3mm Ograte – Medium
• Pyrex 3-Piece Prepware Mixing Bowl Set, 1-Qt, 1.5-Qt ,and 2.5-Qt

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 c. "Cup 4 Cup" Multipurpose Flour Blend 182 grams
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 6 tbsp butter frozen and grated
• 3/4 c Lifeway Organic Plain Whole Milk Kefir + 1 tsbp 3.25%

Instructions

• In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Give it a quick stir so that all the dry ingredients are equally distributed. 
• Over the bowl, grate 6 tbsp frozen butter. (If you're going to freeze the biscuits before baking, you can use refrigerated butter.) The reason we use frozen butter is to keep the dough as cold as possible before baking. As the butter melts, it will add lift. 
• Gently fold the butter into the flour mixture until all the grated butter is coated in flour. 
• Next, add in the (cold) Whole Milk Kefir and stir with a rubber spatula, until a ball of dough starts to form. You may want to let the dough rest a few minutes to allow the flour to absorb the moisture from the Kefir. 
• When you're ready to cut out your biscuits, place the dough on parchment paper that's been lightly coated in flour. Gently pat it into a rectangle. (Don't roll it!) Pat it into a rectangular shape. 
• Next, fold the dough over itself, and then pat into a rectangle again. Repeat this 5-6 times. This is to help "laminate" the butter in the dough, to create layers when the biscuits bake. (Which helps to create a fluffier biscuit.) 
• (Add more flour to keep the dough from sticking as you fold, if needed.) 
• Cut the dough into 8 equal portions. I prefer to keep them in squares. They can also be cut into round circles. Whether you cut them into squares or circles, cut with a straight edge or round circle, from above.
• Bake biscuits in a 450 degree oven. Bake 13-15 minutes if fresh, 15-19 minutes if frozen.

Notes

Recipe inspired by The Kitchn

**Lifeway Kefir financially sponsored this post. This post does contain affiliate links. Purchases made through those links help support this blog with no extra expense to you. Thank you for your continued support!**

Originally Published November 2021

The post Gluten Free Biscuits appeared first on MI Gluten Free Gal.

What Kind of Sweet Potatoes do you Use to Make “Toast”?

You’re going to need to find some “uber tubers” to make these. For example, one of my sweet potatoes measured 7 inches in length, and 11 inches in circumference. The 3 lb bag of small sweet potatoes at Aldi are not ideal for making sweet potato toast. I buy my sweet potatoes at Horrock’s in Lansing.

How Do You Make Sweet Potato Toast?

While some people recommend making sweet potato toast in the toaster from raw potatoes, I don’t recommend that. I find cutting the sweet potato into rounds, and then baking them, creates a better “toast.” These would be great to prep for the week, chill in the refrigerator, and then rewarm then in the toaster.

How Thick Should I Cut Sweet Potato Toast Slices?

On my first attempt, I cut my sweet potato in 1/4 in thick slices. However, I felt that that was too thin to hold as an actual piece of “toast.” Therefore, for my second batch I cut them 1/2 inch thick, and baked them for a total of 15 minutes. (Other recipes recommended as long as 30 minutes, and I feel that made the rounds WAY too soft.)

What Do You Put on Sweet Potato Toast?

Really, you can put anything you want on sweet potato toast. However, the combination of the sweetness of the potato, with the savory of Lifeway Farmer Cheese is delicious. From there I topped it with homemade blueberry jam. It’s the same recipe from my hand pies, but I reduced the sugar down to 3/4 cup. I added a sprinkle of chopped walnuts, and a drizzle of honey. The jam is sweet enough, so the honey is optional.

What is Farmer Cheese?

That’s a great question. It’s a soft cheese, and a variant of cottage cheese. However, Farmer Cheese is more solid, as the whey and liquid have been pressed off. The curd is also smaller than cottage cheese. It’s similar in texture to ricotta, and can be used as a substitution in recipes that call for it. The taste reminds me of a mild cream cheese.

What Nutritional Benefits Does Lifeway Farmer Cheese Offer?

This Farmer Cheese is a more nutritious option for your morning bagel. It contains half the calories of Neufchatel, and 75% less fat. While lowfat cream cheese has 120 mg of sodium, this Farmer’s Cheese contains only 10 mg of sodium. Plus farmer’s cheese contains Vitamin D, Calcium, Potassium and Vitamin A. Cream cheese contains none of these nutrients. Also, Lifeway Farmer Cheese contains gut healthy probiotics.

Where Can I Buy Lifeway Farmer Cheese?

If you’d like to add Lifeway Farmer Cheese to your meals, you’ll find it at Whole Foods, Better Health Stores and Fresh Thyme Markets in Michigan. Plum Markets and Busch’s Markets reportedly stock it as well. You can also use the store locator on their website to find it in independent stores near you.

What Other Ways Can I Use Farmers Cheese?

Want more ideas on how to use Lifeway Farmer Cheese? Lifeway has a plethora of recipes on their website. I really want to try their Peach and Farmer Cheese pizza. Kate Scarlata, an expert on the FODMAP diet, also has a delicious Spinach, Kale & Farmer’s Cheese Quiche recipe on her website. Or use like Old World Gluten Free does, to make gluten free pierogi!

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Sweet Potato Toast with Farmer Cheese

Equipment

• Fisher Chef’s Naturals Walnut Halves & Pieces 1 lb, 100% California Unsalted Walnuts for Baking & Cooking, Snack Topping, Great with Yogurt & Cereal, Vegan Protein, Keto Snack, Gluten Free
• ZWILLING Twin Signature 3-pc German Knife Set, Razor-Sharp, Made in Company-Owned German Factory with Special Formula Steel perfected for almost 300 Years, Dishwasher Safe
• Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Baker’s Half Sheet, 2-Pack, Silver

Ingredients

• Large Sweet Potato
• Cooking Spray
• Salt

Toppings

• Farmer Cheese
• Preferred Jam
• Chopped Walnuts

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Scrub one large sweet potato until clean. Do not peel. 
• Slice sweet potato into 1/2 inch rounds. 
• Spray both sides of sweet potatoes LIGHTLY with cooking spray. If you add too much oil, your sweet potato toast rounds will be soggy. 
• Bake in oven for 15 minutes. I recommend flipping them over at the 10 minute mark. 
• Once finished, take out of oven and allow to cool completely. Store sweet potato toast rounds in a container, in the fridge, until ready to use. 
• Sweet potato toast can be warmed in the toaster, and topped wih Farmer Cheese, jam and chopped walnuts. 

This post is sponsored by Lifeway. They supplied free product for this recipe, as well as paid me monetarily for my time and energy. Regardless, I’ve been a fan of Lifeway products for many years, and am grateful to be working with them. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Originally published August 2021

The post Sweet Potato Toast with Farmer Cheese appeared first on MI Gluten Free Gal.