Cakes and Cupcakes

(scroll down for a visual menu)

 
You might also be interested in...
prev next

Coconut Raspberry Cheesecake (AIP-friendly!) — Recipe by Mickey Trescott

May 4, 2013 in Cakes and Cupcakes, Decadent Desserts, Treats

8673990300_15f16cd8ef_cThere aren’t many desserts that are autoimmune protocol friendly.  But, even if you’re following this super strict modification of the paleo diet, there are still reasons to celebrate with food and times when a decadent dessert is appropriate!  This is why I am so thrilled to share this recipe preview from Mickey Trescott’s new cookbook The Autoimmune Paleo Cookbook

Because who doesn’t need raspberry cheesecake from time to time!?

Have you been wondering if this cookbook is worth it?   You can read my full review here.  If you’ve been humming and hawing, I think this recipe will convince you that yes, yes this book is worth every penny!  And this isn’t the only decadent dessert in The Autoimmune Paleo Cookbook, which contains 110 tantalizing recipes that completely comply with the autoimmune protocol!

Buy The Autoimmune Paleo Cookbook Now!

 

Coconut-Raspberry “Cheesecake”

Coconut Raspberry Cheesecake (paleo autoimmune protocol-friendly!) | The Paleo Mom

Crust Ingredients:

Filling ingredients:

1. Place the jars of coconut oil, coconut butter and raw honey in a pan with very hot water in order to let them soften.

2. To prepare the crust, preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Strain the dates and place in a food processor or high-powered blender with the melted coconut oil. Blend for 30 seconds or so until a chunky paste forms. Be warned you may have to stop and scrape the sides if you are using a blender, and the oil will not completely mix with the dates, but the crust will still turn out fine. Combine the coconut flour, shredded coconut and salt in a bowl. Add the date paste and mix thoroughly. Place the mixture into the bottom of an 8″ spring-form pan, pressing the mixture down evenly. Use a small spatula to clean up the top edge around the sides of the pan, where the filling will meet the crust. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the crust browns and hardens a little bit. The texture will still be soft until it finishes cooling. Set aside while you make the filling.

3. To make the filling, combine the raw honey, coconut butter, coconut oil, and frozen raspberries in a saucepan on low heat. Stir until the raspberries are no longer frozen and the mixture is warm, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a blender and add the tapioca starch, vanilla extract, and salt. Blend on high for about a minute, until completely mixed. Pour carefully into the spring-form pan on top of the crust.

4. Set in the refrigerator undisturbed for at least 12 hours to allow the cake to cool and completely harden. When it is solid, carefully remove the spring-form pan. Decorate the top of the cake with thick flake coconut chips and fresh raspberries.

Coconut Raspberry "Cheesecake" (paleo autoimmune protocol-freindly) | The Paleo Mom

Buy The Autoimmune Paleo Cookbook Now!

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
7 Comments »

Carrot Cake Bites

April 27, 2013 in Cakes and Cupcakes, Cookies, Hidden Veggies

These are the carrot cake version of brownie bites, with a similar cakey and slightly chewy texture. I don’t honestly know where the inspiration came from (maybe I was tired of working on nut-free, egg-free recipes for the book). But, these cake bites have the benefit of being portable, containing vegetables and of being sweetened with dates.  They are about the size of 2-bite brownie bites, but you could make them smaller if you want.  Picnic with the kids, anyone?

If you like chopped nuts or raisins in your carrot cake, I think that would be a great addition to these.  Probably about 1/2 a cup folded in to the dough at the end would be about right.

Yield: 2 dozen

Carrot Cake Bites (Grain-Free, Dairy-Free, Refined Sugar-Free) | The Paleo Mom

Ingredients:
1 cup grated carrot
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup chopped dates (5-7 Medjool dates)
1 1/2 cup blanched almond flour
2 Tbsp coconut flour
1 egg
1/4 cup unsalted butter or palm shortening
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
pinch cloves

  1. Preheat oven to 350F.
  2. Pulse dates and walnuts in a food processor to form a paste.
  3. Add the rest of the ingredients and pulse to combine or mix by hand.
  4. Roll dough into 1″ balls and place on your cookie sheet.  Use your hand (or a spatula or the bottom of a glass) to flatten to 1/2″ thick.
  5. Bake for 14 minutes.  Enjoy!

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
3 Comments »

Spinach Brownies Revisited (Now It’s Nut-Free!)

March 4, 2013 in Cakes and Cupcakes, Decadent Desserts, Hidden Veggies, Muffins and Coffee Cakes, Nut-Free Baking, Treats

I haven’t made these brownies in a very long time; but over the weekend, I found myself promising my kids that I would make them a treat.  For them, that means something with chocolate in it.  So, I decided it was a good excuse to give an old recipe a bit of a revamp.

When I first developed this recipe, I was having some difficulty getting my kids to eat vegetables (and at the time, my oldest wasn’t even eating fruit), so hiding some spinach into this recipe was really about just plain old hiding spinach in something.  But, I also discovered that the spinach really helped the texture of these brownies (we all know how tricky grain-free baking can be).  The original recipe made for a very delicious, but very cake-like in texture, brownie.  I had always intended on revisiting this recipe to see if I could get more of a chewy textured brownie, ideally with that slightly crisp top that traditional brownies have.

So, I gave this a go with my new found best friend: the plantain.  I hadn’t intended on making this a nut-free recipe (although I was trying to steer clear of ground flaxseed and coconut flour), but by the time I needed to add any almond flour, the batter was quite thick and I decided to try it without.  I’m glad I did because it worked perfectly! Also, while I was at it, I decided to tone down the sweetness a bit to accommodate our more sensitive palates.

A note on green plantains:  Plantains look a little like large bananas and are often found close to bananas in the grocery store (they are also called raw bananas in some countries).  Green plantains are, well, green and the greener the better typically (they are starchier and have a more neutral flavor).  They can be a bit challenging to peel.  I like to cut in half lengthwise and in half crosswise and hen pry off the peel with my fingers.  I typically stock up on green plantains when they have them in the store.  They will stay green in a crisper for about 5-7 days (the peel will look like they are ripening but they are still green on the inside).  I often buy a bunch, puree them in my food processor and then freeze in 1 cup portions in freezer bags for easy use for making pancakes or baking.  Plantains turn first yellow and then get black spots and then almost completely black as they ripen.  For any recipe that uses ripe plantains, the blacker the better.  Plantains can range from white to yellow to orangey pink inside, which doesn’t seem to affect how they cook but does affect the color of the baking (not relevant for this recipe but this is why people find their pancakes turning anywhere from white to dark brown).  I have come to love plantains as a flour substitute, especially for anything I want to have a chewy texture.

A note on chocolate:  I always look for organic chocolate (typically sweetened with evaporated cane juice) and am very picky about looking for chocolate that is completely dairy-free (usually pretty easy, as long as you stick with semisweet or darker) and soy-free (much more challenging).  One of my Go To brands is Enjoy Life (which comes in chunks and in mini chocolate chips).  I’m also a huge fan of Equal Exchange (their 80% is our Go To snacking chocolate, but I also use their 71% and 65% in baking).  Typically semisweet chocolate is about 55-60% cocoa, which isn’t very difficult to find organic and dairy-free but a little harder to find soy-free. Most people tolerate the small amount of soy lecithin in chocolate, and if you are one of these people Dagoba brand is a good one to look for.   I typically consider my 65% Equal Exchange close enough to semisweet for baking.

I’ve posted some very potently chocolatey recipes lately (like Decadent Double Chocolate Cookies (Nut-free, Coconut-free, Egg-free) and Dark Chocolate Shortbread Cookies (Sandies or Meltaways)), but these brownies are a bit more traditionally chocolatey (so, not the uber intense flavor of those other treats), which I think works well as a brownie and also as a treat for my kids.

This makes a 9″x13″ tray of brownies, which I cut into 24 generously sized squares.  Store in an airtight container for a couple of days at room temperature or in the fridge or freezer for longer.

Spinach Brownies (Nut-Free) | The Paleo Mom

 Ingredients:

  1. Preheat oven to 325F.  Line a 9”x13” baking pan with wax paper or use a silicone baking pan.
  2. Melt coconut oil and chocolate together over low heat on the stove top or medium power in the microwave.  Add vanilla and stir to incorporate.  Let cool.
  3. Mix cocoa powder,  baking soda, cream of tartar, salt and cinnamon.
  4. Blend spinach, plantain, egg, honey and molasses together in a  food processor or blender, until completely smooth (2-4 minutes).
  5. Add palm shortening to food processor and process until full incorporated.
  6. Add melted chocolate mixture to egg mixture slowly and processing/blending constantly.
  7. Mix in dry ingredients and process/stir to fully incorporate.
  8. Pour batter into prepared baking pan and spread out with a spatula.
  9. Bake for 40 minutes.  Cool completely in pan.  Cut into squares.  Enjoy!

Spinach Brownies (Nut-Free) | The Paleo Mom

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
25 Comments »

Genoise-Style Paleo Tiramisu

February 2, 2013 in Cakes and Cupcakes, Decadent Desserts, Holiday Treats

Sometimes, there is just a need for a truly decadent dessert.  And that’s where grain-free, dairy-free indulgences like this tiramisu come in!   This was the dessert I made for Christmas dinner this year.  Many of the recipes that I work on are recreations of old favorites.  This recipe is inspired by this amazing genoise tiramisu that my husband and I used to get at an Italian restaurant close to the first apartment we shared.  I’ve always been rather partial to genoise tiramisus (genoise is an Italian sponge cake), which I believe are actually more traditional (compared to ladyfinger versions).  This makes a decadent yet light and truly delightful dessert.  Serves 8-12.

Genoise-Style Paleo Tiramisu | The Paleo Mom

Ingredients (genoise):

 

  1. Prepare a 12”x18” rimmed baking sheet by lining with wax paper and heavily greasing the wax paper with extra virgin coconut oil or palm shortening.  Preheat oven to 350F.
  2. Blend evaporated cane juice in a blender for 1-2 minutes, until it’s a fine powder.
  3. In the large bowl of a standing mixer, beat egg whites until soft peaks form.  Add 1/3 cup sugar gradually and continue to mix until stiff peaks form.
  4. In a separate, small bowl, beat egg yolks with the remaining 1/3 cup sugar and vanilla until thick.  Whisk in coconut and almond flour.
  5.  Fold yolk mixture into egg mixture, being careful not to lose too much volume, until incorporated.
  6. Spread batter out onto prepared baking sheet.  Take the time to spread the surface evenly and into the corners.
  7. Bake for 16-17 minutes, until top is just starting to turn golden brown.
  8. Remove cake from oven and immediately invert over a couple of wire cooling racks.  Carefully peel off the wax paper.   Let the genoise fully cool on the wire rack.

Ingredients (Cream Layers):

 

  1. Combine coconut milk, egg yolks, honey, arrowroot powder, coconut oil and lemon juice in a large saucepan and whisk together.
  2. Then put the saucepan on the stovetop and heat over medium-low heat, whisking constantly.  You want to heat until just shy of boiling point.  The cream will start to steam slightly and then start to thicken.  Once it becomes thick and gooey, remove from heat (takes 7-8 minutes if you put it on a preheated element).
  3. Pour into two bowls, 1/3 in one bowl (this is about 3/4 cup) and 2/3 in another (about 1 1/2 cups).
  4. To the 1/3 bowl, stir in the grated chocolate and vanilla until melted and fully incorporated.  To the 2/3 bowl, stir in cognac until fully incorporated.  You can let the cream cool and whip in a standing mixer for a lighter texture, or just layer with the genoise as is.

Ingredients (tiramisu):

  • genoise
  • chocolate and cognac cream
  • 1 1/4 cup strong coffee (a good espresso is ideal), cooled
  • 3 Tbsp cognac (again you can substitute dark rum or dry sherry)
  • unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting
  1. Cut the cooled genoise into four equal pieces (you can either do a long rectangle or a wider, shorter one, up to you).
  2. Place the pieces of genoise back on the rimmed baking sheet.  Mix coffee and cognac and pour over the entire genoise, making sure not to miss any! (alternately, you can douse each layer as you assemble the tiramisu).
  3. On your serving plate, carefully move over one piece of coffee-soaked genoise.  Spread half of the cognac cream over the top (the cream is actually easier to spread either warm or cooled and whipped; cooled and not whipped is the hardest to spread).  Place another coffee-soaked genoise layer on top.  Spread out the chocolate cream.  Add Another layer of cake.  Spread out the rest of the cognac cream.  Place the last layer of cake.
  4. Just before serving, dust the top generously with unsweetened cocoa powder.
  5. Enjoy!

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
10 Comments »

Vanilla Layer Cake with Dark Chocolate Frosting (Nut-Free and Makes Great Cupcakes Too!)

November 26, 2012 in Cakes and Cupcakes, Nut-Free Baking

I decorated my daughter’s birthday cupcakes with purple M&Ms (which are not paleo!)

I know that many of you have been eagerly awaiting this recipe.  Of all of my cake recipes, this is my favorite so far.  The cake flavor and texture is fabulous and what better (or more classic) way to top a vanilla cake than with a light and fluffy dark chocolate frosting (you can also skip the whipping step for a more ganache-like texture).  You can definitely serve this cake to non-paleo company (I just did at my daughter’s third birthday party and everyone loved it!).

I have made this cake both as a layer cake and as cupcakes.  It works very well either way.  A note on frosting:  I actually like to make a 1.5X batch of this frosting for a three-layer cake, but I’m a big fan of Pollyanna style cakes, piled high with light creamy frosting (anyone else love that movie as a kid?).  I wrote the recipe this way because it’s a perfect quantity for the cupcakes, and if you aren’t too generous with the amount of frosting in between layers (or if you prefer using something like raspberry jam).  The first time I made this cake, I used the frosting unwhipped.  I definitely prefer the texture whipped, but thought I would include both options.  You can control how sweet the frosting is by how dark of chocolate you use.  I used semisweet for my daughter’s cupcakes but 80% for my husband’s birthday cake.  Just remember that adding palm shortening to the chocolate will dilute the sweetness.

This recipe makes three 8” or 9” round layers or makes 24 cupcakes (this would probably work as a sheet cake too, but you’ll have to experiment with the cooking time).

Yes, this recipe calls for a whole lot of eggs.  No, it is not a typo.  No, it does not make for an eggy cake.  Trust me on this one.

 

Ingredients (Whipped Dark Chocolate Frosting):

  1. Melt chocolate and palm shortening together on the stove top or in the microwave, being careful not to burn.  Mix to completely combine.
  2. Let cool to room temperature (this takes several hours, but you can hurry it up in the fridge).  Use as is, or:
  3. Whip frosting in a standing mixer with whisk attachment for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy.

 

Ingredients (Vanilla Cake):

  1.  Prepare cake pans or muffin pans.
    • If using round cake pans:  trace the bottom of the pan on a piece of wax paper and cut out the circle (3 of them, actually).  Grease the pan with palm shortening, lay the wax paper circle over the bottom and then grease the wax paper.  Add a little arrowroot powder (1-2 Tbsp) to the pan and tap and swish around the pan to coat (discard any leftover after then pan is coated).  Repeat with the other two cake pans.
    • If you are using muffin pans for cupcakes: line each muffin cup with a paper liner or silicone muffin cup liner.  I think you could probably grease and flour each muffin cup if you wanted to, but I haven’t tried so I can’t vouch for how cleanly the cupcakes would come out.
  2. Preheat oven to 350F.
  3. Beat eggs in the bowl of a standing mixer for 1 minute.  Add honey, palm shortening, coconut oil, and vanilla.  Slice vanilla bean open lengthwise with a sharp knife.  Scrape the seeds out of each half of the pod with your knife and add to the batter.  Beat to combine (don’t worry if they don’t really come together yet).
  4. In a separate bowl, combine arrowroot powder, sifted coconut flour, baking soda and salt.  Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients.  Beat on high for 1-2 minutes, until batter is smooth.  Allow batter to sit for 1-2 minutes to thicken.
  5. Pour batter into prepared cake pans, dividing evenly.  Use a rubber spatula to spread batter out to the edges.  If making cupcakes, fill each liner approximately 2/3 full.
  6. Stagger cake pans or muffin pans in the oven.  Bake round layers for 27-28 minutes, until starting to turn golden brown on top and a toothpick poked in the middle comes out clean.  Cupcakes only take about 22 minutes.
  7. Remove from oven and let cake pans cool on a wire rack completely before removing from pan.  Cupcakes can be removed from the muffin pans earlier.
  8. To remove cake layers from round cake pans, first run a knife around the edge of the cake.  Put your hand over the top of the cake and invert the pan.  The cake should fall into your hand (if not, try putting the pan upside down on a cutting board and tap the bottom gently).  Put a plate or cutting board where the pan used to be and flip back right side up.  Voila!
  9. Now it’s time to frost!  The frosting doesn’t pipe that well, but you can if you want to (it tends to melt with the heat of your hand, but if you can work quickly, go for it!).  If you’re frosting cupcakes, just spread a nice dollop over the top with a pastry knife.  If your frosting a layer cake, place layer one on your serving dish, add some frosting and spread it over the top of the layer, add another cake layer, repeat with the frosting, add the last cake layer.  Use the rest of the frosting to coat the top and the sides.
  10. Enjoy!!!!

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
13 Comments »

Paleo Spice Cake with Maple-Cashew Frosting

July 25, 2012 in Cakes and Cupcakes, Nut-Free Baking

My 2.5-year old announced “let’s make cake!” and started pulling random seasonings out of the spice drawer.  She pulled out cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cardamom, vanilla, paprika, and cumin.  Okay, maybe those last two weren’t so inspiring, but the first five looked pretty good to me!  I had been meaning to try my hand at a paleo layer cake with birthday parties in mind and this was the perfect excuse!  The end result was a perfectly moist, spongy cake with a fabulous flavor.  This cake is nut-free, although the frosting is not (because I just couldn’t resist this amazing flavor combination!).  For a wonderful nut-free whipped frosting alternative, try this recipe by Paleo Spirit. 

Ingredients (Maple Cashew Frosting):

1.    I made my own cashew butter (the easiest nut butter to make at home).  I placed two cups of raw unsalted cashews into my Food Processor and blended until smooth, about 3-4 minutes.
2.    Whip cashew butter, palm shortening and maple syrup in the bowl of a Standing Mixer for 1-2 minutes, until fluffy.  Store in the refrigerator but allow to come to room temperature before frosting.

Ingredients (Nut-Free Spice Cake): 

1.    Prepare three 8” or 9” round cake pans by greasing with palm shortening.  Cut out a circle of wax paper and line the bottom of each pan.  Then grease the top of the wax paper.  Finally, dust the pan with arrowroot powder.  Set aside.
2.    Preheat oven to 350F.
3.    Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a standing mixer and whip 3-4 minutes until thoroughly mixed and smooth.
4.    Divide batter among the three pans.  Spread the batter out to the edges of each pan.
5.    Place in the oven on two racks, spacing out so that they bake evenly (you might want to rotate pans halfway through baking).  Bake for 27-28 minutes, until fully cooked and a toothpick stuck into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
6.    Cool on wire racks until cakes are room temperature.  Invert each cake over a plate or cutting board.
7.    Place the first cake layer on your serving dish, cover the top in frosting, add the second layer, cover it with frosting, add the third layer, cover the whole cake with frosting (you should have enough).  Dust with cinnamon or nutmeg if desired.
8.    Enjoy!

 Do you need help finding any ingredients?  Check out  Important Pantry Items for the Paleo Baker.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
22 Comments »

Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Frosting (2 Variations)(Nut-Free)

July 13, 2012 in Cakes and Cupcakes, Nut-Free Baking

(Created as a guest post for Fresh4Five)

If you are a lemon lover, then you will love these nut-free paleo lemon cupcakes.  This recipe makes 12 cupcakes but can be easily halved or doubled depending on how many you need.  I have included two different frosting recipes.  The first is a lemon-caramel frosting, which has a perfect texture and a lemony flavor with a hint of caramel (the secret to not getting too much caramel flavor is to keep the heat really low while reducing the lemon juice and honey).  The second frosting is much easier to make, but won’t handle heat very well and will melt if your room temperature is higher than 74F (because of the coconut oil content).  This frosting has the slightly gritty texture that coconut butter has but a very clean lemony flavor (and that pretty white color).  Both frostings are great though (my favorite is the lemon-caramel, but my husband far preferred the lemon coconut butter).  I love decorating these cupcakes with homemade honey-candied lemon zest (the recipe is part of this post).

Ingredients (Lemon Caramel Frosting):

1.    Heat honey and lemon juice in a medium-sized saucepot over low heat.  Reduce to 1 cup volume, being very careful not to let it burn (this will take 10-15 minutes).
2.    Remove from heat and immediately stir in baking soda.  It will froth and expand.  Stir vigorously for 15-20 seconds, then pour into a bowl and let cool to room temperature.
3.    Mix in palm shortening until completely combined.
4.    Store in an airtight container at room temperature for several days or store in the fridge for longer-term storage (warm up to room temperature before frosting cupcakes).

Ingredients (Lemon Coconut Butter Frosting):

1.    If you are opening a new bottle or box of coconut cream concentrate and the oil has separated out, heat the jar (or remove the contents of the box to a glass jar) by placing it a pot or bowl and surrounding with hot water.  Let it sit until it’s warmed enough to stir thoroughly.  Let cool to room temperature.
2.    Mix coconut cream concentrate, lemon juice and honey until thoroughly combined.
3.    Store in an airtight container at room temperature for several days or store in the fridge for longer-term storage (warm up to room temperature before frosting cupcakes).

Ingredients (Lemon Cupcakes):

1.    Preheat oven to 350F.  Line a muffin tin with Silicone Muffin Cupsor paper muffin cup liners.
2.    Blend all ingredients together in a a until a smooth batter forms.  Let the batter rest for 2-3 minutes to thicken.
3.    Pour batter into prepared muffin tin.  Each cup should be filled approximately ¾ full (or slightly more).
4.    Bake for 22-23 minutes, until starting to turn golden brown along the edges (should pass a toothpick test).
5.    Carefully remove cupcakes from pan and cool on a wire rack.  Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting.
6.    Spread a generous amount of frosting (which ever you chose) on each cupcake.  Candied lemon zest and edible flowers make great decorations for these cupcakes.
7.    Enjoy!

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
1 Comment »

Chocolate Cupcakes with Ganache Frosting (nut-free)

June 27, 2012 in Cakes and Cupcakes, Nut-Free Baking

This cupcake is light, spongy, not-too-sweet, and richly chocolaty.  You could serve these at a birthday party and no one would suspect that they were eating something so healthy!  The chocolate ganache frosting is sturdy enough to pipe, just slightly sweeter than the cake itself, and makes this an irresistible treat (well, maybe if you have iron willpower, but I couldn’t resist eating one!). This recipe makes 12 generously-frosted cupcakes. Store in an airtight container at room temperature (if you are going to have these around for more than two days, it might be better to keep them in the fridge).

The inspiration for these cupcakes came from one I let my daughters eat for a special treat from a local gluten-free bakery.  My original goal was to recreate the rich, fudgey, extra moist cupcake filled with chocolate ganache that my girls so enjoyed.  I failed to recreate that cupcake with this recipe (don’t worry, I’ll keep working on it!) but I think this recipe is even better!  This is a very versatile cupcake, perfect for birthday parties, barbecues or potlucks.  I suspect that this recipe will even work as a layer cake, which I intend to try for my husband’s upcoming birthday.  I haven’t tried this, but I think that if you divide the batter among three 9” pans that are prepared by greasing, then lining with wax paper, then greasing and flouring (with arrowroot powder or sifted coconut flour) and bake for about 25-30 minutes.  When I do try it, I will update this recipe to let you know how it works (and if anyone tries in the meantime, please leave a comment!). 

I use semi-sweet chocolate in this recipe as the sole source of sweetness.  I did this in part because it is fairly easy to find good quality, soy-free, dairy-free, wheat-free, nut-free organic semi-sweet chocolate sweetened with evaporated cane juice (a.k.a. sucanat), and also in part because the using solid chocolate is the key to this cupcakes great texture.  You could also use chocolate chips (I like Enjoy Life brand) or your favorite chocolate bar (I like Equal Exchange).  If you don’t need such clean chocolate, by all means use regular Baking Chocolate.  8oz of baking chocolate is approximately equivalent to 2/3 cup chocolate chips.  For the ganache, 1 can of a good quality full-fat Coconut Milk should give you the 2/3 cups of the creamy top layer that you need.  However, I suggest having a second can handy just in case.

Ingredients (frosting):

1.    Melt chocolate on medium power in the microwave or over low heat in a saucepan oon the stove.
2.    Allow coconut milk to sit still at least overnight at room temperature (if your coconut milk does not separate at room temperature, keep it in the fridge instead).  Carefully open can (or jar) and scoop the creamy top layer.  Measure 2/3 cups (reserve the remainder of the coconut milk for some other use). 
3.    Combine melted chocolate and coconut cream (it’s okay if the cream is at room temperature or cold from the fridge).  Blend in a Blender until completely smooth.  Let cool to room temperature before frosting cupcakes (if it isn’t completely smooth when you go to frost with it, whip it quickly in a Standing Mixer or blend again in your blender).

Ingredients (cupcakes):

1.    Line a muffin pan with paper or Silicone Muffin Cup liners.  Preheat oven to 350F.
2.    Melt chocolate and coconut oil together on low power in the microwave or in a small saucepan over low heat on the stove.  Let cool several minutes.
3.    Place eggs, vanilla, and salt in a Blender.  Blend briefly to beat the eggs.  Add a small amount of the chocolate mixture and pulse again to temper the eggs.  Then add the rest of the chocolate mixture and beat together for 30 seconds.
4.    Add the cocoa powder, coconut flour and baking soda.  Blend to combine (maybe another 30 seconds).  (You could also mix the batter in a Standing Mixer, in which case, just sift the coconut flour and cocoa first.)   Let the batter sit for 2-3 minutes to thicken.
5.    Pour the batter into the prepared muffin pan (cups will be filled about ¾ full).  Bake for 17-18 minutes.
6.    Carefully remove from muffin pan promptly upon removing from the oven (use a knife to gently pry them out as opposed to dumping them all out).  Let cool to room temperature before frosting (pipe the frosting or just spread with a knife!).  Enjoy!

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
44 Comments »

Spinach “Sore Leg” Brownies

March 14, 2012 in Cakes and Cupcakes, Cookies, Decadent Desserts, Hidden Veggies

We call these “Sore Leg Brownies” in my house because I developed them for my oldest daughter when she has having growing pains.  She’s not a good eater and especially dislikes anything green (okay, that’s an exaggeration, the walls of her bedroom are green and she seems to like those).  Growing pains are typically caused by a magnesium deficiency, which is abundant in green foods, especially dark green leafy vegetables.  Yes, I admit it:  I am not beyond hiding some good green nutrition in my daughter’s treats.  And these brownies are awesome!  Like all paleo brownies that I’ve tried so far, these are more like a thin piece of cake than a brownie.  The spinach, which you can’t taste, actually helps keep them moist and less dense than a lot of paleo brownie recipes I’ve tried.  But, if anyone figures out how to get that crunchy crust and chewy middle without gluten, please let me know!

 Ingredients:

1.     Preheat oven to 325F.  Line a 9”x13” baking pan with wax paper.
2.    Melt coconut oil and chocolate together over low heat on the stove top or medium power in the microwave.  Add vanilla and honey; stir to incorporate.  Let cool.
3.    Blend spinach and egg together in a blender or food processor, until smooth.  Add flax meal and pulse to incorporate.  Pour out into a big bowl.
4.    Mix cocoa powder, coconut flour, almond flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt.
5.    Add melted chocolate mixture to egg mixture slowly and stirring constantly.
6.    Mix in dry ingredients and stir to fully incorporate.  Pour batter into prepared baking pan.
7.    Bake for 35-40 minutes.  Cool completely in pan.  Cut into squares.  Enjoy!

Do you need help finding any ingredients?  Check out  Important Pantry Items for the Paleo Baker.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
15 Comments »

Molten Lava Chocolate Cake

January 2, 2012 in Cakes and Cupcakes, Decadent Desserts

Many people who commit to paleolithic nutrition work very hard to rid their diets of any foods that mimic the unhealthy foods they used to eat.  But other people need the occasional treat of an old favorite to keep that sense of self-deprivation at bay.  This is why recipes for “paleofied” neolithic foods are so popular.  You get to indulge in a decadent dessert or other favorite food without derailing your efforts to be healthy by consuming foods that will irritate your gut or cause rampant inflammation.  For those of you who need your decadent dessert fix, here it is (serves 4):

 Ingredients:

1.     Preheat oven to 375F.  Grease four 6oz ramekins with coconut oil.  If you wish to serve these cakes on a plate, you will need to flour as well (use coconut flour, blanched almond flour, or cocoa powder).
2.    In a 4 cup measuring cup or medium microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate and coconut oil in the microwave on low power.  Stir until smooth and let cool.
3.    In a small bowl, beat eggs, vanilla, salt and sugar with a hand mixer until light and frothy, about five minutes (this can seem like an eternity with a hand mixer, but hang in there because it’s worth it!).
4.    Pour egg mixture over chocolate.  Sift cocoa and coconut flour over the top.  Then gently fold all the ingredients together.
5.    Pour batter into prepared ramekins (they should be filled to within ½” of the top).  Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and place in the oven (you can chill the ramekins for a few hours if you want to make them ahead of time, just make sure you bring them back to room temperature before baking).  Bake for 11-12 minutes.
6.    Remove from oven and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Do you need help finding any ingredients?  Check out  Important Pantry Items for the Paleo Baker.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
40 Comments »

Mexican Chocolate Coffee Cake

December 28, 2011 in Cakes and Cupcakes, Decadent Desserts, Muffins and Coffee Cakes

The inspiration for this cake came from my daughter’s second birthday cake.  I baked Elena Amsterdam’s chocolate layer cake with coconut flour recipe and frosted with a lacto-paleo chocolate fudge frosting (the kind that is mostly chocolate with a little cream and butter for good measure).  Elena’s recipe produces a delightful spongy cake with a mild chocolate flavor.  Combined with the intense flavor of the frosting, my daughter’s birthday cake was a resounding success.  But, it got me thinking.  What if I could develop a chocolate cake that had all the lovely spongy texture of this cake but enough chocolate flavor to stand on its own without frosting.  This took quite a bit of tinkering and many iterations to boost the chocolate flavor sufficiently without giving up too much on the texture.  The chocolate flavor is enhanced by the cayenne and cinnamon which give this cake a delightful “kick”.

A note on cocoa:  There are three different “types” of cocoa that you can buy in stores.  The easiest to find is “Alkalized”, also called “Dutch-Processed”.  This cocoa powder has a darker color (and is considered easier to bake with) but also has many of the anti-oxidants stripped out in the alkalizing process.  Avoiding this type of cocoa can be a challenge because it’s not always labeled, but most of the grocery store brands are alkalized.  Look for either “Natural” or “Raw” Cacao Powder, both of which contain way more anti-oxidants.  While they are a lighter color, they are also a better flavor.

Ingredients:

1.    Preheat oven to 325F.  Line 5”X9” loaf pan with wax paper.  Grease wax paper with coconut oil.
2.    Sift cocoa, coconut flour, cinnamon, cayenne, salt and baking soda into a small bowl.
3.    In a food processor or blender, combine eggs, honey, molasses, and vanilla.  Pulse a few times to beat together.  Add melted coconut oil and chocolate and process/blend for 1 minute.
4.    Add dry ingredients to food processor, and pulse to combine.
5.    Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for 1 hour (not a very forgiving cake if you burn it, so you might want to test for doneness with a toothpick at the 55 minute mark).
6.    Let cool completely in the pan.  Remove from pan and carefully remove wax paper.  Enjoy!

Do you need help finding any ingredients?  Check out  Important Pantry Items for the Paleo Baker.

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
13 Comments »

Holiday Trifle, Paleo Style

December 15, 2011 in Cakes and Cupcakes, Decadent Desserts, Holiday Treats

It may seem a bit strange to follow a post on eating low-carb with a recipe for a dessert!  But Christmas is only 10 days away and I felt it was important to provide you with a wonderful paleo dessert recipe that, while maybe being higher carb than you would want for a regular night, is way way way lower carb than most traditional holiday desserts (there is less than a cup of sugar in the whole thing!).

My idea for this recipe started as I started thinking about Christmas dinner this year (and started to fret about dessert).  I had to find something that could compete with my family’s traditional Christmas dessert (a cake made of whipped cream and chocolate wafer cookies).  I needed to create something exceptionally yummy but also beautiful.  And I wanted to stay away from even the gray-area foods… well, except rum, but what is Christmas dessert without some rum?! Speaking of rum, I have included instructions for a family-friendly option, where you flame the alcohol out of the rum.  You could also omit it altogether, or use some watered down rum extract as an option.
So without further ado, may I present my Holiday Trifle:  exquisitely yummy, gorgeous to look at, serves 10-12 (and it tastes even better the second day after all the flavors start to blend together!).
So, you just scrolled down and noticed that there are a lot of steps.  Don’t be intimidated:  none of the steps are particularly tricky and, even though it takes time to make, a lot of it is spent waiting for things to cool.  I suggest doing the jellyroll and jellyroll filling the day before you plan to serve it.

 Ingredients (jellyroll filling):

  • 1 ½ cup frozen organic strawberries
  • 1 ½ cup fresh or frozen organic mango

1.    Place berries and mango pieces in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat.
2.    Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, until juices are thick and mango is very soft.
3.    Blend with an immersion blender or food processor until smooth.
4.    Cool completely before spreading on cake.

Ingredients (jellyroll cake):

1.    Prepare a 12”x18” rimmed baking sheet by lining with wax paper and heavily greasing the wax paper with extra virgin coconut oil.  Preheat oven to 350F.
2.    In the large bowl of a standing mixer, beat egg whites until soft peaks form.  Add 1/3 cup sugar gradually and continue to mix until stiff peaks form.
3.    In a separate, small bowl, beat egg yolks with the remaining 1/3 cup sugar and vanilla until thick.  Whisk in coconut and almond flour.
4.    Fold yolk mixture into egg mixture, being careful not to lose too much volume, until incorporated.
5.    Spread batter out onto prepared baking sheet.  Take the time to spread the surface evenly and into the corners.
6.    Bake for 16-17 minutes, until top is just starting to turn golden brown.  Meanwhile, lay out a piece of parchment paper (roughly the size of your baking sheet), cover with a large tea towel and another layer of parchment paper.
7.    Remove cake from oven and immediately invert over parchment.  Carefully peel off the wax paper.  Starting from one of the shorter sides, roll the cake up in the parchment/tea towel.  Let the rolled-up cake fully cool on a wire rack.
8.    Once completely cooled, gently unroll the cake.  Remove the parchment and tea towel. Spread the top side evenly with the cooled jellyroll filling.  Roll the cake back up.
9.    Wrap up the jellyroll in parchment or wax paper and refrigerate, seam side down, until ready to assemble the trifle (at least 1 hour, or overnight).

Ingredients (Coconut Custard):

1.    Split vanilla bean down the middle and place in a saucepan. Add coconut milk and bay leaves.
2.    Heat coconut milk slowly over low heat until very steamy and just shy of simmering.
3.    Add a ladle of the hot coconut milk to the beaten eggs while stirring the eggs vigorously.  Then add the egg mixture back to the saucepan, stirring constantly.
4.    Continue to stir constantly until custard thickens (should coat a wooden spoon), about 4-5 minutes.
5.    Remove from heat.  Remove bay leaves and discard.  Remove vanilla bean halves, scrape the inside of the vanilla beans with a sharp knife to collect the vanilla seeds and add back into the custard.  Discard the vanilla bean pod.
6.    Once cooled, add honey and mix well.
7.    Refrigerate until cold before assembling the trifle.

Ingredients (the trifle):

  • Jellyroll
  • Custard
  • 1/3 cup good quality dark rum (for family-friendly option, flame ¾ cups rum)
  • 3 cups fresh berries, plus more to garnish (I used strawberries and blueberries)
  • Fresh mint, for garnish (optional)

1.    Slice the jellyroll into ¾” slices (so you see the lovely spiral of the fruit filling).
2.    Line a glass bowl with the jellyroll slices.  For a really nice presentation, you might want to cut a few jellyroll slices in half for the bottom to help prop the other slices up on the sides.  Place any extra cake in the bottom of the bowl.
3.    Carefully drizzle each piece of cake with rum.  (For family-friendly option:  heat ¾ cup good quality dark rum in a wide-bottomed saucepan or skillet on the stove on low heat.  When it starts to steam, remove to a well-ventillated area (like outside!) and carefully light it on fire (use a barbecue lighter, extra-long match/taper, or kitchen blowtorch).  Let it burn, swirling the pan gently every once in a while, until the flames go out by themselves.  You should be left with about 1/3 cup of lovely very low-alcohol rum.  Let it cool before drizzling on the cake.)
4.    Fill the inside of the bowl with the fruit (slice any bigger berries, if needed)
5.    Poor the cooled custard over the fruit in the middle of the bowl.  Place some extra fruit on the top for a garnish.  Garnish with mint leaves, if using.
Do you need help finding any ingredients?  Check out  Important Pantry Items for the Paleo Baker.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
4 Comments »

Pumpkin Pie Squares

November 27, 2011 in Cakes and Cupcakes, Decadent Desserts

I love pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins, basically anything pumpkin, especially if it’s sweet.  These bars were originally inspired by Elena Amsterdam’s Pumpkin Bars, which are delightful but quite different from what I have created.  I wanted to create a square that captures the flavor of my pumpkin pie recipe, a family secret that is such a unique and wonderful flavor that it has converted non-pumpkin pie lovers.  This is the result of quite a few iterations: a moist, delicious square that is every bit as satisfying as a piece of my pumpkin pie but avoids dairy, grains and legumes.

 Ingredients:

1.    Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease a 9”x9” pan.
2.    Place walnuts in food processor or blender and pulse until well ground and starting to form a paste.
3.    Add remaining ingredients and pulse to form a thick batter (or mix by hand).
4.    Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes until set.
5.    Cool completely in pan.  Cut into squares.

Do you need help finding any ingredients?  Check out  Important Pantry Items for the Paleo Baker.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
1 Comment »

 

Leave a Reply