Pumpkin Bars

While they are called "Pumpkin Bars", it's really more like a cake. The finished product is about 2-3" tall - not flat like a brownie.

They guys are an annual fave around our house and with family & friends. In almost all cases, Peg makes these [the GF version] since they are indistinguishable from the gluten bars.

Ingredients:

4 eggs beaten
2 cups sugar
1 cup canola oil
1 cup pumpkin
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp Penzey's cinnamon
1 tsp Arm & Hammer baking soda
1 tsp Calumet baking powder
1 cup of Jules Gluten Free Flour (GFCO Certified Product)
1 cup of Sorghum Flour (Bob's Redmill)
1 tsp Xanthan gum

Combine all ingredients & mix well. Pour in to greased 11x15 pan.
Bake @ 350 for 25-30 min. 8 x 11.5 pan will work for 1/2 recipe


Frosting:
4-5 oz cream cheese (softened)
3 tbsp softened butter
3/4 lb powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp milk

Mix & beat until fluffy. Spread on warm pumpkin bars.

These will freeze quite well.


Until the next good eats...

Al n Peg

Tags: Eggs, Sugar, Vegetable Oil, Canned Pumpkin, Salt, Cinnamon, Gluten-Free Baking Soda, Baking Powder, Jules GF Flour Mix, Gluten-Free Sorghum Flour, Xanthan Gum, Cream Cheese, Butter, Powdered Sugar, Gluten-Free Vanilla, Milk

Peg ran across a recipe in Bon Appetit magazine showing all the variations of a yeast-dough. This set off a firestorm of ideas. She woke up early Saturday in anticipation of making this coffee cake.

Of course it was a wheat-based recipe, so it'd have to be converted.

She thought a pre-existing recipe might work well as a starting point. The recipe she used was that of my favorite flat bread [bread that I use for making sandwiches & buns]

Cake Ingredients

1/4 cup GF brown rice flour (Bob's Red Mill)
1/4 cup GF Sorghum (Bob's Red Mill)
1/2 cup Sweet Rice Flour
1/2 cup Tapioca Flour
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 Tablespoon instant yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 c. water
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
2 Tablespoons melted butter
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
2-3 Tablespoons sweet rice flour (for dusting pan/hands)


Streusel Topping Ingredients

1/2 cup Jules GF Flour
1 cup + 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 cup cold butter
3/4 cup of nuts


Glaze Ingredients

1 tablespoon melted butter
1/2 cup powered sugar
2 to 4 tablespoons of milk


Recipe makes 2 - 8" round pans

Directions

Mix together all dry ingredients except sweet rice flour (brown rice flour, tapioca starch, sugar, xanthan gum, yeast and salt).
In a heavy mixer, combine wet ingredients (water, vinegar, oil, and eggs).
Slowly add dry ingredients to well blended wet ingredients.
Beat on medium/medium high speed for 4 minutes.
Dust two 8" round cake pans with flour (or oil bottom of pan and lightly dust oiled pan).

Place dough in a warm spot, allow to rest/rise for 35-40 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400F.

Mix streusel ingredients in a bowl until crumbly.
Sprinkle on top of dough

Bake for 12-18 minutes or until the top is slightly browned.

Mix Glaze ingredients in a bowl. Add milk slowly as needed - mixing until the desired consistency.

Allow to cool before drizzling the glaze.


Notes:

You could sub-out the flours with your favorite flour blend if you like.

Tags: Gluten-Free Brown Rice Flour, Gluten-Free Sorghum Flour, Gluten-Free Sweet Rice Flour, Brown Sugar, Xanthan Gum, Instant Yeast, Salt, Water, Cider Vinegar, Melted Butter, Cinnamon, Gluten-Free Vanilla, Eggs, Jules GF Flour Mix, Nuts, Powdered Sugar, Milk

A friend of ours was throwing a large 3 day birthday-bash. They had a large sheet cake lined up for all the gluten-eating guests, but nothing for herself (the birthday girl).

Our friend asked Peg if she could make a gluten-free German Chocolate Cake.

Instead of standard sized cake, Peg decided to make a doz. cupcakes and this mini-cake.

The cake was a hit! Our friend was so excited she dug into it immediately and shared it with a few other gluten-free guests.

Another gluten-free guest headed directly for the cupcake container after seeing the mini-cake.

Peg is becoming quite the Google Master. She found the recipe in a cake baking forum - without any help from me.



After reading through the forums posts, it appears this recipe is from The Cake Mix Doctor Bakes Gluten-Free book by Anne Bryn. The premise of the book is to take ordinary [gluten-free] cake mixes, "doctor them up" and make them better! This is one cookbook we don't have.

Here is the cake recipe and frosting recipe

This mini-cake was made in 4 1/2" tart pans. We sliced the top off of the bottom layer to make it flat.

The rest of the batter went to make cupcakes.

Tags: Rice Flour, German Sweet Chocolate, Gluten-Free Yellow Cake Mix, Gluten-Free Vanilla Instant Pudding, Milk, Vegetable Oil, Eggs, Vanilla Extract, Evaportated Milk, Sugar, Unsalted Butter, Egg Yolk, Sweeted Flaked Coconut, Pecans

Ingredients:

1 medium onion - chopped
2 celery ribs - chopped
2 medium carrots - grated
1/2 cup of butter or margarine
2 tablespoons of sweet rice flour
4 cups of milk
1 can Progresso Cream of Mushroom soup
1 1/2 cups of cubed cheddar cheese
6 large potatoes, peeled, diced, and cooked (about 8 cups)
1 teaspoon Lawry's Seasoned salt


Directions:

In a Dutch oven, sauté onion, celery and carrot in butter until tender. Stir in GF flour until blended. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add soup, cheese, potatoes & Lawry's; mix well. Cook and stir until cheese is melted and soup is heated through. Yield: 10-12 servings (3 quarts).


If you can do lots of dairy - this is a good one. We have not tried subbing out the dairy.

Tags: Onion, Celery, Carrot, Butter, Sweet Rice Flour, Milk, GF Cream of Mushroom Soup, Cheese, Potato, Lawry's Seasoned Salt