Gluten Free (Sugar Free) Carrot Cake

The dilemma with gluten free baking is that the consistency

of the baking is often quite dry.

I have been experimenting with a regular carrot cake recipe

and have come up with this solution.

However, not only do I want to be gluten free,

but sugar free too!

I know that honey is technically not sugar free,

but I am not into any sugar substitutes or sweeteners

so organic or anti-bacterial honey is fine for me (in small doses!)

The first time I made this I added Xantham Gum to bind the mixture,

but I forgot it the second time, so I don't think it's an essential ingredient

in this very moist cake!

I have now made it in muffin form and it is very tasty too

even without the cream cheese topping,

I like to bake with what I have on hand.

No cream cheese - no problem!

Anyway, here is the recipe:

CARROT CAKE

Ingredients

·         3Tbsp Honey

·         175ml Olive oil

·         5 medium eggs, lightly beaten

·         140g grated carrots (about 3 medium)

·         grated zest and juice of 1 orange

·         75g Ground Almonds/Almond Flour

·         75g Coconut Flour

·         1.5 Tsp Baking Powder

·         1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

·         1 Tsp Xantham Gum

·         1 tsp ground cinnamon

·         ½ tsp Mixed Spice or Nutmeg

For the ‘Icing’

·         1 Tbsp Honey

·         1 Tub of Soft Cream Cheese

·         Zest of one Lemon

Method

1.     Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. 

Grease and line the base and sides of an 18cm square cake tin with baking parchment.

2.     Lightly mix the honey, olive oil and beaten eggs. 

Stir in the grated carrots, orange zest and orange juice 

(sometimes I use Clementines or other sweet citrus fruit – whatever is in the fruit bowl ;o) )

3.     Sift the flours, bicarbonate of soda, spices and other dry ingredients, 

into the bowl. 

Lightly mix all the ingredients – when everything is evenly amalgamated stop mixing.

The mixture will be fairly soft and almost runny.

4.     Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 35- 45 minutes, 

until it feels firm and springy when you press it in the centre. 

Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn it out, peel off the paper and cool on a wire rack

5.     Beat together the icing ingredients in a small bowl until smooth. 

Set the cake on a serving plate and ice the cake as desired.

Decorate with Walnuts, Lemon Zest or anything you fancy.

6. Serve and enjoy

7. Let me know if you make it and how you get on xxx

Baking & Bread

Feeling this post needs to be wordless.....

...except I will say I have been baking...

... my other crafting love!

Wordless Wednesday - Kitty Love

Handwork Walk

My daughter and I went for a little walk today.

The sun was shining and I thought it would be a good excuse 

to take some photos of my current handwork.

Why yes, I am appliqueing tractors again...

We can walk straight out the house 

and do a very scenic walk that takes us 

via a great cafe operated out of a lovely lady's Living Room.

I used my little camera

and Miss Kalico used my phone

(she took some great shots!)

*****

I like having small bits of handwork

to stitch on in case there is ever a spare minute to sew...

*****

I am enjoying being in love with taking photos again...

I do feel a bit limited by my present camera 

as it has far too many automatic features,

but it does the job

and the obligatory sheep photos are still to be seen :o)

*****

It was such a lovely long walk.

 Long only because when you are 4, you are not necessarily fast,

but you are great company!

Light & Warmth

It's been cold, but quite bright today,

so I decided to try a few photos thinking about

yesterday's photography taster session at Aspire.

I could have done with a bit more light, 

but it was nice playing around...

while sewing...

And then this next photograph goes against all the light rules,

but it is a protest photo!!

While I wait for the heating to be fitted in my studio,

it is too cold to work in there (and has been for months!),

I have plonked one of my sewing machines on the dining room table

to get a bag made for a friend.

Feeling Inspired with Aspire Photography Training

30 minutes away in Burton in Kendal

is a little gem of a company:

Aspire Photography Training.

It's the same company that offered 

the sourdough Artisan Breadmaking class 

at Lovingly Artisan in Kendal.

Today Aspire had an open day

and I was able to have a little taster 

of some of the photography courses that they offer.

We had a lovely model to 'shoot'

and a lovely bunch of people to shoot her with ;o) ....

(Although I appeared to be the only amateur 

with my little point and shoot - not that that really mattered!)

I have wanted a better camera for a while

and hopefully this might be the push in the right direction,

to revive 3 years of photography training,

when I studied Graphic design all those years ago.

Although, even a point and shoot can take an OK shot

if the light is right :)

 *****

 Lovingly Artisan bread was used in the 'still-life' shoot:

 It was great to see the bread again

 (it reminded me about what I am aiming for in my own bread making)

*****

We also shot some beautiful calligraphy...

All in all, a lovely inspiring day.

Thank you Aspire xx

Artisan Bread-Making

There is a local-ish (about 45 minutes drive away)

 Artisan Sourdough bread maker called 'Lovingly Artisan'

and my husband just loves the bread.

It reminds us of our favourite bakery in South Africa: Ile de Pain.

Anyway he offers an artisan bread making day class called:

'Make it, Bake it, Shoot it'.

I have been gluten-free for about 12 years,

but for some reason I am able to tolerate 

(in small quantities) the sourdough bread.

The sourdough 'starter' is fermented for 24hours 

and appears to create the 'good bacteria'

that helps me tolerate the gluten.

I came home from the bread making class 

and was determined to get baking!

 After an initial hiccup with getting my 'starter' started,

I have been baking....

There have been a few failures, but here is a success:

A green olive sourdough bread!

It was so good, I definitely overindulged!!

Part of the baking course included some photography

(the 'shoot it' bit),

which I will talk about in my next post,

because these are definitely 'before' the photography class photos!! :o)