Gluten Free Loaves and Cakes

Rice flour baked goods have a "subtle" flavour, which is sort of like real estate speak for bland and boring. It needs lots of cinnamon, allspice, ginger and other spices and herbs to give it tastiness. You will note that I use very little sugar compared to regular recipes, I prefer flavour to sweetness plus I am cooking for a diabetic. I refuse to use artificial sugar, besides tasting awful, we don't need more chemicals in our food. I don't use baking powder due to the allergies in the house, instead I use a combination of baking soda, cream of tatar and acid (vinegar or yogurt) as leavening.

You can replace the white rice flour with brown rice.
Note that GF baking spoils very quickly. Your best bet is to freeze most of it and defrost as needed, however thse cakes rarely last long enough to spoil.

Almond Loaf

This Almond loaf is for my friend Bruce who also wants to be grain free. It is a variation on a recipe in Company's Coming - Gluten Free baking. This is a great cook book but I have other diet restrictions and to tell the truth their pea starch tastes awful.

Ingredients
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup corn oil
  • 1/4 cup liquid (milk,soy milk, rice milk, yogurt)
  • 2 1/4 cup almond meal
  • 1/4 cup tapioca or cornstarch
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp xanthan gum
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries
  1. Pre heat oven to 335F
  2. Beat the first 4 ingredients together very well
  3. Mix dry ingredients together
  4. Beat dry into the wet
  5. Mix fruit in gently
  6. Pour into greased 8 X 8 inch pan
  7. Bake 50 - 60 minutes

Apple Cake

This recipe was my hunt for the Dutch apple cake that was served in the cafes when I was young. You can serve it with whipped cream to be authentic

Ingredients
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 GF oatmeal
  • 1 tbsp oil or melted butter
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 cooking apples sliced (Granny Smith works well)
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup corn oil
  • 3/4 cup Rice Dream + 1tsp vinegar (let stand for 10 minutes)or 1/2 cup yogurt + 1/4 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup white rice flour
  • 1/2 cup almond meal
  • 1 cup tapioca or cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup sweet rice
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup raisins - optional
  1. Pre heat oven to 350F
  2. Mix topping - the brown sugar, oatmeal, oil and cinnamon together and put aside
  3. Peel and slice the apples
  4. Beat eggs,oil and sugar until light and foamy. Add vanilla and milk, beat well.
  5. Mix dry ingredients together
  6. Mix dry into the wetbut don't over mix
  7. Mix rasins in gently
  8. Pour into greased 9 inch pan. lay the apple slices over the top in a nice pattern. Scatter the topping over it.
  9. Bake 50 - 60 minutes

Almond Cake

This cake is similar to a pound. It is much fussier and trickier then the almond loaf. However even if it falls flat you can pretend it is a marzipan cake

Ingredients
  • 3 eggs beaten
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract (optional)
  • 3/4 cup almond meal
  • 1/4 cup tapioca or cornstarch
  • 3/4 cup white riceflour
  • 1 tsp xanthan gum
  1. Pre heat oven to 350F
  2. Cream the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy
  3. Beat the eggs in one at the time
  4. add almond extract if using
  5. Mix dry ingredients together
  6. Beat 1/4 of the dry ingreadients in, beat well, repeat untill all is well beaten up.
  7. Pour into greased loaf pan and cover with parchment papper (I usually line the pan with parchment papper using enough so that I can fold it together to cover the top) Leave enough room for it to rise well.
  8. Bake 60 minutes - test for if it is done. It may need longer. If you take it out too early it will go flat