Gluten Free Lemon Blueberry Poke Cake

This is a recipe I found in the latest Coles Magazine. The original is not gluten free. I just changed the flours around and a few more ingredients and came up with a winning cake. 

The cake itself came out a bit custardy but that doesn't detract at all. There is a strong lemon flavour which gives the cake a lot of zing but I think this is why everyone loved it so much.

I have to warn you that this is a very time consuming cake. It takes all day. I think if I make it again I won't bother with the butter cream. There was a lot of blueberry sauce left over so before I put the buttercream on I covered the cake in the sauce.  Next time I will leave it at just that.

For some reason I also fluffed up the icing because it looked a bit plain with the cream flattened on top. I think this made it look a bit messy. Next time I might blob on the left over blueberry sauce if I decide to use the buttercream.

This is a very summery cake so perfect for the season. If you love lemon flavours you will love this lemon cake. Delicious.

Gluten Free Lemon Blueberry Poke Cake

Ingredients
150g olive oil margarine, softened
1 cup raw sugar
2 free range eggs
300 ml lite coconut cream
1 1/2 cups gluten free self-raising flour
1/2 cup desiccated coconut
1 tablespoon lemon rind, finely grated
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Blueberry Sauce
1 cup frozen blueberries
2 tablespoons raw sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cornflour

Lemon Buttercream
125g olive oil margarine, softened
1 1/2 cups icing sugar mixture
1 teaspoons lemon rind, finely grated
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Method for Poke Cake

1. Preheat oven to 180C then grease and line the base and sides of a 20cm round cake pan with baking paper.

2. Beat the butter and sugar in a bowl until pale and creamy with an electric mixer. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the coconut cream and beat to combine.

3.  Add the gluten free flour and coconut and stir to combine. Next stir in lemon rind and lemon juice.

4. Pour into the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Bake for 45-50 mins or until a skewer inserted into centre comes out clean. I found it took almost 30 minutes more to bake so you will need to keep an eye on it after the recommended bake time. Set aside to cool slightly then place on a serving plate.
 

Method for Blueberry Sauce

Meanwhile, to make the blueberry sauce, combine the blueberries, sugar, cornflour and 1/4 cup (60ml) water in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring until sauce boils and thickens. Use the back of a spoon to lightly crush the blueberries. Set aside to cool slightly.

Use the end of a wooden spoon to pierce the cake at 3cm intervals. Spoon two-thirds of the warm blueberry filling into each hole, using the end of the wooden spoon to gently push the filling to the bottom of the hole. Set aside to cool completely.

Method for Buttercream

To make the lemon buttercream, use an electric mixer to beat the butter in a bowl until very pale and creamy. Add the icing sugar, lemon rind and lemon juice and beat until smooth and creamy.


Stir the remaining blueberry sauce into the lemon buttercream to create a swirled effect. Spread over the top of the cake and serve.

Finding Nemo Gluten Free Choc Chip Cupcakes

It was my nephews 4th birthday so I had to make something special for him. His birthday cake was not gluten free so I decided to make some cupcakes for those of us with a gluten intolerance.

He is mad about the ocean and loves the Octonauts so naturally he loves everything about Finding Nemo.

Browsing on eBay I found some Finding Nemo cupcake holders and edible cupcake toppers (made from rice paper and edible ink) perfect! (Unfortunately the toppers were a bit flimsy and as you can see from the photos they curled up but that didn't stop the kids from gobbling them up.)

Then I found a great gluten free vanilla cupcake recipe. I thought it was a bit dull so decided to add choc chips. 

These were more popular with the kids then the cake was. Some of the kids are incredibly fussy eaters. Now that is success!

Gluten Free Choc Chip Cupcakes

Cup Cake Ingredients
1/2 cup (125g) olive oil margarine at room temperature
2/3 cup raw sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup plain gluten free flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup lactose free milk
1/2 cup milk choc chips

Vanilla Frosting Ingredients
1 cup pure icing sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil margarine
1/4 cup lactose free milk
1/2 cup milk choc chips

12 Finding Nemo edible cupcake toppers

Cupcake Method

1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
2. Line your cupcake tin with cupcake holders.
3. Whip butter and sugar together with an electric beater until light and fluffy.
4. Add eggs, beating well between each addition.
5. Sift in flour, baking powder and soda and stir until combined.
6. Then add vanilla and milk.
7. Finally stir in choc chips until combined. 
8. Divide batter evenly between each cupcake.
9. Bake cupcakes for 12-15 minutes.
10. Remove from oven, cool in pan 5 minutes then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely ready for frosting.


Frosting Method
1. In a medium sized bowl sift icing sugar.
2. Next start with 1 tablespoon margarine and half the milk.
3. Stir until you get a nice thick white icing. Keep adding more margarine and milk until the consistency is right. Keep some extra icing sugar close by in case you need to add some more.
 4. Cover each cupake with a Finding Nemo topper then decorate with choc chips.



Original recipe from  Gluten Free Gigi