Tag: cooking

A Zingy Gluten-Free Sunday Cake

~ melreviewsherbooks ~ 1 Comment

Sometimes a Sunday Cake fills that little niggling feeling inside of you that desires something easy, yummy and super satisfying while you’re lazing around the house, in your pj’s … avoiding housework.

I’ve found the perfect cake to fill that void and let me tell you, I just KNOW you’ll be making this for yourself, your neighbours, for special occasions and just a simple but wholesome afternoon tea with loved ones.

I introduce to you, the gluten free cake of your dreams ☁️ A Lemon & Thyme cake with healthish cream cheese icing!

I sought this recipe from the Gluten Free Shop & added my own little spin by removing, replacing and adding some ingredients. Also, this Sunday Cake doesn’t include traditional cooking sugar, which I love!

CAKE INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups of Almond Meal (homebrand is fine)
  • 1/4 cup of Honey (my preferred is any Beechworth Honey with an earthy undertone)
  • 1/2 cup of Vegetable Oil
  • 1 tsp of Baking powder (I didn’t have GF on me but is preferred)
  • 2 tsp of Thyme leaves, washed
  • 1 tsp of Vanilla extract
  • zest of 3 lemons
  • 5 eggs, lightly beaten

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

  • 500g of Cream Cheese, room temperature (homebrand again is fine)
  • 3-4 Tbs of Honey, dependent on your sweet tooth cravings
  • 2 tsp of Vanilla extract
  • Juice of 2 lemons

METHOD:

  1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius (fan forced).
  2. Mix together all cake ingredients in a large bowl, adding your lemon zest and thyme last.
  3. Pour mixture into a lined baking tin. I used a loaf tin this time, but a regular 20cm cake tin would do the trick as well.
  4. Bake for 45 minutes. The top should be golden brown and firm to touch. (*hint* As this is almond meal, it will not have the regular spring of a flour cake. Be guided by smell and colour on this one)
  5. Remove from oven and allow too cool for 15 – 20 minutes. While the cake is cooling, you can make a start on the frosting.
  6. Whip together cream cheese frosting ingredients, either by hand or with beaters. (*hint* if you like a marshmellowly consistency, whip with electric beaters. If you’re open for a relaxed, hand whipped vibe, go with that)
  7. Generously dollop frosting onto cooled cake and spread loosely with either a spatula or pallet knife. You don’t need to use all of this frosting on top of the cake, if your eaters prefer, provide a dollop on the side of their serving. Because who doesn’t love cream cheese frosting!
  8. To celebrate this cake, garnish with lemon zest, thyme and/or caramelised lemon rind.
  9. Serve up with a delicious cup of coffee & a good book ☕️📖

Chocolate Weetie Bickies

~ melreviewsherbooks ~ Leave a comment

I’ve always played with this biscuit recipe that my dear friend Georgie passed on to me years ago. I remember her saying it was from an old Marie Claire cookbook – remember those in a home kitchen!! Waaayyy back in the day 💫

The Chocolate Weetie Bickies has that OG biscuit base and then I added my little tweaks purely because I was missing one ingredient! Are you a baker who starts experimenting when you’re missing one or two ingredients? Comment below if you are ⏬

INGREDIENTS:

125g of melted butter *I tend to use salt reduced

1 cup of Brown Sugar

1 egg

1 tsp of Vanilla Essence or paste

1 cup of SR flour

1 cup of Plain flour

1/2 cup of crushed Weetbix

3 tsp of Cocoa

1 block of dark Cadbury or Nestlé baking chocolate, chopped roughly

METHOD:

  1. Preheat your fan-forced oven to 170 degrees celsius.
  2. Melt butter in the microwave or on stovetop, then mix through brown sugar.
  3. Add 1 egg and vanilla then stir through until it makes a golden paste.
  4. At the same time, add in both flours, Weetbix & cocoa. This is the stage where instead of Weetbix and cocoa, you’d usually add 1 cup of dedicated coconut 🥥 (OG Marie Claire recipe) but I didn’t have this handy so I experimented! (I don’t even sieve my flour and cocoa because I’m usually in a rush to make these but they always turn out great!)
  5. Mix all together 🥄 It’s going to look pretty dry but trust the process. It will come together to make the perfect consistency for bickies.
  6. Prepare a large baking tray with non-stick paper.
  7. Divide bickies into whatever size you like! I tend to enjoy a large, chunky and gooey bickie. I make around 12 or 16 depending on guests and/or my planned baked good delivery for friends.
  8. Bake for 20 minutes (*hint* I’ve found from years of watching Crumbs & Doilies – she’s EPIC, that biscuits actually keep baking after you’ve gotten then out of the oven and they need that time to set the outside crust to become gooey on the inside. So if you like a nice soft biscuit, get them out just a touch sooner than them going brown on top!)
  9. Allow to cool (as per previous *hint*) and serve once warmish. These are also epic with icecream … just saying 🍪🍦