Banana Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

This is a fantastic cake based on Dorie Greenspan's recipe for Classic Banana Bundt Cake.  It is reminiscent of banana bread but has a finer crumb. Perfect to serve for dessert topped with a scoop of french vanilla ice cream!

I love the flavor of banana and chocolate so adjusted the recipe and added dark chocolate chips. I am also a huge fan of spices when bananas are the main player in a recipe so cinnamon and nutmeg were a must for me.  The flavors all work together incredibly well and result in an exceptionally delicious cake. Lastly, I wasn't keen on adding the required 2 cups of sugar to this recipe so exchanged it for coconut sugar.  Great results!

Gluten-Free Orange Cranberry Scones

It has been some time since my last post and I humbly apologize.  I took some time off for a pre-summer holiday and didn't get much baking done at all.  Though I enjoyed the relaxation I did miss feeding my baking addiction.  To get things kick-started I wanted to dive back in with a gluten-free treat truly loved by many - the scone.

I have tried many GF scones before and none have lived up to the hype. They were either too dense, too dry or had some kind of funky aftertaste.  After much searching I found a recipe online that seemed promising and gave it a whirl.  I am very pleased with the baking results and can safely say these are scones that are not just "edible" but downright delicious.  My son who won't touch dried fruit scarfed down 2 of these while still warm, dried cranberries and all !

Gluten-Free Chocolate Cream Pie

I love pudding but when you put that velvety heaven in a bed of crunchy graham crackers crumbs - well let's just say the word "nirvana" comes to mind.

Your first bite is like a texture and flavor explosion!  The crunch and sweet taste of buttery and cinnamon spiced graham crackers....then the smooth richness of a delectable chocolate cream.  My, oh my.  Take it a step further and top it with a cloud of lightly sweetened whipped cream.  Yes, folks - we have a winner.

Easy-Peasy Pizza Crust

Though not a gluten-free recipe, this one is a keeper. Nothing beats a homemade pizza crust but so many recipes can be time consuming requiring kneading, kneading and kneading, right?  Once again, we can let our mixers do the work for us.  Sit back, have a tea, and watch it all happen.  Leave your bicep workouts for the gym.  No manual kneading required!

As my followers know well, I am not a dough fan but when I can use my mixer with dough hook attachment my fears of kneading become a thing of the past. This recipe is perfect for me and will be for you too!

Xanthan and Guar Gum – Don’t Be Intimidated

Many people want to bake gluten-free goodies but the somewhat standard list of GF ingredients that appear in most recipes send bakers running. First off they are usually hit with an array of various flours which many have never heard of before…and then come the gluten replacers. I remember the first time I read Xanthan Gum and thought, huh, what the heck is that?! Something else I don’t know how to use, let alone spell, which of course will require a road trip to some remote natural food store to purchase. But rather than flee screaming from the kitchen I decided to educate myself on how these 2 items work in recipes and what the replacement ratio is for various baked treats. I also was delighted to find that nearly all grocery stores carry these gluten-free replacement ingredients in that natural food section of the store.

I hope that by sharing the information with you that I have learned, it too will expand your mind, your collection of family foodie favorites and perhaps, just perhaps, a space in your pantry.

Gluten-Free Apricot Tea Squares

I rarely bake with apricots but I saw a gluten-free recipe that sounded amazing and one I had to test out asap.  In fact, I think this is the one and only apricot recipe on Lemon Drop to date.

These Apricot Tea Squares are simple to make, use wholesome ingredients and get this - contain NO SUGAR or sugar substitutes!  The apricots and natural sweetness of coconut is all you need. That, my friends, is a winner in my book.

The other great thing about these squares is the easy preparation. Everything comes together in minutes with your food processor then you simply press the dough into a prepared pan.

Babycakes NYC Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Who doesn't adore chocolate chip cookies? These ones are gluten-free, dairy free and egg free but you would never know it. I opted for chocolate chunks to add even more taste and texture. Amazing!

What flours are used to make these gluten-free? Oat flour, GF all purpose flour and lastly, though not technically flour, the addition of flaxseed meal. Flaxseed meal adds even more fiber and Omega 3 fatty acids plus works wonders at binding all the ingredients together.

For both the GF all purpose flour and the flaxseed meal, I used Bob's Red Mill brand. They also carry oat flour too but I opted for a different brand because I had it handy. Feel free to use whichever one you like best. If you want to ensure egg and dairy free cookies, I recommend Enjoy Life Chocolate Chunks. These are pretty much as good as you can get.