Thoughts of a gluten-free life

It is a funny thing to sit at the computer and blog for the very first time. It makes me wonder if anyone out there in cyberland would care what I had to say, or if anyone would even come across this blog and read it. But if no one does, it's fun to feel like you have a voice, even if no one is listening.

You who have recently been diagnosed gluten intolerant, I have one thing to say, Lucky You! I know you don't feel that way, but you must know that it was not that many years ago that gluten free products on the market were rare, let alone edible! I remember my mother buying a loaf of soy bread from the health food store back in the early 70's. My sister and I had to toast it, smother it with peanut butter and wash it down with a glass of milk. And then there were the years of attempting to make my own bread, when the only available flours were rice and soy. I honestly believe I could have killed someone with the bricks I produced. I can't tell you how many times I would get my hopes up watching a loaf of bread rise, only to have it fall in the last stage of baking. Thankfully, with new flours on the market, my skills have improved. I now enjoy a slice of bread, and I don't have to smother it with peanut butter just to choke it down!

Here is one of my favorite recipes I've created. If you are having dinner guests, they'll never know it's gluten free. Enjoy!

La Valencia Orange Rum Cake-Gluten Free

Prep & Cook Time: Approx. one hour

Serves: 8-10

Cake:

2 Tbsp. GF flour mix for dusting (such as Pamela's, Bob's Red Mill, Mama's, etc.) I use Pamela's.

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

2 cups granulated sugar

4 large eggs, room temp.

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

3 1/2 cups gluten-free baking mix (again I use Pamela's)

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1 tsp. xanthan gum

1 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups 2% milk (heated)

1 Valencia Orange (preferably organic- you will use the skin)

1/2 cup dried Craisins

1/2 cup walnuts or pecans

Syrup:

6 Tbsp. butter

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup Bacardi Rum

Glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup juice from Valencia Orange

2 Tbsp. butter melted

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease and dust a bundt pan with 2 Tbsp. GF flour mix.

Cake instructions:

In a large bowl beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add one egg at a time until thoroughly mixed. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine flour mix, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt.

Heat milk, but don't boil. Slowly add the milk and flour to the butter mixture. Beat on med-low speed until incorporated.

Remove rind from the Valencia orange and place in a water-soaked paper towel. Place in microwave safe bowl and cook on high for 1 minute. Carefully unwrap rind and chop into smaller chunks. Place rind, Craisins, and nuts into food processor and chop until it resembles crumbled meal. Gently fold into cake batter.

Place batter in prepared bundt pan and bake for 35-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven, cool 5 minutes, remove from bundt pan onto a plate.

Syrup Instructions:

In a medium saucepan, melt butter and sugar together. Add water and bring to a boil. Add rum and boil for 30 seconds more. Remove from heat and pour evenly over bundt cake.

Glaze instructions:

Slice inner portion of Valencia orange in half and remove all seeds. Squeeze juice from each orange half into a medium size bowl, discarding pulp. Add powdered sugar and melted butter. Drizzle glaze over COOLED bundt cake.