This is as fun summer cake - and would be so festive for Canada Day or 4th of July (or one of the many birthdays we seem to have throughout the summer).  It's great because it's best served fresh from the refrigerator, which makes it a nice, cool treat.  We love it! This homemade gluten-free cake is a nice, fluffy sponge cake.  It's robust enough to withstand being poked with a fork a million times in order to have the tasty syrup poured on top.  Yum!  Enjoy! 

Gluten-Free Tres Leches Cake, ready to serve!  

Gluten-Free Tres Leches Cake

(technically it's a Cinco Leches Cake, since there's a bit of milk and yogurt in there, too!)

Makes one 9 x 13 pan.   If you double the cake recipe, you can make an extra sheet cake to use with the leftover tres leches mixture. (I recommend doing that).

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Butter 9 x 13 glass pan (or similar).   You can also use a large cookie sheet pan - line with parchment paper if you don't want to butter.

Whisk together in a large bowl: 

2/3 cup brown rice flour

1/3 cup white rice flour

1/4 cup arrowroot starch OR cornstarch

2 Tbsp potato starch

2 Tbsp tapioca starch

1 tsp xanthan gum

1 - 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

In a mixer, cream together: 

6 Tbsp butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

Add and mix in: 

1/2 cup milk 

2 Tbsp plain yogurt OR sour cream

3 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla bean paste OR vanilla extract

Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.  Let them mix for 2-3 minutes, so it's nice and smooth. 

Spread batter in your buttered pan.  

Cake, ready to bake!

Bake at 350 F for ~22 minutes, until golden brown.  If baking in a large cookie sheet pan, it needs about 15-17 minutes until golden brown.  

Fresh from the oven - a nice golden brown

While the cake is baking, whisk together: 

14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

12 oz can evaporated milk

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

*Note: you will only use 2 cups of this tres leches mixture.  If you make an extra cake, you can use the extra cup on the second cake for a lighter treat.*

Once the cake has finished baking, place it on a cooling rack.  While hot/warm, poke the top of the cake with a fork.  You want lots and lots of holes poked all over the cake.  Spoon 2 cups of the tres leche syrup over the cake.  Take your time, so the syrup can soak evenly over the cake.  

This was poked with a fork A LOT - hard to tell from the picture. I'd say you want to poke a hole with your fork every 1/2" so the syrup really spreads evenly through the cake. 

Once the cake has cooled a bit, then chill thoroughly in the refrigerator - at least 3 hours, or overnight.  

One hour before serving, whip until nice and stiff peaks (don't overwhip or you'll make butter): 

1 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

3 Tbsp powdered sugar

Spread the whipped cream evenly over the cake.  (Once the cake is fully chilled, you can add the whipped cream the day before to have it ready in advance - but I like making it nice and fresh).

Topped with fresh whipped cream, ready for adding the cherries

Decorate, if desired with:

maraschino cherries, sliced in half

Refrigerate until serving.  Slice and serve!  Enjoy! 

A yummy slice of gluten-free tres leches cake. Mmmm... 

Gluten Free Tres Leches Cake by Successfully Gluten Free!

Fresh mangos are one of the yummiest treats, especially with a nice, sticky rice pudding.  Everyone has their favorite taste and texture, but this is the version I prefer.  I don't just steam the rice, I end up doing a combination of steaming and mixing.  That way, I don't end up with any parts too dried out or sticking to the bottom of the pot.  My dad prefers drizzling a little sweetened condensed milk on top, like our favorite Thai place does, but I prefer it with a tiny drizzle of maple syrup.  It's great in summer when it's easier to get fresh mangos, but you can use frozen mangos (thawed), too!  Enjoy!  

Fresh mango atop yummy sticky rice pudding

Mango Sticky Rice Pudding

Rinse well, then soak in water for 30 minutes: 

1 cup sushi rice

Strain and rinse rice after soaking.  Place soaked & rinsed sushi rice in a medium saucepan.  

Add to saucepan: 

3/4 - 1 cup coconut milk (Just the regular boxed, not canned - or it will end up quite a bit thicker)

3/4 - 1 cup whole milk (or just more coconut milk, lactose-free, or almond if you prefer)

3 Tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste OR vanilla extract

dash salt

Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.  Once mixture comes to a boil, you can cover and lower heat to let the rice simmer 20 minutes.  I like to stir it a few times during the simmering time so nothing sticks to the bottom.  

If the rice needs a little more time, you can add a little extra coconut milk and continue cooking, simmering gently for another 5 minutes.  

Remove from heat.  Serve in small bowls with fresh sliced mango on top.  If you like a little extra sweetness, a tiny drizzle of maple syrup (or sweetened condensed milk) overtop is nice when serving.  Enjoy! 

Yum!

Mango Sticky Rice Pudding Recipe by Successfully Gluten Free!

These have been very popular around here.  They're also incredibly versatile.  You can throw in whatever you want.  Nadiya, winner of one of the British bake-off, shared this idea - only she used fresh mushrooms and a sun-dried tomato paste.  We gave it a try, tweaking it a bit, and found that it's a fun, easy lunch or dinner recipe.  You can easily add things like mushrooms, but I prefer to saute them first with some onion and then add them where I used a leafy green in the recipe below. 

Mmm.. a nice, hot egg sandwich roll.  

Quick and Easy Egg Sandwich Roll Ups

Based on a recipe from Nadiya's Time to Eat show

 I find I use about two eggs per roll-up, so depending on how many you want to make, you can adjust how many eggs you whisk together. Instructions for 4 roll-ups are here.   

Spread on top of four gluten-free tortillas, then set aside:

mustard OR homemade basil pesto OR spread of your choice

In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together: 

8 eggs

salt & pepper generously

Heat over medium-low to medium heat: 

1 Tbsp butter

Once melted, add approximately 1/4 of your egg mixture.  Immediately top with: 

cheese of your choice, shredded or sliced in smaller pieces

sandwich meat, sliced in smaller pieces (optional)

leafy green (spinach, baby kale, cilantro, fresh basil)

Egg topped with cheese, a little turkey and some spinach

On top of your egg, place your gluten-free tortilla, face down, so the spread is pressed into the egg mixture.   

Face-down tortilla topped with mustard

When the egg mixture has mostly set, carefully flip the entire egg and wrap over.  Let it cook a couple minutes, until your tortilla has had a change to get nice and crispy.  

Flipped over and cooking to crisp up the tortilla and let the egg finish cooking. 

Remove to a plate.  Let rest for a minute or two.  Roll up your egg sandwich roll.  Slice in half and serve!   Repeat with the remaining egg, filling, and tortillas.  Happy eating!

So fun and easy!

Quick and Easy Egg Sandwich Roll Ups by Successfully Gluten Free!

I was blown away by how popular these gluten-free, nut-free bakewell bars were at my house.  Nut allergies inspired me to adapt the idea of the bakewell tart first into a nut-free variety, then into bar form, for easy baking, slicing and eating.  Who would've thought that coconut flour would give such a perfect texture when used to replace the more traditional almond flour.  These have been eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks around here. Enjoy! 

Yummy gluten-free British bakewell bars. 

Bakewell Bars made with leftover cranberry sauce (cranberry sauce made with half water & half orange juice simmered with the cranberries and sugar)

British Bakewell Bars - gluten-free and nut-free!

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Butter 9 x 13 pan. 

In a bowl, dice together with a pastry cutter until butter is in small, pea-sized pieces: 

1 cup Kristin's Gluten-Free Flour 

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 tsp salt

10 Tbsp (1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp) butter, chilled

Add and mix in with a spoon: 

1/4 cup milk

Press into prepared 9 x 13 pan.  Bake at 350 F for 15 minutes, until pale golden. 

The pastry crust, baked for 15 minutes, until just browning at the edges.

While baking, prepare this topping: 

Beat until fluffy: 

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

pinch salt

Add and mix in: 

2 eggs

1/3 cup milk 

Add and mix in until well combined (no lumps): 

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/2 cup white rice flour

Place the fluffy topping in a piping bag (or freezer ziploc) until ready to use.  

After 15 minutes of baking, remove the crust from oven.  Immediately spoon small spoonfuls across the top of: 

12 oz raspberry jam OR strawberry jam OR cherry jam OR 2 cups leftover cranberry sauce (from Thanksgiving)

Spread the jam gently and evenly over the surface of the crust.  It should spread nicely because it melts a bit on the hot crust. 

12 oz of raspberry jam spread on top of the crust.

Snip a small piece off the corner of your ziploc bag.  Pipe lines of topping gently back and forth on top of the jam.  You can use wet hands or a wet spoon to gently smooth the top layer after piping.  (I find this doesn't "spread" well without making a mess of things, but the piping works really well. and just keep dipping your hands or spoon into water to get it to spread nicely). 

Piped top crust.  You could bake it like this if you prefer.  However, I like to smooth it out.

Used a wet spoon (dipping repeatedly) to smooth out the topping.  I didn't aim for perfection. 

Bake the bakewell bars at 350 F for another 30 - 35 minutes, until golden.  Place pan on a wire rack to cool.   We can't help sneaking pieces of hot bakewell bar, but if you want nice, neat pieces, then let it cool before slicing.  Cool, slice and enjoy!  

Mmmm.. fresh from the oven.  We couldn't resist and had to taste-test immediately.

Look at those layers. Yum! 

British Bakewell Bars - Gluten Free and Nut Free by Successfully Gluten Free! 

Sugar Cookie Bars

I'm in the mood for sugar cookies about once a year, which is about how often I end up making sugar cookies with my kids.  We absolutely love my regular favorite frosted sugar cookie recipe, topped with my marshmallow fluff frosting, but I was inspired to make something a little different after seeing a recipe for sugar cookie bars in the New York Times.   I've tweaked and modified the recipe so we have a delicious, gluten-free sugar cookie bar.  Yay!  These are delicious and definitely give that sugar cookie vibe, but in bar form.  The added cream cheese in the dough gives them a light texture, more reminiscent of what I have in my hamentashen dough.  It was a hit around here.  I sliced extras into small pieces and froze them, which works well for small treats.  Enjoy!

Yummy sugar cookie bars, ready to eat!  I gave the frosting a pale green tint, but you can tint it whatever color you prefer! 

Gluten Free Sugar Cookie Bars

Based on a recipe from the NYTimes

In a large bowl, whisk together: (it's important to mix dry ingredients separately in GF baking to avoid lumps)
2 cups Kristin's Gluten Free Flour Mix
3/4 cup white rice flour
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

In a mixer, cream together:
1 cup butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cup white sugar

Add and mix in, scraping down a few times:
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)

Mix the dry ingredients into the wet.  Spread in 8 1/2" x 12" metal baking pan lined with parchment paper OR 9" x 13" pan lined with parchment paper.

Bake at 350 F for 22-30 minutes, until light browned on top and wobbles slightly in the center.  These are best not overdone so they're nice and soft.  I gave a wide time range because I find different ovens cook something like this dramatically differently.  Also, if you like them a bit gooier, so for the shorter time and a bit drier, go for the longer time.  

Lightly browned and wiggles a bit in the center.  Ready to cool. 

Remove from oven and cool completely in pan on wire rack.   This will take a couple hours. 

Frosting:
Mix together frosting in a mixer, beating well until light and fluffy:
6 Tbsp butter, softened
2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup marshmallow fluff
2 drops lemon essential oil OR 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
1/4 tsp salt
drops food coloring, if desired (I used some green and a little yellow for a light green frosting)

Slowly add heavy cream OR milk 1 tsp at a time until you have a smooth consistency.  I find 1 - 2 Tbsp cream or milk works well.

Spread overtop the cooled bars.  Add sprinkles, if desired. 
Slice into squares and enjoy!

Yum! Ready to eat!

Gluten Free Sugar Cookie Bars Recipe by Successfully Gluten Free! 

Homemade gluten-free fish cakes!  The fish and potatoes are cooked first, then mixed with some seasoning before being breaded.  Pre-prepared fish cakes can be frozen after chilling to cook later.   They're fully cooked, they just need pan-frying to reheat.  However, my kids love them so much, they like to eat them for breakfast and snacks if I cook them all at once and keep leftovers in the fridge.  We like them with oven-roasted broccoli (drizzle lightly with olive oil, salt & pepper, mix well, and roast at 400-425 F until browned at the edges.  You can cook fresh broccoli or frozen, straight from the freezer. :) ) Enjoy! 

Homemade Gluten-Free Fish Cakes with a side of oven-roasted broccoli

Homemade Fish Cakes

Based off a recipe from The Fish and Seafood Cookbook - from ocean to table

*I like to make the potatoes and fish at the same time on the stovetop. 

Boiled Potatoes

In a large pot, put the following and cover with cold water: 

1 lb red (or white) thin-skinned baby potatoes, coarsely chopped

1 Tbsp salt

Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower to medium heat and continue boiling for about 15 minutes, until potatoes are tender.  Drain and put potatoes in a large bowl.  Mash potatoes until mostly smooth (some chunks are fine).  

Simmered Fish

In a low wide skillet that has a lid you can use, place: 

1 lb cod fish fillets (Make sure the skin and bones are removed.  You can use salmon OR a mix of both fish, if you prefer)

Cover the fish with water, until JUST covered.  Place over medium heat and bring to a boil.   Once boiling, cover with a lid.  Lower heat to low and simmer gently for 5 minutes.  Remove fish with a slotted spoon (to drain gently) and place on a plate.  Use a fork to flake apart the fish, double checking for any bones (remove and discard if you find them).  

Cooked fish, flaking apart nicely.  Ready to remove with a slotted spoon and flake apart. 

To Assemble the Fish Cakes

Line one cookie sheet with parchment paper (if desired), to place your fish cakes prior to baking.  

In your large bowl that has the mashed potatoes, add and mix together: 

cooked, flaked fish, from above

2 Tbsp cream OR whole milk (thick coconut milk will work, too)

zest of 1 lemon

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

1-2 tsp freeze dried chives OR 1 - 2 Tbsp fresh chives, finely diced

2 tsp dried tarragon

1 tsp dried parsley

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

Taste a sampling of your fish and potato mixture and add extra salt and pepper, to taste.   

In three separate bowls, place: 

Bowl 1:  

1/4 - 1/3 cup gluten-free flour (can just use brown or white rice flour or Kristin's Gluten-Free Flour Mix)

Bowl 2: 

2-3 eggs, beaten

Bowl 3:

1-2 cups gluten-free breadcrumbs (I prefer the ones made from rice flour)

*This next part is easiest if you have TWO people helping.  One to make the fish cakes and dip in flour and dip in the egg.  Then another person to dip them in the breadcrumbs and place them on your parchment-lined pan.  I find it keeps from getting egg/breadcrumbs all over fingertips. 

Make round cakes with your hands by scooping out small, plum-sized balls and flattening them, rounding the edges with your fingers.  Dip each flattened fish cake in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs.  Place the fish cake on your parchment paper lined baking tray.  Repeat until finished.   I find it makes about 1 full tray of fish cakes.  

Fish cakes dipped in flour, egg, and gluten-free breadcrumbs, then placed on a cookie sheet to chill. 

Gently cover the tray with plastic wrap.  Place your coated fish cakes in a refrigerator and let chill 30-60 minutes.  This will help them hold together really nicely.  You can easily flatten them with a spatula to make them neater looking once they've chilled.   At this point, you can freeze extras in a flat layer in a ziploc bag, then cook them later straight from frozen - they'll just need an extra couple minutes per side.  Just make sure your fish cakes are nicely flattened and aren't too thick, so they won't take too long to heat thoroughly.  

Heat 1/4 - 1/2" oil in the bottom of a frying pan over medium heat.  Cook the fish cakes ~5 minutes per side, until nicely golden brown.   Remove to a paper-towel lined baking tray after frying.  

Flattened after chilling, these fish cakes fry up nicely in a bit of oil.  About 4-5 minutes per side, until nicely browned.  They're already cooked, so they just need to heat and crisp. 

Cooked and placed on paper towels.  Yum!

These fish cakes are delicious served with fresh lemon wedges, tartar sauce, and a side salad.  The kids, of course, like them with kethcup.  Enjoy!  

Isn't that a nice looking fish cake.  My kids even ate leftovers for breakfast the next morning.  

Gluten Free Homemade Fish Cakes by Successfully Gluten Free!

Delicious Chocolate Cake!

My now 9 year old requested a chocolate cake with vanilla frosting for her birthday.  I added a bit of dark chocolate glazing on top, and voila!  A beautifully light, delicious chocolate cake that everyone raved over.  I love making thin cake layers, too, because they cook up quickly and cool quickly, meaning the entire cake was finished within a couple hours (accounting for cooling time).  This particular cake ended up tasting like a bit light and fluffy whoopie pie, which we all love.  My parents thought it tasted like a chocolate whoopie pie in cake form. Yum!

It was so beautiful and so delicious.  It tasted like a big, soft whoopie pie. 

Delicious Chocolate Cake!!!

Makes a four-layer 8"cake

Preheat oven to 350 F.  I find I need to use 325 F convection to fit all four pans in at the same time.
Butter & line pans with parchment paper OR butter and flour pans with a GF flour mix or just some rice flour.

Melt in a small pot over medium heat:
1 cup butter

Add and stir, just until bubbling and then remove from heat:
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 cup boiling water

In a large bowl, whisk together:
3/4 cup brown rice flour
3/4 cup white rice flour
1/4 cup cornstarch OR arrowroot starch
2 Tbsp potato starch
2 Tbsp tapioca starch
1 tsp xanthan gum
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups white sugar

In a separate medium to large bowl, stir together: (This will expand a bit, so keep that in mind when choosing your bowl)
1/2 cup buttermilk (2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar + milk to equal 1/2 cup)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
1 tsp baking soda

In your large bowl, mix together:
dry ingredients, from above
cocoa powder mixture, from above
buttermilk mixture, from above

Divide batter evenly between four 8" round pans, buttered & lined or buttered and GF floured.
Bake at 350 F for 17-18 minutes.

Cakes, ready to bake! 

Let cakes rest 5-10 minutes before removing cakes from pans and putting them to wire racks to cool.

Out of the oven and resting a bit before removing from pans. 

Once cakes are fully cooled, fill layers of cakes with one batch of my favorite marshmallow fluff frosting, evenly divided between the four layers.

One batch of marshmallow fluff frosting divided in 3.  Four beautifully filled layers.  Yum! 

Top the cake with a Chocolate Glaze:

In a small pot over medium heat melt:
3/4 cup butter

Add, and let bubble 30 seconds:
1/3 cup cocoa powder

Remove from heat and mix in:
5 Tbsp milk (lactose free or dairy free work)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Whisk in, until nice and smooth:
2 3/4 cup powdered sugar

You may want to let this glaze cool just a bit before pouring over the cake.  Too warm and it will drip more than you'd like down the sides.  Carefully pour the glaze onto the top of the cake, gently spreading it toward the edges of the cake, just so a bit drizzles down the sides.   Serve this cake at room temperature for the best texture.  If you refrigerate it to serve later, it's best left to come to room temperature before serving, so let rest at room temperature 30-40 minutes before eating.

Enjoy your delicious cake!

We had one VERY happy 9 year old! 

It's so soft and light and fluffy. Mmmmm... 

Delicious Chocolate Cake by Successfully Gluten Free!