I recently had occasion to get feedback from someone who had read my book, “Bake It Better Gluten Free Sampler #1”. It was suggested that the flour recipe was complicated. Actually it’s not, but it occurred to me that for some folks, mixing flour is perceived as too complicated and time consuming. Consequently, I set out on a mission to find a commercial gluten free flour blend that could stack up to my high standards; something I could recommend to my readers who don’t want to mix flour. I’m happy to say that I found a product I can recommend without reservation.
Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Baking Flour is a commercially prepared gluten free flour blend that I discovered I could use in many of my recipes and get good results without modifications. It doesn’t absorb liquids quite as well as the Gluten Free All Purpose Flour so you may find you need just a bit less liquid in some recipes. It has a slightly nutty flavor because of the sorghum in the blend, which gives it a more whole grain taste. I have also found that in some recipes it tends to be a little heavier than my blend, but overall the results were excellent! So if you don’t have time to mix your flour, this is a great alternative. Here’s a recipe to get you started. Enjoy!
Gluten Free Classic Chocolate Cupcakes:
makes 12 traditional cupcakes or 6 jumbo cupcakes
3/4 cup + 2 TBS Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Baking Flour
OR Gluten Free All Purpose Flour (recipe) *
1/2 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup + 2 TBS sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl combine sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla, and beat until smooth. In a small bowl combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add flour mixture to wet ingredients alternating with the milk. Mix on medium speed for about 1-2 minutes. Fill 12 regular size or 6 Texas size sprayed or paper lined muffin cups about 2/3 full. Bake regular sized cupcakes 18-20 minutes or Texas size 25-28 minutes, or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack before frosting.
Classic Chocolate Icing:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 TBS milk
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
dash salt
Whip butter until fluffy. Add vanilla, powdered sugar, cocoa, milk and salt. Whip again until fluffy and smooth. Frost cupcakes when cool to the touch. I used a pastry bag fitted with a Wilton 2D tip. Top with pecans, maraschino cherries, or chocolate curls for garnish.
Dairy Free: For dairy free cupcakes use rice milk instead of dairy milk. For the frosting, use 1/4 cup Earth Balance Spread or other dairy free margarine and 1/4 shortening instead of the 1/2 cup of butter. Substitute rice milk for dairy milk in the frosting and decrease to 1 1/2 to 2 TBS.
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