How Would You Make This Chocolate Cake Gluten Free?

[nikken007]

I have a chocolate cake recipe from my newspaper and was wondering what to substitute the flour with. It only calls for 1/3 cup of flour. Do I need to add a starch for such a small amount?

Here is a link that I found on the internet: Open Original Shared Link

What would you use?

Also, I don't use alcohol. Would it be okay to leave out the cognac or should I replace it with vanilla extract? What would you use?

[Ursa Major]

I am not sure what would be the best substitute for that particular cake. Maybe a mixture of light buckwheat flour, rice flour and xanthan gum? Or corn starch instead of the rice flour. You may need to experiment.

My Black Forest cake recipe calls for cherry liquor. I just use rum flavouring which I put into the cherry juice from the jar of sour cherries I use. It just adds that little extra special taste. But you are right, you can just use vanilla, it will likely be just fine.

[Chicklet]

I read the instructions on that cake recipe and don't see flour used in it at all.

Maybe I missed it though. I'm going to give it a try.

[bakingbarb]

I have a chocolate cake recipe from my newspaper and was wondering what to substitute the flour with. It only calls for 1/3 cup of flour. Do I need to add a starch for such a small amount?

Here is a link that I found on the internet: Open Original Shared Link

What would you use?

Also, I don't use alcohol. Would it be okay to leave out the cognac or should I replace it with vanilla extract? What would you use?

I love this recipe and it will be going into my file! I would suggest using almond flour or coconut flour, that is what I am going to be trying. Any flour blend that you use for anything else would be fine too but I think the almond flour is the best idea. There are a lot of recipes out there for chocolate cakes with almond flour which is why I am leaning that way.

You could use vanilla to replace the alcohol or anything that sounds good to flavoring wise, but you could probably leave it out.

Oh I just had a thought, wouldn't cherries taste good with this....

[nikken007]

I read the instructions on that cake recipe and don't see flour used in it at all.

Maybe I missed it though. I'm going to give it a try.

It is 1/3 cup flour. Those instructions are kind of confusing! Here is a better link Open Original Shared Link

[nikken007]

I would suggest using almond flour or coconut flour, that is what I am going to be trying. Any flour blend that you use for anything else would be fine too but I think the almond flour is the best idea. There are a lot of recipes out there for chocolate cakes with almond flour which is why I am leaning that way.

Would it need to be finer than almond meal or is that the same thing? I would think the meal would leave specks in it.

Coconut flour sounds nice but I'd have to go buy some. I need to make something chocolaty really soon for an event.

Do you think it would really need xanthan gum? If so, I wouldn't think it would need very much.

[bakingbarb]

Would it need to be finer than almond meal or is that the same thing? I would think the meal would leave specks in it.

Coconut flour sounds nice but I'd have to go buy some. I need to make something chocolaty really soon for an event.

Do you think it would really need xanthan gum? If so, I wouldn't think it would need very much.

I think the almond meal is what people use but yes I think it would add specks and some flavor but it would be subtle because of the small amount.

I don't think xanthan gum is needed. gluten-free flourless chocolate cakes don't call for xanthan gum.

IF for some reason this doesn't set up when you make it, or any recipe like this, freeze it and serve with fresh whipped cream and/or a warm sauce.

[kbabe1968]

This looks almost like the recipe for the sponge cake on the back of the potato starch flour I use...except they use all potato starch.

Personally, I like the mix at Land O Lakes - (if you go to their website and type in gluten free flour blend it comes up). I use it in all my cakes and have phenomenal results.

It's not healthy for you, mind you....but it's CAKE, right??? LOL

Looks like a great recipe I might have to give a try too! MMMMM....

[Sweetfudge]

I read the instructions on that cake recipe and don't see flour used in it at all.

Maybe I missed it though. I'm going to give it a try.

Yeah, it wasn't in that first article I read it twice.

Would it need to be finer than almond meal or is that the same thing? I would think the meal would leave specks in it.

Coconut flour sounds nice but I'd have to go buy some. I need to make something chocolaty really soon for an event.

Do you think it would really need xanthan gum? If so, I wouldn't think it would need very much.

I personally don't know the difference between almond meal and flour. I have made Ursa's Black Forest cake, and that recipe calls for processed almonds. Don't even know if that's the same thing as the above, but I REALLY liked the addition. Very subtle. The nuts get soft in the cake so it's almost not even like eating nuts. I've tried so many recipes for a flourless chocolate cake. I'm very curious about this one. As far as a good substitute flour, I would go with this one:

Featherlight Mix - from Bette Hagman's Gluten Free Gourmet Bakes Bread

1 c. Rice flour

1 c. cornstarch

1 c. tapioca starch

1 Tbs. potato flour (NOT potato starch)

Mix well.

I use it in just about everything, and it has a great consistancy in baked goods. Thanks for sharing the recipe. If you make it, post pics

[nikken007]

I made a flourless chocolate cake today instead of the recipe but I think I will try the one that I posted soon. I think I might try a combination of the Featherlight mix and almond flour. It probably doesn't much matter.

If anyone does try out the recipe, please post it and how you did it. Thanks for all your comments!

[Juliet]

So you know, there are recipes out there for flourless chocolate cake using almond meal or flour (actually the same thing, it's just that the meal will sometimes have little bits of brown from the skin on the almond). If you do use the almond meal, though, it won't have a flat top like in the picture. It actually will puff up when it cooks, crack on the top, then eventually collapse. You'll have a lovely, fudgy center with a crusty edge. Here's a link: Open Original Shared Link , it actually doesn't quite look like the picture; that's how the French flourless chocolate cake looks. If this isn't what you want, and instead you would like something akin to a light brownie (which is what it kind of looks like) you'll probably need to use a bit of a flour blend with a tiny bit of xanthan gum, or possibly something like plan white rice flour might even work. I have a recipe for a sweet breakfast "cheesecake" that's actually from El Salvador called "quesadilla salvadorena" that only uses rice flour - no starch or gum. It is heavy on the protein & fat (cream cheese, half & half, separated eggs with whipped egg whites), but so is this cake recipe! And it works out really well.

[Chicklet]

It is 1/3 cup flour. Those instructions are kind of confusing! Here is a better link Open Original Shared Link

Oh thank you, that is much better.

[Sweetfudge]

I have a recipe for a sweet breakfast "cheesecake" that's actually from El Salvador called "quesadilla salvadorena" that only uses rice flour - no starch or gum. It is heavy on the protein & fat (cream cheese, half & half, separated eggs with whipped egg whites), but so is this cake recipe! And it works out really well.

Oooh, this sounds really good Do share!!

[nikken007]

Oooh, this sounds really good Do share!!

I did a search and found these recipes for quesadilla salvadorena. I don't know if any are the same recipe that Juliet has.

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

[Juliet]

I was told this recipe from our babysitter from El Salvador and then tweaked it some (easier to mix in the order given, and occasionally do lemon or orange zest, too - yum - and she loved it, actually got the recipe back from me and now uses this one):

Quesadilla salvadorena

Active Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 30-35 minutes

This is a traditional breakfast treat from El Salvador. It's almost like a cross between a sweet bread and crustless cheesecake. Baking it in muffin tins helps makes them very portable. It's wonderful served with coffee in the morning.

1/2 cup butter, softened

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 1/4 cups sugar

3 egg yolks

1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup half-and-half

dash salt, when using unsalted butter, otherwise omit

1 1/4 cups rice flour

3 egg whites

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

sesame seeds

Cream the butter, cream cheese and sugar together. Add the egg yolks and blend well, then add the vanilla extract, sour cream and half and half until smooth. Mix in salt, if using unsalted butter, and rice four until smooth. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until firm peaks, then fold into cheese mixture with a rubber spatula. Pour into greased muffin cups about 3/4 full or into a greased 8x13 glass pan. Sprinkle tops with sesame seeds. Bake in 350

[bakingbarb]

We are going away for the weekend and I think I should bring these with me! I am jumping for joy actually, I love cheesecake. This is a very unique recipe, I am anxious to try it.

Thank you for sharing.

[bakingbarb]

So I started reading on line about these and ran across pupusas, and am wondering if they are gluten free. I saw description is a thick hand made corn tortilla that is stuffed......I want this. I have never seen these or heard of them before. Where would could I buy some.

Cripes I made chicken with chilis and garlic and peppers with black beans and avocado etc in corn tortillas so I am hungry for more. I love corn tortillas btw.

[Juliet]

Pupusas are gluten free, but a little difficult to make. If you do try it, it's best to first make two corn "tortillas" with the masa harina (instant corn flour - in California you can even get it at Target) and water, place the filling on one, then seal it up with the second rather than forming a ball, pressing in and placing the filling, then re-sealing and flatenning it out (I have not been able to achieve this feat yet at all). Also, make the tortillas a little thicker than you normally would with a tortilla press - about 1/4" thick min. Then you place it on a griddle and cook them. They are very portable and yummy with some salsa.

But heck, I just love thick homemade corn tortillas, period! Great with beans, salsa, cheese, etc. I also like to have them warm with a little cream cheese, honey & nuts. Just heavenly!

[Sweetfudge]

WOW this sounds awesome! I will defnitely have to try it sometime!

My stomach is churning though at just the thought of all that dairy

Thanks for posting it!

[bakingbarb]

Has anyone tried this cake yet?

[HiDee]

Has anyone tried this cake yet?

OK, I tried it out for Mother's Day. It's very dark chocolaty and NOT sweet (my husband the sugar-lover wouldn't eat more than one bite). I imagine that's because it seemed to be a European recipe based on what the article said about it. If you want it to taste more like cake as we know it here in the USA you will want to increase the sugar, maybe even double it. And if you're not a fan of dark chocolate, don't use the bittersweet chocolate called for, use semi-sweet. I used half nut flour and half potato starch with a bit of xanthan for the 1/3 cup flour it called for and it was a little dense and crumbly. Sweet rice flour or all starch might be better. ALSO, the recipe does not list a baking temperature. I baked it at 350 and it seemed a little overdone after the 35 minutes called for in the recipe, I would bake it for 25-30 minutes if doing it at 350. And lastly, because of all the butter in it and the high water content in butter, it leaked (just the butter, not the cake) out of my springform pan. I don't know if this was a problem with my springform pan or not but I wouldn't do it in a springform pan again, just a regular round cake pan should be fine or a 9x9 square pan. And perhaps if it hadn't leaked it wouldn't have been so crumbly because there would have been more moisture. Anyway, I doubt I'll try it again as my husband hated it but I hope this info helps others.

[bakingbarb]

Hmm, I think this type of cake usually is made with the darker chocolates, if you used a sweeter semi sweet chocolate it changes the style of the cake.

I didn't use this recipe I found one that I think made a perfect cake. I would not use xanthan or "flour" at all, this is doesn't need the affect of the xanthan, it isn't that type of cake. This isn't supposed to have a normal cake texture, more pudding/dense but not crumbly at all. I think the starch flours or any of the flours is a mistake as most of these recipes are for flourless cakes, then why any flour! Ground nuts is what is normal for these recipes.

I think it was too much butter, thats why it leaked.

I will be posting the recipe and a how to on my blog soon. I will let you know when its up.

OK, I tried it out for Mother's Day. It's very dark chocolaty and NOT sweet (my husband the sugar-lover wouldn't eat more than one bite). I imagine that's because it seemed to be a European recipe based on what the article said about it. If you want it to taste more like cake as we know it here in the USA you will want to increase the sugar, maybe even double it. And if you're not a fan of dark chocolate, don't use the bittersweet chocolate called for, use semi-sweet. I used half nut flour and half potato starch with a bit of xanthan for the 1/3 cup flour it called for and it was a little dense and crumbly. Sweet rice flour or all starch might be better. ALSO, the recipe does not list a baking temperature. I baked it at 350 and it seemed a little overdone after the 35 minutes called for in the recipe, I would bake it for 25-30 minutes if doing it at 350. And lastly, because of all the butter in it and the high water content in butter, it leaked (just the butter, not the cake) out of my springform pan. I don't know if this was a problem with my springform pan or not but I wouldn't do it in a springform pan again, just a regular round cake pan should be fine or a 9x9 square pan. And perhaps if it hadn't leaked it wouldn't have been so crumbly because there would have been more moisture. Anyway, I doubt I'll try it again as my husband hated it but I hope this info helps others.