I've been hit with the baking bug! So prepare to see several dessert recipes pop up here over the coming month. This particular recipe is an adaptions of a buckwheat gingerbread cake from Flavor Flours by James Beard Award-Winning author, Alice Medrich, which I early gifted to myself and am slightly obsessed with it. This is THE book of all gluten free baking books! Alice has meticulously studied the chemistry of various non-wheat flours and created recipes that are specifically formulated to be gluten free versus inserting gluten free flours into gluten based recipes. See the difference? Well the results are phenomenal and it is a culinary work to celebrate.
I however can't make Alice's recipes as they are because I prefer to keep my baking gluten free (of course) but also vegan and refined sugar free. So here enters my challenge, to take these recipe gems and make them into desserts I can enjoy without guilt. This pear gingerbread cake was my first attempt and it was quite the success, if I have to say so myself. The substituted ingredients were not missed as the BGT additions were so complementing to the recipe. Check out my spin on Alice's gingerbread cake below and prepare to exercise will power not to eat it all in one day. Enjoy!
RECIPE
- 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons brown rice flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Scant 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground clove
- 1/4 teaspoon himalayan pink salt
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 2/3 cups coconut palm sugar
- 1/3 cup blackstrap molasses
- 8 tablespoons melted coconut oil
- 1 flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flax + 3 tablespoons warm water)
- 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons buckwheat flour
- 1/2 cup hot water
- 2-3 bosc pears (peeled and wedged into eighths)
Position rack on the lower third of oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Grease sides of pan with a small amount of coconut oil and line bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Take your wedged pear and fan in a circle or preferred design on the line parchment bottom of your pan. Set aside.
Make flax egg and sit to the side.
In a medium bowl, mix brown rice flour, baking soda, xanthan gum, cinnamon, ground ginger, ground clove, and salt until well incorporated.
Add ginger, coconut palm sugar, molasses, coconut oil, flax egg to your flour mixture and mix for about 15 second until well incorporated. Add buckwheat flour and hot water and mix for 5 more seconds. (Do not over mix buckwheat flour or the results may be pasty).
Pour batter evenly over arranged pears. Transfer pan to the over and bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick is inserted in the middle and comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack before removing from pan.
To remove, run a knife or spatula along the edge. Take a plate and invert the cake quickly so it will not break. Peel away parchment and serve. Cake will last covered tightly, up to 4 days at room temperature.
recipe adapted from Flavor Flours: A New Way to Bake with Teff, Buckwheat, Sorghum, Other Whole & Ancient Grains, Nuts & Non-Wheat Flours