Having recently discovered that I’m gluten intolerant has made me analyse everything I cook, prepare, order and eat.
Whilst I now feel a whole load better for removing gluten in my diet and waving goodbye to bloat, fatigue and stomach cramps, I’m now navigating my way through gluten free recipes, free from food products and baking ingredients that have no wheat, barley, rye or oats in.
If you are reading this because you have been through this voyage of discovery already, then please do reach out to me as I’d love to hear your top tips, hacks and good places to visit/dine/ shop to pick up your gluten free goodies.
A friend recently shared this recipe for gluten free squishy chocolate cake recipe which included a whole load of courgettes and I’m not going to lie; I was a bit dubious! However, I was pleasantly surprised…
Instead of courgette, I used a length of a tromboncino that was growing in my kitchen garden. So it’s basically the same thing and of course courgettes are much easier to get hold of.
Now, I’m not saying this recipe is completely no-fuss as it requires a bit of elbow grease to grate the courgettes and of course the gluten free products. But you could totally do this with normal wheat based ingredients too and you’d probably get an amazing result.
What impressed me the most was the rise on the cake. Some gluten free recipes I find give the most disappointing rise and this was pretty good. But the best thing about the cake was how squishy and moist it is – my word what a tasty cake and NO you do not taste the courgette.
What a bonus to have one of your 5-a-day in a cake. That could almost be guilt free right??!!
You will need:
240g gluten free plain flour
½ tsp Xanthan gum
60g cocoa powder
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2tsp gluten free baking powder
240ml vegetable oil
150g caster sugar
150g light brown sugar
3 large eggs
80g yoghurt
1tsp vanilla extract
350g- 400g courgette or tromboncino grated – weight before grating.
150g chocolate chips
For the icing
250g butter
185g icing sugar
50g cocoa powder
Method:
Preheat oven to 200c
Prepare 2 x round, loose bottomed tins – I use liners from Poundland
Mix the sugars, eggs, yoghurt, vanilla and oil together until combined
Add in grated courgette or tromboncino and mix
In a separate bowl, mix gluten free flour, xanthan gum, cocoa powder, bicarb and baking powder until combined.
Then combine the two mixtures to form a thick mixture. Add in the choc chips.
Split the mixture between the 2 loose bottom tins and cook for 40-45 minutes. It should be slightly squishy but ensure it is cooked by using a skewer to test.
Allow to cool before preparing the icing which can be used to sandwich the cakes together.
Serve hot or cold with icecream or just how it is.
Let me know how you get on – share your pictures with me and comment if you’ve had a go yourself
Milly x
