Friday, June 13, 2014

Treat me: Gluten-free chocolate cakes

Forget war, forget inequality, forget child poverty and the melting of the icecaps, the thing that really gets people riled up is whether or not gluten is evil. Trust me, I've spent a lot of time moderating comments on a big mainstream news site and the vitriol directed at the gluten-intolerant is intense.

If you believe that people who need to avoid gluten for the sake of their health are attention-seeking worrywarts, look away now. Because the June We Should Cocoa challenge is all about gluten-free chocolate treats, and I've got a cracker of a recipe to share. You don't have to be anti-gluten to like it, but if you are, I hope it becomes a regular part of your repertoire.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Cakes With No Refined Sugar

Little chocolate cakes (gluten-free)
This is my adaptation of this recipe, which in turn is a redux of a recipe by Dr Libby. I found the original just a little bit dull and worthy, so have given it a bit of a makeover. This is the kind of chocolate cake you can put in your kids' lunchboxes and feel all smug about. It's also a good way to use up that sunflower seed butter I showed you how to make earlier this week. I think those holistic health types call that synergy.
If you want to make it even less worthy, put an extra square of good chocolate in the bottom of each muffin case before you add the mixture. Then you can call it pudding.

3 ripe bananas, mashed
2 eggs
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup nut butter
2 Tbsp oil - coconut, olive, whatever you have
1/4 cup honey
3 1/2 Tbsp best quality cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp vinegar
50g best quality chocolate - I've used white in the photos, but any sort will do - roughly chopped

Heat the oven to 180C and put paper cases in a 12-hole muffin pan.
Put all the ingredients except the baking soda and vinegar into a food processor and whiz until smooth. Add the baking soda and vinegar and whiz again. 
Pour into a jug, then pour this into the muffin cases until they are two-thirds full. Sprinkle each one with the chocolate and bake for 15-18 minutes, until risen and cooked through. Remove to a rack to cool slightly before eating. They will deflate slightly.
These can be kept in an airtight container in a cool, dark place for about five days. The flavour intensifies the day after they are made. Makes 12.

Have a great weekend everyone x

Gluten Free Chocolate Muffins

8 comments:

  1. Well I am heartened by the idea of this with sunbutter - have thought of throwing mine out because I don't like it but this looks good enough to give it one last hurrah

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  2. Looks good! I'll pass this on to a friend with a daughter with coeliacs. I think we'd have to make a few subs for our allergy munchkins.

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  3. I don't have problems with gluten, but I don't get the hate directed towards those who choose to live gluten-free either. To each their own, I've always thought. These chocolate cakes, by the way, look scrumptious. Thanks for the recipe.

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  4. What a gorgeous treat! simply lovely :))
    Mary

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  5. just shared on the Orgran Natural Foods USA facebook page

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  6. bananas, coconut oil, chocolate... what's not to love... and they just look so crumbly and moreish... fab recipe x

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  7. hard to believe there's no flour in there.
    they look incredibly squidgy!

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  8. These look delicious and great for packed lunches and afternoon tea. Thanks so much for entering We Should Cocoa this month :)

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Hello - thanks for stopping by. If this was real life I'd make you a cup of tea and open the biscuit tin, but in lieu of those things, let's have a chat anyway...