GF Pound Cake with Balsamic Strawberries

Amazing! Divine!  Perfect!  Okay, enough about me :)  Now, that you have laughed really hard, if you have ever read any of my posts you know that I traditionally don't bake.  I am scared of it.  In the past I have tried and tried again, but even before I found out I had Celiac, baking was not something I was particularly good out, unless it was something I had been doing since I was a kid.

So, when I get the wild hair and decide it is time yet again, to waste expensive ingredients and try, I pray the end result is actually edible.  In this case.... WOW!  BOOM!! POW!!!  I DID IT!!!

Total Disclaimer:  This is not my recipe.  I found the cake recipe on Pinterest.  I will include the information from the webpage and the link also.  The only think I did to make it my own was to serve with Balsamic Strawberries.

Link:  http://glutenfreeeasily.com/perfect-pound-cake/

Author: Shirley Braden of Gluten Free Easily

 

Ingredients

• 2 ¼ cups gluten-free flour **
• 1 ½ tsp xanthan gum**
• 1 ¼ tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ¾ cup light olive oil
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 2 tbsp orange juice
• 2 tsp vanilla extract 
• 3 large eggs
• ⅔ cup full-fat coconut milk 

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. (Update: Reader Wendy lives at a higher altitude—6600 ft—and she adjusted oven temperature to 375 degrees, per her comment below.) Grease two loaf pans or grease and flour (use gluten-free flour) a Bundt pan.
2. Combine flour, xanthan gum, sea salt, and baking powder in an extra large measuring cup or separate bowl. Set aside.
3. Pour olive oil into large bowl, and slowly mix in sugar, orange juice, and vanilla extract.
4. Add eggs one at a time, stirring after each addition.
5. Add milk. Mix 2 minutes. Gradually add dry ingredients into wet ingredients, mixing well.
6. Pour batter into loaf pans or Bundt pan.
7. Bake for 50 – 55 minutes.
8. If using a Bundt pan let set for 10 minutes before flipping to cool.  

** I used Authentic Foods Baking Mix with Xantham Gum included.  This means I left out the additional Xantham Gum. **

Balsamic Strawberries

1 lb Container Strawberries - washed, hulled and sliced

1/4 c 18 year Balsamic Vinegar

1 tbsp Coconut Sugar

Add all ingredients to a bowl, stir to combine and cover and refrigerate until just before serving.  

Non-Cooking: Buffet Transformation

After recently having to have some major home repairs done, including a wall taken down and put back up in my dining room, I have learned to have faith in myself in things other than cooking! I wanted to find a piece of furniture to make this dining room my own.  I was so excited that during another remodel project I discovered the local Habitat for Humanity Store in Albany, NY.  I was fortunate to find a solid wood buffet/dresser which was very inexpensive but yet in great condition despite the horrible color (green).  After begging a friend with a truck to help me go pick it up, I then realized how LARGE and HEAVY it was, but with a bit of determination and a couple of stops along the highway to adjust the drawers to keep from losing them we made it!

Before

After letting it sit in the garage for a couple weeks and searching out paint and what I actually wanted to do with it I discovered Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.  The closest location for me was Bennington, VT.  This trip included a local antique store (to purchase the paint), the covered bridges and local lore of the town and many pictures!

Upon my return, I pulled out the picture I was using as inspiration and I asked a friend if I could borrow a sander.  Yes, Heather used a power tool... I already had a cold, so why not add to it with a bit of dust!  I anticipated a quick sanding of the top to get the green color off and then I could stain the top a bit darker.  What happened was I discovered, 2 layers of paint on top of this amazing wood.  So I sanded to the actual wood.  Three hours later, sand in my hair I trucked to the hardware store.  I am fairly certain I scared the employee in the paint section, when I asked for stain and what type of paint brush I needed.  Then I told him I was going to put wax on the top so I did not need anything to seal the stain.

After 2 coats of stain, the wood absorbed everything I put on, so I decided to add one more to even it out.  The third coat made it!  While the overnight drying began I started removing hardware and painting the drawers and base of the buffet.  After a couple days of painting and drying the base and drawers were painted.  Finally I could move everything in doors to wax and have my garage back for my car.  :)

I followed the directions (which most of you know, I rarely do), applying a coat of clear wax, buffing and then applying a coat of dark wax.  This is a tedious process but made the outcome spectacular!

I hope that you enjoyed something other than a cooking and/or Celiac post!  This was so much fun and I wanted to share it!  :)

After

Fresh Fruit Water

If you are anything like me, you could probably drink more water.  It would be better for you and you would probably feel much better!  I have realized, especially during the winter, when the temperature is sub zero, my skin and my body feels even drier.  But I don't want to drink water.  I want to drink anything but water.  After willing spring to get here, and buying some fruit that wasn't necessarily as sweet as I would have wanted (and seeing all types of pictures on Pinterest) I created all types of flavored waters on my own!  I drank all of them and more this week!  It was a total hit and became quite the joke at my office with all the trips I made to the fridge to refill my cup :)

I recycled glass pasta sauce jars that are 24 oz each.  I made 5 jars and 1 plastic pitcher that I used in the morning and the evenings when I was home. 

2 strawberries - thinly slices
4 fresh mint leaves
1 orange - rinsed and sliced with skin on
1 lemon - rinsed and sliced with skin on
2 limes - rinsed and sliced with skin on
2 pieces of pineapple
Filtered Water

Jar #1 - Strawberries and Mint
Jar #2 - 2 slices Orange
Jar #3 - 1 Lime
Jar #4 - Pineapple
Jar #5 - 2 slices Orange and Lemon
Pitcher - Rest of Citrus


I used my Brita to fill each jar and the pitcher with filtered water.  Since the jars are 24 oz, you are already getting a head start of water.  I refilled each of the jars 2X a day and they lasted in the refrigerator 3-4 days.  I don't know if they would last longer but I drank them that quickly. 

** I use Organic Produce when I am going to use the skin or when I purchase it the grocery store.  I try to support the local farmers markets but in the winter that brings me mostly potatoes :) **

Share & Enjoy!!