Cupful of Sprinkles

A Sprinkling of Thoughts

Gluten Free Mini Victoria Sponge Cake

Mini Victoria Sponge CakesIf you know anything about me, then you know that I haven’t found this whole gluten free living easy so far. I’ve had a fair amount of rants in my gluten free diary, and have found it hard to enjoy some of my once favourite treats. Have you ever tried a gluten free cake? All I can say is, not nice. They’re often dry, chalky, tasteless, and all in all just the wrong kind of weird. This is one thing that I hate, and am determined to change. Just because it’s free from gluten, doesn’t mean that it should be free from any taste.

For Mother’s Day, one thing that I really wanted to make my mum was a mini afternoon tea. A little celebration at home is our normal tradition. The cakes come out, scones, and we go through our fair share of fresh cream and jam. A little indulgence every once in a while doesn’t hurt, and this is a very special occasion. One thing that we always have is cake. And one of my favourite things to bake for Mother’s Day is a light, delicious Victoria sponge, piled with fresh cream, and a little strawberry jam. All finished off with a light dusting of icing sugar. Add a few finger sandwiches and a cup of tea on the side, and we’re all in heaven.

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Cinnamon Spiced Pear Cake

Cinnamon Spiced Pear CakeWhat’s better than a delicious slice of cake mid-afternoon? I’m all about the little winter treats, that help to make the cold outside seem a little bit better. Trudging around with my big boots, hat and scarf on, I find myself dreaming of sitting cosy by the Christmas Tree. With the fairy lights on and the room aglow. Big fluffy socks on my feet and a warm coffee in my hand, with a big slice of cake to have on the side. And this cinnamon spiced pear cake is exactly what I find myself craving.

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Festive Breakfast Cookie Bite

Festive Breakfast Cookie Bites

I’m a big fan of grab and go breakfasts. Something that you can quickly pick up before you leave the house and eat on the go. My mornings are normally so hectic, and no matter how early I wake up, I’m running around trying to do everything at the last minute. This means that – annoyingly – my breakfasts are never as good as I’d like them to be. And that’s where quick and convenient food like this comes in.

I love the simplicity of these snacks, there are only 6 ingredients and the whole recipe is so easy to follow. The end result is a bit like a  soft, fruit-packed ‘healthy’ cookie. It’s filled with dried dates, cranberries and apricots – mainly because these are the flavours that remind me of the holidays. But the apricots also help to add a little less sweetness to the mixture, which I prefer in a breakfast.

Soaking the fruit in orange juice not only helps to add a citrus kick, but it also softens up the dried fruit a little so that the mixture is easier to blend. Oats are used to bind everything together; they are also a great source of fibre and energy, so they really help to power you through the day. I’ve used buckwheat – which despite the name is gluten free – because I love the slightly crunchy texture and nutty flavour it gives to the cookies. Being allergic to nuts means I’ve had to be a bit creative in order to get nutty crunches in my dishes!

These biscuits can be eaten as a quick snack or have a couple as a quick grab and go brekkie.

Rosie x

 

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 Festive Breakfast Cookie Bites
Full of festive flavours, these healthy and delicious breakfast bites give your mornings a boost, and keep you going all day long. It may seem quite time consuming, but an hour of that time is soaking the fruit, so the actual hands on time is quite short.
Course Breakfast
Prep Time 80 Minutes
Cook Time 15-20 Minutes
Passive Time 1 Hour
Servings
Breakfast Bites
Ingredients
Course Breakfast
Prep Time 80 Minutes
Cook Time 15-20 Minutes
Passive Time 1 Hour
Servings
Breakfast Bites
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Place all the dried fruit and orange juice in a bowl. Cover and allow the mixture to soak for 1 hour.
  2. Preheat the oven to Fan 160* / 180*C / 350*F / Gas Mark 4. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.
  3. Add the jumbo oats to the blender and pulse until coarse
  4. Add the orange-soaked fruit, including any remaining juice, and buckwheat to the blender blend until combined
  5. Take a small amount of the mixture and flatten into a disc shape, use a spoon if this is easier. Place the cookie on the pre-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining mixture, leaving a gap between each cookie to allow for slight spreading.
  6. Place in the centre of the oven for 15 minutes, or until the outside turns golden brown.
  7. Leave on the baking tray for 10-15 minutes to cool before transferring to an airtight container.
Recipe Notes

Store in an airtight container, in a cool environment.

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Gluten Free Banana Bread

Free from gluten, egg, dairy and all the other major allergens; this banana bread is definitely one of my favourite snacks. This was one of the first recipes I concocted after I received my diagnosis. And my main focus was on making it allergy friendly. I was fed up with the bland, stodgy GF alternatives that were out there, loaded with what feels like a million ingredients. Or the strange baking rules that we have to follow – like adding this powder for elasticity and that complicated flour blend for moisture.

I really wanted to prove to myself that free from food can still taste delicious and that a gluten free recipe can be super simple to just whip up at home. And I finally think I’ve done this. The banana bread is fluffy, light, moist, full of flavour and is unbelievably easy to make!

This is now one of my favourite and easiest recipes that I have; not to mention one of the quickest, this banana bread can be in the oven in under 15 minutes! I’ve even made this in the morning before work. Honestly, nothing’s better than the warming smell of mixed spice first thing in the morning!

The bananas are the key ingredients here. They – along with the coconut oil – act as a butter replacement. The combination of the two help to add moistness to the bake that you really can’t do without! I’ve found the riper (or browner) your bananas are the better. Overripe bananas are not only a lot easier to mash but they are also a lot sweeter and really do make a big difference to the flavour of the banana bread. But if you prefer things a little less sweet just cut down the amount of sugar or use your ‘nanas a little riper – it’s all about what works for you!

I’ve used coconut sugar in this bake. It’s one of my favourite sugars to use. And has a delicious caramel flavour which is perfect when paired with banana. But I know it can be tricky to find at times so a great alternative is light brown sugar. Although, if you do use light brown sugar it is worth mentioning that it is a little sweeter so you’ll need to use around a teaspoon less than the recipe asks for.

I don’t usually use baking powder in my recipes. But I’ve found that buckwheat flour is very dense and needs a bit of a helping hand to rise. Especially when paired with other heavy ingredients such as banana. Although, even with the added baking powder I have to admit, this is quite a flat bake. So please don’t get too disheartened if the loaf isn’t as big as you expected. I promise the flavours are all there and you know what they say… sometimes the best things come in small packages!

This is honestly one of my favourite recipes and I love having this is my cupboard for a quick snack. With a bit of butter spread on top or enjoyed a little more indulgently with thick yogurt and a blob of puree. It makes a great breakfast, pudding, or anytime of the day snack.

Store wrapped in foil or an air tight container for 2-3 days.

Rosie x

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Print Recipe
 Banana Bread Recipe
Light, moist and completely delicious. This one is a definite winner all round, and one of my tastiest healthiest bakes... Yes, really! Warm out of the oven, slathered with a light (or thick) layer of butter, or with some thick yogurt (coconut of course!) and a generous helping of fruit puree. It's perfect any time of the day, and makes a delicious power snack. Full of hidden chia seeds, it's packed full of superfoods and is completely allergy friendly. Wrap in foil and store for up to 2-3 days in a cool, dry place.
Course Baking
Prep Time 10 Minutes
Cook Time 1 Hour
Servings
Loaf
Ingredients
Course Baking
Prep Time 10 Minutes
Cook Time 1 Hour
Servings
Loaf
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Pre heat the oven to 160*C Fan / 180*C / 350*F / Gas Mark 4. Line a 1kg baking tin with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. Beat the Coconut Oil and Sugar together in a mixing bowl until creamy, and well mixed
  3. Gradually add the other ingredients to the mixture, stirring until fully combined.
  4. Transfer the mixture into your pre-lined tin.
  5. Bake in the centre of the oven for 45 mins - 1 hour. After this time, check the cake is cooked through by inserting a skewer into the centre of loaf. If this comes out clean, remove the cake from the oven. If not, put back in the oven, checking every 5 minutes.
  6. Once cooked, take out the oven. Leave the loaf in the baking tin for around 5 minutes, before removing onto a wire rack to cool.
  7. Once cool, wrap in foil and keep in an air tight container for 2 - 3 days.
    Gluten Free Banana Bread Recipe
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‘You Won’t Believe It’s Gluten Free’ Lemon Drizzle Cake

'You Won't Believe It's Gluten Free' Lemon Drizzle CakeIf you don’t know by now, I absolutely love baking. There’s something about throwing a bunch of simple ingredients together, and making something completely delicious that I just love. There really is nothing better than people taking a bite, and making that irresistible “mmmmm…’ sound. That’s always a sign of a good creation.

Another thing that I love is just how diverse cakes are. There are so many flavour combinations and possibilities. Some like to keep it simple, others go as wacky as they can. I’ve seen ice cream plonked on quadruple chocolate cake, candyfloss frosting, and all manner of strange and bizarre creations

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