I’ve long had a fascination with why we crave certain foods. We know certain dishes hold fond memories …for me, Chili reminds me of my childhood since we ate it often and it was the first dish I prepared for my husband (mainly because it was the only dish I knew how to make). Turns out, the seasons may play a role, too.
Carrot Cupcakes
Seasons can influence our choice of dessert flavors, according to a website called Restaurant Hospitality. Their research shows top picks for sweet treats change with the temperature. For example, Carrot cake is the most popular spring flavor, pink lemonade leads for summer, caramel apple is the fall favorite and winter brings a craving for snickerdoodle (although Red Velvet and Chocolate are not far behind).
Reading this research made me crave Carrot Cake, even though the research says it is a spring choice and we are now in late summer. Usually, I think of it as a heavier choice for fall weather, but who am I to argue with the research and besides.. I wanted some now!
So, I turned to my 1,000 Gluten-Free Recipes cookbook (it has everything!) only to find the typical large, Bundt-cake recipe. But for our two-person household I didn’t want a huge cake sitting around for days. So, I pared down the full-size Bundt cake to yield 6-cupcakes or a small, 7-inch round cake.
This means my husband and I can enjoy two cupcakes and I can freeze the rest for another day. Or, as I did this time, I delivered the remaining 4 cupcakes to my next-door neighbor as a surprise treat (since their daughter recently adopted a gluten-free diet). They were happy, I was happy, and all ended well.
CARROT CAKE
Adapted from 1,000 Gluten-Free Recipes by Carol Fenster (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014)
Most carrot cakes—one of America’s favorite flavors according to recent research—are huge. Yes, there are lots of ingredients in this recipe but that’s what makes this cake so yummy, so don’t let a few extra minutes of measuring stop you from enjoying this treat. This recipe makes 6 cupcakes or a 7-inch cake, a smaller recipe than the typical large Bundt cake but perfect for small households.
CAKE
3/4 cup Gluten-free Flour Blend (see below)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon (or pumpkin pie spice)
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, at room temperature
3 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup finely shredded carrots
1/4 cup crushed pineapple, drained very well (save the juice)
1/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut
2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts, divided
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
2 tablespoons cream cheese or cream cheese alternative, at room temperature
1 teaspoon milk of choice (or more if needed for a spreadable consistency)
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar
[1] Place a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Generously grease a 6-cup standard nonstick (gray, not black) muffin pan or line with paper liners. Or, grease a 7-inch nonstick springform pan (with removeable sides) and line with parchment paper.
[2] In a small mixing bowl, whisk the flour blend, sugars, cinnamon, xanthan gum, baking soda, and salt until well blended; set aside.
[3] In a medium mixing bowl, place the egg and oil. Add enough water to the reserved pineapple juice to equal 2 tablespoons and add to the bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Gradually beat in the flour mixture on low speed just until no flour is visible. Add the carrots, pineapple, coconut, and 1 tablespoon of the chopped walnuts and beat on low speed until completely blended. Divide the batter evenly in the muffin cups or spread evenly in the springform pan.
[4] Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes or the cake in the pan for 10 minutes on a wire rack and then remove from the pan and cool completely on the wire rack. Be sure to remove the parchment from the bottom of the cake.
[5] Make the frosting: In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, milk, and vanilla with a spatula until very smooth. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar until the frosting is smooth, adding more milk—a teaspoon at a time—until it becomes spreadable. Spread the frosting on each cupcake (or the cake), sprinkle with the remaining chopped walnuts, and serve immediately. Refrigerate leftovers. Makes 6 cupcakes or one 7-inch cake
Per cupcake or 1 of 6 cake slices: 325 calories; 3g protein; 12g total fat; 2g fiber; 53g carbohydrates; 37mg cholesterol; 184mg sodium
Gluten-Free Flour Blend
1 ½ cups sorghum flour or brown rice flour
1 ½ cups potato starch
1 cup tapioca flour
Whisk together and store, tightly covered, in a dark, dry place.
