Birthday celebrations and homemade (gluten free) cake

30 years ago today I became a mum.  I won't say it feels like yesterday, but it certainly doesn't feel like 30 years.  I clearly remember when they put this little baby into my arms for the first time, my overwhelming feelings of love, and I knew there and then that I would give my life for this little guy. He has grown to be a wonderful son that anyone would be proud of.  A gentle, caring, thoughtful young man.  I won't embarrass him anymore and I'm getting a bit tearful....

We will all be getting together to celebrate with presents, food, drink and a homemade birthday cake.  I have never been one for baking, I haven't got a sweet tooth.  However last year after a few warnings, my body said that's enough, NO MORE GLUTEN!!  Of course, if you can't have something, you suddenly decide you really want it.  So I have been experimenting with making gluten free cakes, some more successful than others.  There are recipes that have a dozen ingredients, none of which I have and would only find in a health food shop at great cost, I tend to avoid these.  I was given a recipe by a colleague, typed out on a piece of paper, minimum ingredients and instructions I don't know where she got it from so I can't give them credit. I have used it to make a sunken raisin cake (they all huddled at the bottom) but it tasted ok. I added some cocoa powder this time and will see how it turns out.  If I cover it with enough chocolate butter icing, maltesers, chocolate buttons, flakes, and mars bars  I'm sure it will taste fine :) and it looks good, well chocolatey.


As you can see my cake decorating skills are pretty amazing!

Here is the basic recipe if you want to give it a try, adapt it to your taste.  I added raisins, mixed spice, cinnamon and grated nutmeg for my sunken raisin cake.  This time I added 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder for a 'chocolate' cake.


7 oz gluten free self raising flour
5 oz sugar (I use brown caster)
2 tbsp golden syrup
2 eggs
1/4 pt milk
1/4 pt sunflower oil
1 tsp gluten free baking powder

Whisk all the ingredients together thoroughly with an electric mixer on high speed for 1 minute and place in a lined baking tin or muffin cases

Bake at 180 degrees c for 45 - 60 minutes if in a loaf tin or as I have used a round tin, 25 - 30 mins if in muffin cases (makes 12)

You can add cocoa powder or lemon juice or brown sugar instead of white and mixed fruit, go mad and experiment.