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.
