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Sometimes, you just NEED CAKE. I firmly believe that if you deprive yourself of an entire category of food, it will just make you want it more. Moderation is great, but complete removal is not realistic. You may think it’s not easy to have cake if you are eating gluten-free. That’s not true! There are lots of delicious options out there. I am still thoroughly enjoying my food re-education and plan on making it a life-long journey. Enough of that for now, back to cake!

I have been eating gluten-free for the last year and it’s proving to be a great option for me. It was doctor-advised, semi-self-educated, and America’s Test Kitchen-supported. I was doing ok on my own, but really hit the ground running when Julia and the team at America’s Test Kitchen introduced me to their “How Can It Be Gluten Free” cookbook. Every recipe I was looking for is in there. It is my go-to GF cookbook. I will always be grateful for all of their hard work on this fantastic cookbook. They are the inspiration for this deliciously-simple recipe.

It’s Springtime and I am loving all of the fresh berries. We are currently in a Strawberry/Raspberry phase in our house, so I had to incorporate them somehow. Also, Nutella. NUTELLA. Let’s get some of THAT into every recipe we possibly can, what do you say?!

Ingredients:

½ cup of softened butter

1 tablespoon almond extract

2 eggs (beaten)

1 cup sugar

½ cup of milk

1 ½ cups gluten free flour (Bob’s Red Mill GF All-Purpose Baking Flour)

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

1/2 tsp salt

Jar of Nutella

Small bushel of raspberries or strawberries

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Mix the butter, extract, beaten eggs, sugar, and milk together in a bowl. Mix the flour, baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt together in a separate bowl. Add in the flour mixture to the first bowl, a little at a time, until fully mixed together. Pour the mixture into a square (I use my 8”x8” Temp-tations Baker) or round cake pan. Make sure to give them a little spray of Pam for super-easy removal after baking. Once in the oven, please keep an eye on it. The baking times will vary depending on altitude and what type of oven you have (electric or gas). Mine took about 40-45 minutes. Once it is golden brown on top, remove from the oven, let the cake stand for about 10 minutes, and turn it onto a wire rack to cool it thoroughly. Once it is cooled all the way through, cut into serving squares, put on a couple of dollops of Nutella, a handful of cold raspberries or strawberries, and SERVE! Enjoy it, then maybe have a nap.

Side note: I did buy all of the ingredients at my local Wegmans. Check with your grocery store to see where their GF section is. If they don’t have one, request one! I have been reading more and more about grocery stores around the country wanting to accommodate GF requests, so please let them know if you would like one. I hope you enjoy and, as always, please make it your own! I love to read about how you have made these recipes even better! I appreciate you reading, and more to come soon. ~ Mary QVC