How to Make a Gluten-Free Chocolate Fleck Cake

You don't have to give up sweets just because you are eating gluten-free. You do have to be careful, though. This tasty cake relies on the gluten-free flour mixture as a base.

Credit: ©iStockphoto.com/bowlerfan

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 35 minutes

Yield: 18 servings

Nonstick cooking spray

1-3/4 cups gluten-free flour mixture

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla

4 eggs

1 cup sour cream

3 ounces (3 squares) bittersweet chocolate, grated

3/4 cup cold water

1/2 cup milk

Fudge Icing (see the following recipe)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-x-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Sift the flour mixture, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a small bowl. Set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, use the mixer to cream the butter until it’s fluffy.

4. Add the sugar and vanilla and continue whipping the ingredients until the sugar has been absorbed.

5. Whip in the eggs, one at a time, and then whip in the sour cream and chocolate.

6. Add the flour mixture alternately with the water and milk until the batter is well blended and then spoon the batter into the prepared baking dish.

7. Bake the batter for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, and then cool the cake on a wire rack before frosting.

Per serving, unfrosted: Calories: 259; Total fat: 12g; Saturated fat: 7g; Cholesterol: 72mg; Sodium: 349mg; Carbohydrates: 37g; Fiber: 1g; Sugar: 23g; Protein: 3g.

Fudge Icing

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup cocoa

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar

1. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Remove it from the heat.

2. Using a spoon, stir in the cocoa and vanilla until the ingredients are blended.

3. Stir in the confectioners’ sugar until it’s blended and the frosting is smooth and spreadable.

Per serving, frosting only: Calories: 92; Total fat: 2g; Saturated fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 2mg; Sodium: 18mg; Carbohydrates: 20g; Fiber: 0g; Sugar: 19g; Protein: 0g.

Gluten-Free Flour Mixture

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Yield: 5 cups

2-1/2 cups rice flour

1 cup potato starch flour

1 cup tapioca flour

1/4 cup garbanzo bean flour

1/4 cup cornstarch

2-1/2 tablespoons xanthan gum

1. Sift all the ingredients into a large bowl, and then stir them together with a whisk.

2. Spoon the mixture into a self-seal freezer bag and freeze until needed.

Per 1/4 cup: Calories: 138; Total fat: 0g; Saturated fat: 0g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 1mg; Carbohydrates: 32g; Fiber: 2g; Sugar: 0g; Protein: 1g.