Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Squares

My first attempt at a gluten-free dessert: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Squares

      I found the Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Squares dessert in Gluten-Free On A Shoestring. The author Nicole Hunn has a blog with other amazing recipes too and I'm thankful to have found this recipe. 
      I only needed to buy gluten-free flour and xanthan gum, both found at Cub Foods. While this recipe does have dairy and sugar, I made a choice to start somewhere on this quest for tasty desserts.

So here's the recipe for a delicious, moist dessert: 

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Squares.

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature 
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 extra-large egg, beaten
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup canned solid pumpkin (I ended up using the whole can and it was so moist and delicious - a happy accident)
• 2 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour (I used Bob's Red Mill Flour)
• 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 (12-ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate chips

      1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, allowing the lining to overhang the edges. 

      2. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (for several minutes). Add the egg, then vanilla and pumpkin, and beat to combine. Add the dry ingredients one at a time, beating after each addition: flour, xanthan gum, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt. Reserve a couple tablespoons of the flour in a small bowl. Beat the batter well until it becomes thicker and a bit more elastic. Add the chocolate chips to the small bowl of reserved flour and toss to coat. Then add the flour-coated chips to the batter and stir until the chips are evenly distributed throughout. 

      3. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan, smoothing the top. Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 35 - 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the pan comes out clean. 

      4. After cooling completely in the pan, lift out the squares by the overhung parchment paper. Peel back the parchment paper and slice into squares with a serrated knife.

Now, because I added more pumpkin than the recipe called for, it was more like cake and was so moist. I accepted that it didn't come out as a bar, but I and my coworkers loved it. Here's to my first attempt at gluten-free baking!

Chocolate Cake

When I started making Cake Pops, I was inspired to find a Chocolate Cake Recipe that would make the most deliciously moist Cake Pops. I started with a recipe and have adjusted it to make it an O.M.I. hit. Because I typically make it into Cake Pops, I let it cool and crumble the cake, making about 70 Cake Pops. This cake can easily be frosted and served as the beautiful cake it is.

Oh, My! Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups water @ room temperature
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons baking soda

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Coat 9” x 13” cake pan or 2 9” round cake pans with cooking spray.
3. In a large mixing bowl, sift and whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, and salt, set aside.
4. In a medium mixing bowl whisk together water, oil, and vanilla.
5. Pour wet ingredients over dry into large bowl and mix with electric mixer.
• 2 minutes – low setting, until just combined.
6. Use same medium mixing bowl from above and whisk together apple cider vinegar and baking soda. Let the two ingredients fiz up.Once it’s done fizzing, pour onto the cake batter and continue mixing using electric mixer.
• 1 minute – low setting
• 2 minutes – medium setting
7. Pour into coated cake pan(s).
8. Bake 30-40 minutes. I check on it every 5 minutes it goes past 30 minutes.
9. Cool, frost and serve.
10. Or do it up O.M.I. Style: cool, crumble and make into Cake Pops.

Those vegan friends out there can partake and enjoy, this recipe is egg and dairy free.  
 

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