Summer Bake Sale

My Dear Friend

On a journey of healing

One day, family and friends came together

And here, a Bake Sale with care and compassion

Provided something sweet.

Rose Ruffle Cake Pops

Patriotic Rice Chex Crispy Bar - Gluten-Free

Chocolate Cookie Cupcake

Peanut Butter Marshmallow Bar

Paleo Fruit Pizza Shooters with Fresh Berries

Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies Sandwiches

Paleo Fruit Pizza Shooters with Fresh Berries

A Birthday Cake & Cake Pop Candles

When a friend asked me to make this delicious treat, I wondered why I hadn't ever thought of it. A moist and delicious layered chocolate cake with rich and creamy chocolate frosting sounded great, but wait, there's more. They wanted vanilla bean cake pops too! Yet, rather than the lollipop sticks, they wanted candles - I was up for the challenge and loved making this for a special birthday girl!

Giant 15" Chocolate Chip Cookie & Cake Pops - Curious George

This birthday girl wanted a huge cookie, so here it is: 

15" Chocolate Chip Cookie

15" Chocolate Chip Cookie

Curious George Cake Pops
Bananas, Yellow Hat

Curious George Cake Pops
Bananas, Yellow Hat

Cake Pops - Bridal Shower

Treats  made to celebrate a lovely bride-to-be.

Engagement Rings and I Do, Teal Sprinkles Cake Pops

Engagement Rings and I Do, Teal Sprinkles Cake Pops

Engagement Rings and I Do, Teal Sprinkles Cake Pops

Bridal shower words: Love, Mrs, Marriage, I Do Cake Pops

Bridal Shower Cake Pops & Melt-In-Your Mouth Gluten & Dairy Free Cookies
In wedding colors.

Melt-In-Your Mouth Gluten & Dairy Free Cookies
In wedding colors.

Melt-In-Your Mouth Gluten & Dairy Free Cookies
In wedding colors.

Sweetheart Treats

When my sweetheart asked for treats to celebrate his birthday, I whipped up these tasty treats.

Maple Yellow Cake & Frosting with Butterscotch or Cinnamon Cream Cheese candy shells with sprinkles.

Cake Pops

I had a bag of marshmallows so I decided to dip each in either Butterscotch, Cinnamon Cream Cheese or White Chocolate Raspberry Fudge candy shells with sprinkles.

Marshmallows dipped in candy coating with sprinkles

 My hubby's coworkers enjoyed each treat.

Love you!

I also used my heart shaped pan to make my Oh, My! Pineapple Upside Down Cakes that are gluten, dairy, refined sugar free and still quite tasty.

Pineapple Upside Down Cakes

Baking for A Friends' Wedding

I love to bake! I love weddings! And I love seeing two amazing people come together to celebrate their love!

When our friends let us know they were getting married, I offered to bake their desserts as our gift. This couple had experienced several of my desserts and love my gluten-free Pineapple Upside Down Cakes with a tasty Vanilla Glaze. The beauty of these treats, they are also dairy-free, refined sugar-free and corn-free!

As you can see, they took me up on the offer and I got to bake 130 mini Pineapple Upside-Down Cakes. This is the same cake I made for the State Fair last month.

Photo op with the fantastic place settings that reads. "Special thanks to... Brilliant Baker Jan Cotterman for tonight's delicious desserts." Proud and elated!

The happy couple enjoying each bite!

State Fair 2013

This year I decided to enter my baked goods into the Minnesota State Fair Competition. I'm not entirely sure I was ready, yet, I knew if I didn't try, I would be missing out on something wonderful, so on the last day when registrations were due, I entered 2 items into the gluten-free categories.

In Septermber of 2013 I began baking gluten-free (and other free) desserts and my love for this way of cooking, allowed me to bake for more people and say "yes, that still is a tasty dessert!"

I've been working on my Oh, My Friendship Bread recipe for the last few months and trusted it was ready to be "judged". And my Pineapple Upside Down Cake has been such a fan favorite, I get to bake 130 of these mini cakes for a friends' wedding in September.

 

Until I entered, I didn't know that the items are actually dropped off and judged a week and a half earlier than when the State Fair opens. So that morning, I woke up early, full of nervous excitement and baked my two entries.

 

Being at the State Fair before it opens is exciting. There is an energy about it, knowing soon it will be flooded with thousands of people, great music and so many things on a stick! Standing in line I met amazing people who just like me were entering their items in for the first and did this because they just love to bake!

Some went on to say they had tried out 19 different adjustements to their recipe for the perfect cookie. Others said they baked more than one of the same item, just incase the other one wasn't quite right.

Me? I baked 1 of each and went from there. I learned that no matter how much prep or practice or critques, as long as you are doing it with love, nothing else matters!

 

The winners are announced on the first day of the fair and as I looked for my name, I didn't see it. I'll admit I was a little sad. You don't enter a contest hoping to lose. After a few tears and words of support, the pride that I did this started to shine. I stepped outside of my comfort zone and did something I would have not done before out of fear.

 

 

After the fair was over, I received my critque slips in the mail. I scored 84 points out of 100 and recognized that for only having baked gluten-free for a year, that it was pretty amazing!

 

I'm glad I did it! I'm proud that in taking the step forward to open my food to critque that regardless of what was said or what others thought, I enjoy baking, love what I make and love to share it!

Oh, My! Peach Cobbler

Oh, My! Peach Cobbler

Nothing says summer like peaches and this cobbler is a tribute to this tasty fruit.

Directions
      Ingredients
           *4 peaches, sliced. (I peel the slices and prefer this, but feel free to leave them on) 
           *1/4 Cup vegan butter (I use Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks) 

      1. Preheat oven to 350°. Add butter to a 9 x 9 baking dish and place in preheating oven to melt.
      2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the following ingredients.
     Dry Ingredients
           *1 Cup + 2 Tablespoons Gluten-Free Flour (I use Bob's Red Mill)
           *1/3 Cup Coconut Sugar (I use Madhava Coconut Sugar) 
           *1/2 Teaspoon xanthan gum (I use Ener-g Xanthan Gum)
           *1 Teaspoon baking powder
           *1/4 Teaspoon baking soda
           *1/2 Teaspoon sea salt 

      3. In a small bowl, combine the following ingredients and let sit for 2 minutes.
      Ingredients
           *3 Tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
           *1/2 Teaspoon baking powder

      4. In a medium bowl, combine the following ingredients.
      Wet Ingredients
           *1/4 Cup unrefined coconut oil, melted and slightly cooled
           *1 1/2 Teaspoons vanilla extract
           *1/2 Cup unsweetened applesauce
           *3/4 Cup warm water

      5. Slowly add the two smaller bowls of wet ingredients and combine into the larger bowl of Dry Ingredients with a hand mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds or until completely combined.   
      6. Pour half of the batter into the baking dish with the butter. Arrange peaches evenly over the batter. Top with the remaining batter.   
      7. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until top is browned, peaches are bubbling and when a toothpick is inserted into the dough and comes out clean.   
      8. ENJOY!

Oh, My! 3 Ingredient Date Poppers

Oh, My! 3 Ingredient Date Poppers

I love how delightfully simple and sweet this recipe is.
      Ingredients
           *1/3 Cup Pitted Dates
           *1/3 Cup Almonds (or try other kinds of nuts)
           *1/3 Cup Gluten-Free Rolled Oats (I use Bob's Red Mill)

      Directions
      1. In a food processor or blender, add the dates until smooth. Some date chunks are ok.
      2. Add almonds (or other nuts) to dates and blend until smooth.

      3. Add oats to mixture and blend until smooth.

      4. Roll mixture into tablespoon size poppers and enjoy. Can be set on counter or refrigerated. Makes 9.

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!