Coconut Chocolate Yogurt Cake (Gluten Free)

There's a trend that's gaining traction this "Resolution" season that I both admire and cannot do. And that is Dry January. It's not that I'm not all for taking a month break from alcohol. It's just.... in January?? We are talking about the coldest, darkest, most dreary month of the entire year. And you want me to stop drinking? I really don't think so. January is too damn dark and cold to be sober for. (Instead, I'm all in for a Sober October!)

However, I have read some convincing news outlet pieces about the benefits of not drinking so I will try to cut back - a bit - this month. In one rather odd essay I read in a national parenting magazine, an author advocated for smoking weed in order to help cut back on drinking. (I kid you not.) In the vein of that very alarming logic, I'll advocate for my own advice to help you drink less..... Eat cake!!!!



To help you with your resolutions, here is a glorious healthy-ish cake that you can savor instead of your second glass of pinot. There's yogurt in it too... so obviously it's healthy. 

I concocted this recipe back in 2018 when I was newly gluten-free. I cannot remember which original recipe it was based upon, although I'm fairly certain it was a french-american blogger who used wheat flour and melted butter. You can easily make this dairy-free by using a coconut yogurt or a nut-milk yogurt, just make sure you use one without sugar. This cake is best eaten the day it is made. It is great with afternoon tea! (Is anyone doing a caffeine-free January? Now that is one thing I definitely could NOT do.)






Coconut Chocolate Yogurt Cake (Gluten Free)

Make sure all your ingredients, including the yogurt and the eggs, are at room temperature before you begin. To measure out the coconut oil, place glass jar of oil in the microwave until it is melted, and then measure out 1/3 cup of the melted oil. Of course, if you live in very warm place, your jar of coconut oil will already be melted from the get-go.... lucky you.

1 cup (98 g) almond meal flour
1 cup (152 g) buckwheat flour
1/3 cup (38 g) dutch-process cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup (226 g) whole-milk plain yogurt
3/4 cup (165 g) sugar
2 large eggs
1/3 cup melted coconut oil
1/2 cup (118 g) unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. Grease an 8-inch or 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment, or use a reusable silicone liner. Grease the parchment or liner.

Whisk dry ingredients (minus sugar) together in one large bowl. Whisk wet ingredients (and sugar) together in another medium bowl. Dump wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir together until completely blended.

Spread batter evenly into prepared pan. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs. Let cool in pan on a rack for ten minutes before carefully inverting onto a cake stand or plate. Frost with coconut whipped cream or simply sift confectioner's sugar on top. 

Sichuan to save the world - Vegetarian Ma Po Tofu

Our planet is headed towards disaster, and one of the ways scientists recommend we can greatly help limit our chances of mass extinction is to eat.... no meat! Going burger-less may be hard to fathom for many, me included. And I do think there are other ways of reducing greenhouse gases that are easier to - er - swallow, such as cooking dishes that use the WHOLE animal. (I have always loved offal, and I love that I now have a moral imperative backing that love.) However, the alarming climate report has encouraged me to cook vegetarian more frequently. My favorite veg dish so far has been a recipe that Mark Bittman calls "Fast-Braised Tofu with Tempeh" in his masterpiece cookbook "How to Cook Everything Vegetarian." Now, "Fast-Braised Tofu with Tempeh" doesn't really roll off the tongue, nor inspire any culinary yearnings. Ma Po Tofu though... well that is a name that should resonate with anyone who's ordered Chinese food. The soft melty tofu paired with the fiery, pork-filled sauce... YUM. But who knew replacing a fermented soybean product (tempeh) with the pork would yield similarly mouth-watering stuff? Well, it does. Spice up your meat-less weekdays with this recipe tonight. Get in some healthy stuff before the candy-binge of Halloween tomorrow. You're welcome. ;)

Vegetarian Ma Po Tofu

Adapted from Mark Bittman's fabulous "How to Cook Everything Vegetarian"

I give a wide range on the measurements for the chili below. Bittman calls for just a 1/4 tsp of chili flakes which is a tragically minimal amount of heat for any dish, let alone one that hails from the Chinese province of smoking-hot foods. Although to get to true Sichuan levels of spice I think you'd have to add at least 4 tbsp of sambal oolek (...which is actually of Indonesian origins - true Sichuan fans you'll have to forgive me here.)

I highly recommend the frozen ginger cubes from Trader Joe's - frozen in teaspoon size portions - it's amazing - go buy a tray or two and thank me later. 

Don't use firm tofu.

Serves 2 as a main dish

1/4 cup grapeseed or peanut oil
8 ounces tempeh, crumbled by hand into bits
2 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp minced peeled fresh ginger (or frozen)
1-2 tbsp sambal oelek or 1/4-1 tsp red chili pepper flakes
green parts only of 1 bunch of scallions, chopped (about 1 cup)
3/4 cup vegetable stock (I use "better than boullion" to make broth and stock - another tasty hack to save the planet)
1 lb soft or silken tofu, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/4 cup tamari (or soy sauce if being gluten-free isn't an issue for you or your guests)
minced fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)

Heat half the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, fry the tempeh - stirring occasionally - until every piece is brown and crisp, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, put the tempeh on a paper-towel lined plate and set aside.

Add the remaining oil to the pan. Add the garlic, ginger and your desired amount of sambal oelek or chili flakes and cook just until the garlic begins to sizzle, less than a minute. Add the scallions and stir, then add the stock, then add the tofu. Cook, stirring a few times, just until the tofu is heated through, then turn off the heat.

Stir in the tamari and the tempeh. Taste and add more sambal oelek or chili flakes if necessary. (Or serve more sambal oelek on the side.) Garnish with cilantro and serve with white rice.

Vegan and Gluten-free Blender Pumpkin Pie Muffins

I just got a wonderful email asking me for my advice about baking snacks for the preschool kids at my son's school. It is so gratifying to be called out for something you are so passionate about (thanks Emily!) I had planned to spend all morning paying bills and organizing but this opportunity to procrastinate by writing about baking was too good to pass up. And besides, I realized that, despite having been making these "muffins" regularly for the better part of the past year, I had yet to blog about it!

The advice I gave to Emily about baking for kids mostly revolved around sugar. Muffin recipes always have criminally high levels of sugar. The sugar industry does a terrifyingly good job at marketing to our children. Home-bakers are up against a tough foe when trying to compete with the sweetness of say, a PopTart, or Lucky Charms. (<<gag>>) So if you have a really picky eater, I can understand going with the given levels of sugar in a recipe but consider substituting (measure-for-measure) a sugar with a lower Glycemic Index. Coconut sugar (GI 35), maple syrup (GI 54), honey (GI 51) and agave (GI 15) are all better than regular sugar (GI 65) and much better than the dextrose sugar (GI 100) that is found in PopTarts. (A quick note that I would avoid using artificial sweeteners as there is evidence that they can increase your appetite, make you crave sweet foods more, and ultimately cause weight gain.)

Being a flour-less AND vegan muffin means these muffins are on the sweeter side. But if you can find anyone who has successfully baked a sweet treat made primarily of beans without using a significant amount of sugar, I'll eat my apron. And besides, with a picky eater who hardly ever eats protein, if I can get him to inhale half a can of beans then I'll take it. These muffins are so easy to whip up, and so easy to eat. Make a double batch if taking to a potluck or if you want to share with neighbors. They only make about 10 little muffins, and they'll be gone sooner than you can say "I bet you can't guess what they're made of!"

Lastly shout out and thank you to my longtime friend, Dr Kate, for sharing this recipe with me. Wish we could share these with a pot of tea.

My little helper, this past fall

By the time I went to take a picture they were all eaten except one! These bake well in pretty muffin/brownie molds like this.

The batter may not be pretty but they sure are tasty! As you can see, the food processor works better.

Blender Pumpkin Pie Muffins

very slightly adapted from Chocolate Covered Katie

The recipe calls for honey but we prefer the version made with maple syrup. Use whichever you have to hand. Also, I have used red beans instead of white beans and they still tasted great! Lastly, having made them both ways, I'd recommend using a food processor instead of a blender unless you have an excellent blender.

1 15-oz can of white beans, drained and rinsed well
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
1/4 cup almond butter
1/2 cup quick rolled oats
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking powder

If using a blender, blend the beans and pumpkin puree until thoroughly blended then blend in each ingredient long and well (the time will vary greatly depending on the quality of your blender.) If using a food processor, then dump everything into the food processor and process until very well blended, about three minutes, stopping halfway through to use a rubber spatula to scrap down the sides of the bowl. Spoon batter by 1/4 cupfuls into 12 greased muffin tins. Bake for 20 mins in a preheated 350 oven. The muffins will look underdone but they will firm up as they cool. Enjoy!

Triple Layer Banana Cake with Dark Chocolate Pudding Frosting

Triple layer cakes are usually joyous creations reserved for birthdays and anniversaries. They hardly ever appear on a random January weeknight... in a normal person's home that is. For me, baking has always been cathartic. So, yesterday, when the mercury never pushed above the 5 degree mark, and winter blues weighed heavy, I made a cake from my new favorite cake book - simply, aptly titled "Cake, I Love You." I do love cake. I also love the author of this cookbook, Jill O'Connor. I've made five cakes in her book and they are all fantastic. This one banana cake was no exception: delicate, moist, with a subtle banana flavor that was a perfect foil to the sticky-sweet chocolate pudding encasing each layer. A slice of this is guaranteed to ease almost any winter gloom.

I have felt my mom's absence keenly these weeks following the bustling of Christmas. As I take down ornaments, I think how many are hers, or from her. As I go skiing with the boys, I think of how she never got to ski with them. As I made this banana chocolate cake I thought of how banana bread was her favorite breakfast. She would have LOVED this cake. So to alleviate my winter sorrow, I slice into this cake baked with my boys with love, and think of my mom, and how much I wish she were still here.

Dark Chocolate Pudding Banana Cake
from "Cake, I Love You" by Jill O'Connor

I used Nestle chocolate chips but next time I would use the best quality chocolate I had for the pudding frosting. Also for the frosting, it's best to make it a day ahead so that it is at its most thick and spreadable. I only waited two hours and you can see in the picture that the filling is too thin between the layers. Another note on the pudding frosting: set aside a half hour when you are guaranteed to have no interruptions to make this. If you step away from the stove for even a second when making pudding you can easily ruin it. (I say this from experience!)

Another reason I love this book is that all measurements are given by both weight and volume. In case you didn't know, it is always better to use weighted measurements for baking as it is much more accurate, and it is so much easier because you can measure right into the mixing bowl set atop the scale!


For dark chocolate pudding frosting:
6 egg yolks
2 cups heavy cream
1 tsp instant espresso powder
20 g (1/4 cup) Dutch-process cocoa powder
300 g (1 1/2 cups) sugar
3 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 cups (360 ml) whole milk
230 g (8 oz) semisweet chocolate, finely chopped, or good quality chocolate chips

For cake batter:
390 g (3 1/4 cups) cake flour or King Arthur's Gluten Free flour blend
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
4 eggs, at room temperature
550 g (2 3/4 cup) sugar
1 cup (240 ml) canola oil
1 tbsp vanilla
1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk
460 g (2 cups) mashed over ripe bananas (trick: overripe bananas that have been frozen and then defrosted give the most banana punch!)

Make the chocolate pudding frosting first. In a large heat-proof bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, cream and espresso powder. Set aside.

In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk together the cocoa powder, sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. Place over medium heat and cook, STIRRING CONSTANTLY, just until the mixture comes to a boil. Remove from the heat and slowly whisk the hot cocoa mixture into the egg yolks and cream that you previously set aside. Then transfer it all back into the saucepan and continue cooking over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the pudding comes to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and continue stirring for 1 to 2 minutes only, just until the mixture is very thick. Do not simmer any longer than 2 minutes because the cornstarch will actually lose its thickening powers and the pudding will start to thin.

Remove the pan from the heat and pour the pudding through a large fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl that can fit in the refrigerator. Stir in the chopped chocolate and vanilla until the chocolate is completely melted and the pudding is smooth. Cover the surface of the pudding with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate until very firm and cold, at least 2 hours and preferably overnight.

To make the cake, first preheat the oven to 350 and butter three 8 or 9-inch cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside.

In a stand mixer or with a handheld mixer, beat the eggs and sugar on medium speed until thick and fluffy (3-4 minutes with a stand mixer, 5 minutes with a handheld.) Gradually beat in the oil on medium-high speed until thoroughly combined. Stir in the bananas and vanilla.

On low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients in three additions and the buttermilk in two additions, beginning and ending with dry and scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions. Beat just until combined for each addition. Then divide the batter equally among the three pans (using a scale ensures that you get cake layers that are equal thickness.) Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Do NOT overbake! Transfer pans to wire racks and let cool for 10 minutes. Then invert cakes onto the racks and let cool completely before assembling with the pudding frosting (use 1/4 of the pudding frosting for each of the two filling layers, and 1/2 to frost the sides and top.) Serve and enjoy!

Decent Texas Sheet Cake

I've always felt my Texas sheet cake was the ultimate potluck cake. It is incredibly easy to make both the cake and the frosting. The cake can be brought to the party and served in the same dish it was baked in (no need to worry if the cake will stick to the pan!) and the icing is a pourable, un-mess-up-able dream. I've made it for every bbq or potluck for the past two years and it has always been demolished, and I have always been asked for the recipe. 

Except last week. Last week, I brought it to a dear friend's Cinco de Mayo party. My (okay, rather homey) chocolate cake was far outshined by several more visually stunning concoctions (all store-bought, of course). In particular, someone brought store-bought cupcakes with red, green and white icing with cute mini mexican flags flying atop each one, all of them arranged on top of a huge sombrero. How was a sheet cake supposed to aesthetically compete with that? 

I complained to my husband and his friend that no one was trying my dessert, and they strategically placed themselves next to the dessert table urging people to try it. "Hey, try that cake! It's amazing!" (What a blow to my baking-ego! Hah. Thank you guys.) A too-cool twelve-year-old boy did try it, and declared with a nod that it was, "Decent. Decent." And then he brought over all his friends. I brought home an empty pan.

Sometimes all it takes is one bite for word to spread.

We are about to make a big move next month. New home. New friends. New schools for the boys. New climate. It helps to know that my baked goods - no matter how homely in appearance - will always, eventually and inevitably, bring joy wherever we go. (However, next time I go to a Cinco de Mayo potluck.... I'm making cupcakes and putting them on a damned sombrero. Killer presentation for the cost of a cheap hat? Count me in. But, don't worry, I'll be making the cupcakes from scratch.)


Texas Sheet Cake

I originally wanted to make this cake because of the recipe in "Vintage Cakes" by Julie Richardson. While I do use her frosting recipe (which is just perfect for this kind of cake), I much prefer the cake recipe from my tried and true and so beloved "Joy of Cooking" (the 2006 edition). Mostly because I find the half oil / half butter ratio yields the perfect tender to moist balance in this cake, but also because Richardson's version uses a lot of coffee and I try to not bring desserts made with coffee or alcohol to a kid-friendly event... the caffeine and alcohol don't cook off that much actually, and you know, I'd rather be at an event where the kids' only stimulant is each other and sugar (that is too much enough to deal with already). But if you are going to an adults-only event (excuse me over here while I turn a vivid shade of green from envy), then go to town and substitute the water for strong coffee! And add in three or four tablespoons of liquor to the frosting! Kahlua would be divine.... Let me know how it tastes if you try it.


for the cake:
2 cups sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla

for the icing:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted (or not sifted if you are short on time and want to sprinkle the dish with nuts or sprinkles anyway... there will be a few very small dot-like lumps throughout the icing if you don't sift)

Preheat the oven to 375 and grease a 10 x 15 inch pan. (I use a ceramic roasting dish, but a glass pyrex is better.)

Whisk the sugar, flour, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the water, vegetable oil, butter and cocoa powder to a boil. Pour the hot mixture over the flour and stir just until smooth. (Note: place the saucepan to the side to use later for the icing and save yourself a pot cleaning.) 

Let the mixture cool slightly then whisk in the buttermilk and vanilla. Mix in one egg, combine thoroughly, then mix in the other egg and stir until very smooth.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in the middle of your preheated oven for about 20 minutes. As always, do not overbake! 

While the cake is baking make the icing:

Melt the butter in (the same as you used for the cake, no need to wash it had the same ingredients!) a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in cocoa powder and bring the mixture to a rolling boil and boil for about 30 seconds. Remove from heat and immediately whisk in 1/3 cup milk and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Whisking continuously, add the confectioner's sugar one cup at a time. Pour immediately over the top of the cake. Sprinkle with nuts if you desire. Or with colored sprinkles. Or marshmallows! Or pipe "eat me" in frosting on top. (Kidding. Despite above story, it does not need to be told twice to get eaten.)

Almond Orange Easter Cake with Chocolate Cointreau Ganache

I'm trying to think of something elegant to say about this beautiful cake. Words are failing me when the pictures speak so clearly for themselves. This is truly a cake that is as beautiful as it is delicious. It is also gluten-free! I have made this cake in it's lemon form on a regular basis for several years now. I usually make a carrot cake for Easter but someone was already bringing one for Easter dinner today so, over several nights of Instagramming cake inspirations, I came up with this chocolate orange version of a cake I have loved so dearly. My husband prefers the original, plainer lemon version, but me... oh I could eat this cake for days and never tire of it. Happy Easter. Happy Spring. Eat chocolate and be happy!

Almond Orange Cake with Marmalade Glaze and Chocolate Cointreau Ganache 
loosely adapted from Nigella's great cookbook Kitchen 

for cake:
200 grams unsalted butter, softened
200 grams sugar
200 grams ground almonds
100 grams cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
3 large eggs
zest of 2 oranges

for marmalade glaze:
1/2 cup marmalade
1 tablespoon amaretto or cointreau

for ganache:
170 grams bittersweet chocolate chips, or coarsely chopped bars
190 grams heavy cream (a scant cup)

for topping:
unwrapped chocolate easter eggs and small Lindt bunny
colorful malted chocolate easter eggs
slivered almonds
slices of orange peel, peeled with a vegetable peeler into thin strips and coarsely chopped


Preheat the oven to 350°F. 

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy - either by hand in a bowl with a wooden spoon, or using a freestanding mixer or handheld mixer.

Whisk together the ground almond, cornmeal, baking powder and orange zest in a medium bowl. Add 1/4 of this to the butter-sugar mixture and mix until incorporated. Then beat in 1 of the eggs until incorporated. Add in the rest of the almond and cornmeal mixture and the eggs in two more batches, ending with the almond and cornmeal mixture.

Generously butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Pour the mixture into your pan. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes. You can tell when the cake is done when the sides of the cake begin to shrink away from the sides of the tin. A tester will come out with moist crumbs.

While the cake is baking make the chocolate ganache. Put the chocolate chips or chopped chocolate into a medium bowl (preferably metal in case you need to reheat the ganache). Put the cream in a pot on the stove and heat until scalding hot but NOT boiling. (Watch it.) Pour the scalding cream over the chocolate and whisk until all the chocolate is melted. Stir in the liquer. Set aside.

Next make the marmalade glaze. Bring the marmalade and liquer to a boil in a small saucepan. Set aside on the stove top until cake is out of the oven.

Once the cake is out of the oven, prick the top of it all over with a toothpick, then pour the warm syrup over it, and leave to cool completely on a wire rack before taking it out of the pan.

Ease the cake out of the pan gently and place on your serving platter or cake stand. If the cake looks like it might crumble then just place the cake with the metal bottom still attached on the platter and adhere the platter to the stand with tape or butter. (It won't show until serving and at that point no one will care - trust me.) Pour the chocolate ganache over the top. If the ganache has stiffened you can either spread it over like a frosting (this will dramatically change the look of the cake as seen in my pictures, but I think it would still look great and it will taste delicious!) or gently rewarm it over a pot of gently boiling water (only if the bowl is metal.) 

Sprinkle the top of the cake with the slivered almonds then arrange the chocolate Easter eggs, bunny and malt balls on top. Sprinkle the orange slivers artfully on top. Bring to party, and enjoy. Happy Easter!

Salmon with Easy Cilantro Sauce

Holding on to Summer

Last night we bbq-ed with friends at the beach. It was the first day of October and slightly chilly. But with the sand beneath our bare feet, the descending sun throwing pink into the water, the kids catching crabs, and rosé in our hands, it sure felt like it was still summer. In fact it was better than summer, because the kids were going to school the next day, and the beach felt secluded and all our own.

I made this sauce for some frozen salmon filets one night this summer when my mother-in-law was visiting. I de-seeded the jalapenos (even though the original recipe does not say to do so) because my mil does not like hot food... the sauce was still divine. The next time I make it I might be daring and leave all the seeds in, because we love hot food. But I feel it might tamper with the delicate taste of the cilantro. So please, experiment and taste as you go till you get the perfect sauce. The best part of this sauce is that all of the ingredients are supermarket staples year-round, so make this sauce in the dead of winter and conjure up some beach-y vibes. You'll feel like you're still holding on to summer.


Salmon with Cilantro Sauce
adapted from the June 2017 issue of Sunset Magazine


1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves and tender stems, plus 1/4 cup cilantro leaves
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1 or 2 medium de-seeded jalapenos, chopped (set seeds aside in case you want to make your sauce spicier)
3 garlic cloves
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp french mustard
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup whole-milk greek yogurt (optional if you prefer a vegan sauce)
3 tbsp lime juice
4 wild salmon filets

In a food processor pulse together the first six ingredients until smooth. Add the coconut milk and the lime juice. Taste the sauce and adjust any seasonings. Add back in any jalapeno seeds if you want a spicier sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Grill or pan-fry salmon filets until just done, about 3 minutes per side on medium heat for 1 inch thick filets. (If you are unsure, take them off the heat and test a center section - over-cooking salmon is an unjustifiable waste of delicious omega-3s - don't do it!)

Plate the salmon (with or without skin depending on your preference) and some rice, couscous, small potatoes or pasta and vegetables then spoon plentiful amounts of the sauce over everything. Enjoy summer on a plate.