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These little Baby Cakes were a real treat! So cute to boot! Delicious, moist, tender, perfect consistency, burst of sweetness and goodness. Pure ingredients and free of gluten and dairy and eggs. Wow! Years ago, I never would have thought how you could omit these and really make something better and better-for-you.

I know I’ve been overdoing on baked desserts for a while. I have lots of other lunch and dinner desserts on queue, but sharing baking recipes is just so much fun! Probably because it’s like throwing a little party where everyone waits for the dessert. Well now, everyone can have dessert and really not miss anything at all!

This is the sister-dessert of the Strawberry Shortcakes! It’s really like an non-identical twin actually because the batter is exactly the same! Yes, you can wow your guests and bring two different desserts to the table ~ but really make just one batter. (ya, I’m that kind of a 21 century housewife, I cheat with my baking and I say it out loud to the world ;))

So, one secret’s out. The next one is these fabulous specialty baking pans (or cups). I know I can’t have them all, but I do want them all! ;) These little cake baking forms, came in a set of 4 stacked, which is great because it doesn’t take up that much space. I think it really makes the dessert extra special ~ does it not? ;)

 GLUTEN-FREE & VEGAN
STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKES

gluten-free and vegan dessert
(dairy-free, egg-free/ vegan, gluten-free/ wheat-free, all natural, refined-sugar free (except for the icing))

Prep time : 15 min  Bake time : 15 min Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup rice flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill flours)
• 1/4 cup potato starch
• 1/4 cup arrowroot powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup So Delicious® Dairy Free Vanilla Coconut Milk
• 3/4 cups + 3 tablespoons organic raw cane sugar
• 1/3 cup coconut oil + extra for greasing
• 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes

VEGAN ICING: (OPTIONAL)

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1–2 tablespoons hot water

DIRECTIONS:

1. Grease and flour (with rice flour) 6-8 baby cake forms or pan with coconut oil and preheat oven to 350°F. (I used the extra batter from the Strawberry Shortcakes, so I only had enough to make 4 of these cakes)

2. Sift together all the flour ingredients: rice, potato starch, arrowroot, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum and salt. Whisk together in a bowl and set aside.

3. In a medium pot, add in milk and coconut oil and allow to warm over low heat until the coconut oil melts (do not allow to boil). Mix gently with a wooden spoon while it’s warming. Once the coconut oil is melted, remove from heat and add in the sugar. Stir together to allow the sugar to dissolve completely. Add in apple sauce and vanilla extract and stir to combine.

4. Pour in the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients and mix gently to combine together well. (If clumps still develop, you may use an immersion blender and mix the batter for a few minutes until you see a very smooth consistency in the batter.)

5. Add in coconut flakes and mix with a wooden spoon to combine. Pour into pre-greased pan, fill about 3/4 to the top to allow for rising of the batter.

6. Bake for about 25 minutes at 350°F. Insert toothpick to check for doneness. Remove from the oven and allow to cool 15 to 30 minutes. Flip the pan over to remove the cakes from the pan, you can use a toothpick to help the cakes lift out of the pan.

TO MAKE THE FROSTING:

Make a glaze by adding the powdered sugar into a small bowl and adding in 1 tablespoon at a time of hot water. Mix well to combine.

Drizzle over the Baby Cakes and serve with strawberries.

Here is me and my mom baking together on Mother’s Day ;) I find it a very special memory to bake with my mom or my daughter or sister. I think it adds that one very special ingredient to baking ~ love.

Baking just isn’t as fun, done alone. Just like eating dessert alone isn’t as fun, I think…

Do you have great baking memories with someone special? Please share.

So on that very special day when, we girls, surprised our mom on Mother’s Day, we had more than a visit planned. We had a cookout and baking day plan in the works too.

And it was a lovely day with the greatest people and the greatest food and dessert, of course ~ who would not love a Strawberry Shortcake on a sweet sunday afternoon shared with your favourite people?

My younger sister wanted to assist me in baking something yummy for a long time, but we could never squeeze an actual baking time before. We squeeze in coffee dates, photoshoots and of course, shopping days, but not baking, or at least up until now. So, the day was perfect, the setting ~ in our mom’s cottage-style house, was more than perfect.

GLUTEN-FREE & VEGAN
STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKES

gluten-free and vegan dessert
(dairy-free, egg-free/ vegan, gluten-free/ wheat-free, all natural, refined-sugar free (except for the icing))

Prep time : 15 min  Bake time : 15 min Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rice flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill flours)
• 1/4 cup potato starch
• 1/4 cup arrowroot powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup So Delicious® Dairy Free Vanilla Coconut Milk
• 3/4 cups + 3 tablespoons organic raw cane sugar
• 1/3 cup coconut oil + extra for greasing
• 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes

Strawberry Topping:

• 2-3 cups organic strawberries
• 1-2 tablespoons raw cane sugar or liquid sweetener of choice (optional)

Vegan Icing: (optional)

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1–2 tablespoons hot water

Directions:

1. Grease a 6-shortcake pan with coconut oil and preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Sift together all the flour ingredients: rice, potato starch, arrowroot, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum and salt. Whisk together in a bowl and set aside.

3. In a medium pot, add in milk and coconut oil and allow to warm over low heat until the coconut oil melts (do not allow to boil). Mix gently with a wooden spoon while it’s warming. Once the coconut oil is melted, remove from heat and add in the sugar. Stir together to allow the sugar to dissolve completely. Add in apple sauce and vanilla extract and stir to combine.

4. Pour in the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients and mix gently to combine together well. (If clumps still develop, you may use an immersion blender and mix the batter for a few minutes until you see a very smooth consistency in the batter.)

5. Add in coconut flakes and mix with a wooden spoon to combine. Pour into pre-greased shortcake pan, fill about halfway to allow for rising of the batter.

6. Bake for 12-15 minutes at 350°F. Remove from the oven and allow to cool 15 to 30 minutes. Gently scrape the sides of each well and flip the pan over to remove. You can use a toothpick to help the cakes lift out of the pan.

To make the strawberry topping:

Remove the stems and wash all the strawberries well. Take 1/2, and slice into a bowl, sprinkle with sugar if more sweetness is desired, and press down with a fork to create a juicy chunky strawberry ‘jam’. Take the other 1/2 of the strawberries and slice into quarters lengthwise.

To make the Frosting:

Make a glaze by adding the powdered sugar into a small bowl and adding in 1 tablespoon at a time of hot water. Mix well to combine.

To assemble the Strawberry Shortcakes:

Scoop the strawberry ‘jam’ into the centre of the pastry cups, top with fresh quartered pieces of strawberries and drizzle tops with frosting.

What can I say, it was the perfect dessert to make, and eat with my family. And it was really sweet to bake at my mom’s, my first, but I think it warmed up the place really nicely.

I most likely wouldn’t want to bring ingredients over to a friends’ house to bake (unless they asked me to ;)), but baking at my mom’s is a really sweet experience entirely ;)

I love this time of the year – spring, warm weather and strawberry season! Not yet, but soon… and I can’t wait to put on big sun hats for me and my girl, grab a big basket, a sister, or two or a friend and head out to the strawberry field.

Speaking of the strawberry season, does anyone know a good organic strawberry farm near the Toronto area?