Cinnamon Roll Cake

My home was in serious need of [gluten free] baked goods yesterday, so I gave in to the craving and made this Cinnamon Roll Cake (found via Pinterest).  Mix one part “having never tried this recipe before” to one part “deciding to make it sans gluten” + a smidge of other modifications = this week's baking adventure.

Cinnamon Roll Cake [Gluten Free]

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups flour (I used Pamela's baking+pancake mix here)

• 1/2 tsp. salt

• 1 cup sugar (I reduced it to 1/2 cup)

• 4 tsp. baking powder

• 1 1/2 cups milk (Silk Almond milk used)

• 2 eggs

• 2 tsp. vanilla

• 1/2 cup butter (melted)

• 1 cup butter (softened)

• 1 cup brown sugar (I did less than a cup and it was perfect)

• 2 TB flour

• 1 TB cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, milk, eggs and vanilla together. 

2. Stir in melted butter, slowly.  Pour into greased 9x13 pan.

3. Mix topping ingredients (1 cup butter softened, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon).  Drop over cake mixture evenly.

4. Swirl your topping and cake mixture with a knife going up and down the length of the pan.

5. Bake at 350 for 28-32 minutes.

6. Top with the glaze which is made by mixing 2 cups powdered sugar, 5 TB milk and 1 tsp. vanilla.  Drizzle over the cake while it's still warm.

My favourite thing about this recipe is that it takes less time to make/bake than regular cinnamon rolls do.  If you are short on time but still want that delicious flavour and texture, try this cake instead.

As you can see, I lessened the amounts of sugar, and the cake turned out jus' fiiiine (pssst, in fact, my family couldn't stay away from the kitchen and my full 9x13 baking dish contains mysteriously less cake than it did when it came out of the oven yesterday!).  I'm definitely having a serving with breakfast tomorrow, before it's entirely demolished...

Are you frantically searching for ingredients yet?  Let me know your results with a comment below!

Both images were taken with my iPhone and from my Instagram

P.S.  Scrolling through a page of entries from last year, I noticed that I had a similar craving at exactly this time last year.   “Coincidence?  I think not!”

Cinnamon Roll Craving

Do you ever find yourself craving cinnamon rolls?  Me too.  So, I baked a batch of these
(recipe courtesy of GingerLemon Girl's GF blog).

Serious YUM factor.

Gluten Free Cinnamon Bun Muffins:

* Yes, these are labeled GF, but you could easily substitute a wheat flour instead.
Yields: 12 muffins (mine made 15 -- score!)

Dry Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup tapioca flour
• 2/3 cup brown rice flour
• 2/3 cup sorghum flour
• 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 Tbsp. cinnamon
•  1/2 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients:

• 2 egg yolks
• 2 egg whites
•  scant 1/2 cup granulated sugar (there's plenty of sugar in the swirl, so you'll want to cut back here)
• 1/2 cup applesauce
•  3/4 cup rice, soy, or coconut milk
•  1/4 cup heart healthy oil, coconut oil, butter, or vegan margarine (I used coconut oil)

• Cinnamon Swirl:
• 1-2 tablespoons cinnamon
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3-4 tablespoons melted margarine, real butter, or buttery spread

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

2. In a large bowl, whisk flours, baking powder, xanthan gum, cinnamon and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks, applesauce, milk, coconut oil, and sugar.
4. Add the flour mixture to the egg yolk mixture and fold just until combined.
5. In another bowl whip egg whites until stiff. SLOWLY fold the whipped egg whites into the muffin batter.  (If you still see streaks or clumps of egg white that is OKAY, it does NOT have to be completely incorporated!) 6. In a small bowl, mix together cinnamon swirl ingredients. 
7. Spoon muffin batter into greased or paper-lined muffin tins.  To be sure your muffins have cinnamon swirls throughout, fill the muffin tin half-full, spoon on some of the cinnamon swirl and use a small knife to swirl, fill the tin with more batter, and then spoon a bit more cinnamon swirl over the top. 
8. Bake for 18-25 minutes.  They are done when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. 
9. Cool muffins on a wire rack.


Served perfectly on their own, with butter, coconut oil, or peanut butter (for a protein boost).  I recommend a natural PB (the unsweetened, salted kind)!

“I like cinnamon rolls, but I don't always have time to make a pan. That's why I wish they would sell cinnamon roll incense. After all, I'd rather light a stick and have my roommate wake up with false hopes.” 

– Mitch Hedberg

Oy, pass the 'nog!

This fantastically foamy libation surely puts the 'nog in eggnog.

The one problem is, is that it isn't ready to drink until at least 4-7 days (minimum of 96 hours, 5,760 minutes, and 345,600 seconds) later.  That's right... 4982379423 days.  Yes, this is an eternity of waiting; however, the results are entirely worth the patience!
My recommendation?  Make a batch of this, then, go away and put it out of your mind for the rest of the week.  When you come home—miracle of miracles—the eggnog is at long last drinkable!


The video below contains a few fun facts you may or may not know about eggnog.

Now, on to the recipe!

(Above: My handy taste-testers... Considering you're going to wait a considerable space of time to enjoy this drink, you ought to make sure it tastes A-OK from the start, eh?  Just take care of consuming too much, due to salmonella poisoning.  Unfortunately true story.*)

George Washington's Eggnog:

(adapted from a recipe from Mount Vernon)
Yields: 6 quarts

Ingredients:

• 2 cups brandy
• 1 cup rye whiskey (I didn't have "rye", so I used a different sort)
• 1 cup dark Jamaica rum
• 1/2 cup cream sherry
• 8 extra large eggs, OR 10 large eggs
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 quart milk
• 1 quart heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg (add more for that extra nutmeggy taste!)
•  1 cinnamon stick (feel free to split one in half, or add 2-3)
  

Directions:

1. Mix liquors first in a separate container.
2. Separate yolks and whites into two large mixing bowls.
3. Blanchir egg yolks (beat adding in sugar until the mixture turns a light yellow).
4. Add liquor slowly to egg yolk mixture, continuing to beat (mixture will turn brown) until well incorporated. 5. Add milk and cream simultaneously, slowly beating the mixture.  Set aside. 

6. Beat whites of eggs until stiff and fold slowly into the alcohol mixture.
7. Add nutmeg and cinnamon stick, and stir well to incorporate.  Cover mixture in an airtight container. 

8. Allow eggnog to cure undisturbed for several X (4-7) days in the coldest art of the refrigerator, or outside in a very cold (below 40 degrees) place.  The mixture will separate as it cures.  This is OK.  Just be sure to re-incorporate mixture before serving cold.

* Just as a precaution, make sure you label your freshly-concocted eggnog jug whilst it's in the incubation period.  Whilst this is somewhat unlikely, you really don't want to end up pouring a glass out of the wrong container and seriously regretting said action (this stated from a major raw-cookie-dough-eating fan).  "This is a kindness!"

Ready to pour into glasses?  Feel free to garnish the tops with a sprinkling of spices.

Cheers, and Happy New Year 2012!

Ode To Cruise Food, Part III

This is the last post on my fabulous Sea Princess Cruise to Alaska and Canada (part II here). 

(I make no promises, but that is the plan.)

Fruit sorbet!

Chef's choice desserts.

Me with my favourite bartender, Sanjay, from India.  We talked about cameras, photography, traveling, and all sorts of interesting topics!

Appetiser: Chilled Peach Smoothie

One morning, we took a tour of the galley!

These talented men are not only responsible for the beautiful, intricate fruit and vegetable carvings, but also ice!  Another day, we watched them carve an animal out of ice, out on the deck.

Biscuit with mushrooms and gravy?

Appetiser: Watermelon with Feta (delicious!)

On the last night of the cruise, the entire wait staff treated us to a very special evening.  Here is my favourite Thai junior waiter, Chiradet, waving at us!

Dessert: Baked Alaska -- this is what the waiters were carrying around the dining room!

Chiradet, you're the best!

Baked Alaska.

 

Pork Chops!

Fresh scallops, shrimp, and salmon.  Mmmm!

Am I the only one who feels full after looking at all those photos?  The food and experiences were amazing!

Hungry Girl Shares Her Tips

In this fresh article from self-proclaimed "foodologist" Lisa Lillien (also known as "Hungry Girl"), she gives some practical advice on smart eating and meal planning.

Check out It's Not a Diet, It's a Lifestyle: Hungry Girl Shares Her Tips!  I liked her pantry essentials list, plus what she had to say about dining out.

Does anyone regularly follow Lisa "Hungry Girl", or watch her show?

Ode To Cruise Food, Part II

Yes, I'm still reporting on the Alaska-Canada Sea Princess Cruise.

Our stop in Victoria, British Columbia, deserves its own post.  This was my absolute favourite day of the cruise!  (Truth be told, I had high hopes that it would be, and it certainly didn't disappoint.)

THE FAIRMONT EMPRESS HOTEL

"Steeped in tradition since 1908"

Popular with royalty and common folk alike, this hotel is rather posh.

Note: I don't know why, but that man in the canary t-shirt (we are not related) would not move off of those steps.  We gave him at least 5 minutes, and he didn't budge an inch!  (Way to crash my photo, canary-t-shirt-wearing-man...)

Can I live here?

We enjoyed walking around the Empress's gorgeous grounds!

The Empress is known for its traditional Afternoon Tea service.  For the menu, look here.  Dining here is a somewhat of a luxery (roughly $50-$60 American dollars per person), but I'm told, well worth the money (maybe I'll take tea here one day, when I don't have to be back on a cruise ship in a few hours' time).  Apparently it's quite popular (touristy?), as reservations are often required one to two weeks in advance!  I wonder how many Canadians have made this a yearly tradition...

A few facts about The Empress:

• Afternoon Tea was started by the Duchess of Bedford in the 18th century when she had a "sinking" feeling in the afternoon. She had her chef prepare a little meal with tea, and soon it became known as "Afternoon Tea".
• The hotel has 477 rooms, and has been frequented in the past by such guests as Shirley Temple, Princess Margaret, Rita Hayworth, and author Rudyard Kipling (ahem, not to mention the Queen of England, Elizabeth II).
• Until a 1989 renovation to the hotel, there used to be a tunnel (with no clear purpose) that ran from James Bay into the basement of The Empress. At high tide one was able to visit the basement and see the salt water flood the opening.
• Nearly 100,000 guests are served tea annually with an estimated 500,000 cups of tea.

What an exquisite room!  Just think what fun it would be to dress up and host formal dinner parties in there...

Brunch is served!

The Irish Times Pub, just off the entrance to Bastion Square.

Walking around downtown Victoria is quite a sensory treat.  We meandered through quaint boutiques and peeked in various eateries along bustling Government Street for as long as we could before having to race back to the ship.  (Unfortunately, the Sea Princess had only allotted us a few hours to tour Victoria.)

The Bubble Tea Place, next to Dragon Alley in Victoria's historic Chinatown.  Why you would fashion the walls with a portrait (which looks like an Andy Warhol piece) of an infamous Chinese dictator is beyond me... At least hang it up side down.

Chinatown

Victoria's historic Parliament Buildings.  Beautiful, no?  After finding out that the tour was free (but would have to be self-guided that day due to visiting school groups), I wanted very badly to go inside; but only had so much time to tour the city.  It is definitely in the plan for next time!

This ultra-chic and friendly lady rode up as I was crossing the crosswalk, near the Parliament.  After complimenting her on her lovely style and chatting about San Francisco, I asked if I could snap her photo for my blog.  All she needs is a cute little Yorkie in her bicycle basket to complete the retro look!

Waterfront flowers!

Edge of Victoria's Inner Harbour.  Choosing to walk instead of take a bus, we ended up tracking roughly 4.5 miles roundtrip (from near the Ogden Point Port area all the way downtown).  Did I mention that I did this in flip flops?

Back "home" on the Sea Princess.  Time for lunch, and a hard-earned soak in the spa with the jets soothing my tired feet...

My fascination with Canada began years ago (it has been a lifelong dream of mine to go there!), and this little taste of the glorious country has further wet my appetite.