I’m really not one for cakes (cheesecake is the one exception, but that’s totally different). But I have to admit, every once in a blue moon there is nothing better than a huge cup of coffee and a slice of coffee cake. I absolutely loved this recipe. I actually only made it because I had all the ingredients on hand, but it was so simple and quick to get together. Perfect for a quick breakfast sweet or an easy last-minute tea/coffee date.

I have to say that this coffee cake is definitely at its best straight from the oven. Despite wrapping  the cake up nice and tight, the next day it was close to rock solid the next day. That’s just the way gluten-free flours tend to be. A quick 10, 15 seconds in the microwave and the problem was solved.

Earlier today I was discussing baked goods with my friend Zack (we don’t like them). This whole conversation came out of a discussion of birthday cakes (it’s my birthday today, we were just randomly discussing cakes). I like savory things much better. Personally I would be much happier if someone gave me a wheel of brie or blue cheese, stuck a candle in it and called it a day. There is one exception to my dessert rule and that would be cheesecake. I do like cheesecake.

This isn’t your typical cheesecake. There is blue cheese involved, which is initially why I wanted to make this. Combining my favorite cheese and my favorite dessert just seemed like a brilliant idea. I was slightly hesitant about the fact that there is no sugar added into the cheesecake. One of them fell apart when I was removing them from the muffin tin and I stole a bite and it was not a good idea. Luckily when I served them with the pears, it was a very enjoyable (and unusual) combination. I had enough crust for 14 cheesecakes, but only enough filling for 13. I would recommend only doing 12 as some of my came out a little thin on the cheesecake end of things. Luckily I like my cheesecake on the crustier side of things, so I wasn’t too bothered by that.

This cake is so easy to make. I was surprised it turned out so light. It really has a great texture, which is different than most other flourless cakes I’ve made. The cake is chocolatey without being overwhelmingly so. My pears sank a bit, but that did really matter to me. If you are more of a perfectionist when it comes to your desserts, make sure to whip the egg whites well to prevent sinking. I let mine sit a bit and had to re-whip them.

If you need a quick, last minute dessert for a Christmas or Hanukkah dinner, you probably have most of these ingredients on hand already. The cake would be just as good with or without the pears, so don’t worry about them if you don’t have them.You could definitely substitute almonds for the hazelnuts or apples or even canned pears for the fresh pears depending on what you have on hand. I would definitely use this recipe again with and without the pears for a simple and fast flourless cake. I only added powdered/confectioners sugar and freshly whipped cream for serving and it was perfect.

Flourless Chocolate & Pear Cake (from BBCGoodFood.com)

• 85g butter/roughly 1/3 cup, plus 1 tbsp extra for tin
• 85g golden caster sugar/roughly 2/3 cup, plus extra for tin
• 85g gluten-free dark chocolate, broken into pieces
• 1 tbsp brandy
• 3 eggs, separated
• 85g hazelnuts, toasted and ground in a food processor
• 4 very ripe pears, peeled, halved and cored
• icing sugar , for dusting

This was a new recipe for me. I have heard of olive oil cake before, but never tried it. It was definitely a different type of cake. Kind of like a cross between a regular ‘box’ cake and a flourless cake. It was both dense and light and really moist. I didn’t find the olive oil to be overwhelming, but the chocolate made it very rich. I actually decided to freeze one of the 9-inch rounds (this recipe yields two) because I knew there was no way to get through a double layer cake that is this rich. I would definitely make this again, but only if I knew there were going to be a lot of people around to eat it.

I topped the cake with a mocha ganache and served it with vanilla whipped cream and some raspberry coulis.

Gluten Free Chocolate Olive Oil Cake (adapted from BetterBatter.org)

• 3 cups All Purpose Flour (I used Better Batter)
• 2 cups sugar
• 7 tablespoons cocoa
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups cold water

1. Preheat the oven to 350. In a large mixing bowl sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt.
2. With mixer at low speed, beat in oil, vinegar, vanilla and water; beat until smooth.
3. Pour the mixture into two 9-inch pans coated with butter and dusted with more (gluten free) flour.
4. Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
5. Put the cake pans on cooling racks and cool for 15 to 20 minutes before removing the cakes from the pans to cool completely.

When I was living overseas, there was no such thing as pumpkin pie spice. Pumpkin just isn’t put in pie form in other parts of the world. But I was quite happy to learn that it was super easy to make your own pumpkin pie spice. I’ve never used the ready mixed version, I’ve always made my own and word on the street is that it’s pretty good.

Pumpkin Pie Spice

• 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons nutmeg
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground allspice

So, this week we had a very momentous occasion to celebrate, my darling pups turned 10!

Naturally, we needed to have a party. Yeah, I’m that girl. Deal with it.

I spent about 8 minutes attempting to take a picture of the two of them looking cute in their party hats, but homegirls had other ideas. After much bribery and coercing and cursing on my part, we all just decided to call it quits. As you can tell by the look of sheer terror on Bella’s face, she still hasn’t quite forgiven me for putting her through the indignity of it all. She was so pissed she wouldn’t even play with her new toy… which her brat of a sister stole approximately 2 seconds later.

The real excitement came when the cake came out. Peanut Butter and Carrot Pupcakes! They were a smashing success. These are human grade dog treats and my dogs absolutely love them.

For the ‘frosting’ I whipped up some plain cream cheese to make it easier to spread and added a few carob chips, which are 100% dog safe. 

Peanut Butter Carrot ‘Pup’Cakes (adapted from this recipe)

• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 egg

Things I Made This Week:

• Green Beans with Blue Cheese & Hazelnuts
• Chicken Salad with Peaches & Blue Cheese
• Tuna in a Tomato
• Vanilla Bean Dirty Shirley Temple
• Corn Soup with Caramelized Onions & White Cheddar

Things I Want to Make:

• Salt and Vinegar Potatoes with Rosemary – PreventionRD
• Hot Fudge Bourbon Milkshakes – How Sweet It Is
• Roasted Cauliflower, Leek & Garlic Soup with Lemon Fritters – Tartelette

Things to Check Out:

• Celiac Disease on the Rise in the U.S. – USA Today
• Guide to Being an Amateur Wine Snob – 11 Points

Brace yourself.

I feel that it is only appropriate to start this post with a disclaimer. Things are about to get a bit ridiculous here and if you have a heart condition, back problems, stomach problems, are under a doctor’s care, do not reach the bottom of sign or have no soul don’t like cheesecake, you might need to stop reading.

For those of you who are gluttons for punishment, let us continue.

I am not a particular fan of dessert, but cheesecake is an entirely different story. I love cheesecake. And I am picky about cheesecake. I’m not into the restaurant kind with the fake whipped cream, it has to be homemade from scratch with some blood, sweat and tears tender love and care mixed in.

This was one of the richest cheesecakes I have ever had. Every bit was absolutely delicious, but after about 3 I needed a break. A break and about a gallon of water and a quick lap or 5 around the house with the dogs. Let me try to break it down for you. There is a chocolate cookie crumb crust with chopped chocolate and butter mixed into it. A Kahlúa fudge ganache that could make angels weep. A espresso and rum-infused cheesecake layer, topped with a vanilla-sour cream layer and then, just for good measure and to make sure you have something to talk to you doctor about during your next physical, there is more Kahlúa ganache.
If you haven’t passed out from reading about all of this yet, congratulations. And rest easy knowing that you have until mid-November to recover and sufficiently brace yourself for the next installment of what shall be known as ‘Obscene, yet Highly Necessary Cheesecakes’.

Cappuccino Fudge Cheesecake (adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

Crust

• 1 package of gluten-free chocolate cookies or wafers
• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
• 7 tablespoons hot melted unsalted butter

Ganache

• 1 1/2 cups heavy or whipping cream
• 20 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup Kahlúa or other coffee-flavored liqueur

Filling

• 3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons GF all purpose baking mix (I used Bob’s Red Mill)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dark rum
• 3 tablespoons instant espresso powder or coffee crystals (I used instant decaf coffee)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons mild-flavored (light) molasses (I used regular since we couldn’t find light)
• 3 large eggs

Topping

• 1 1/2 cups sour cream
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract