Low-fat Lemon Poppyseed Cupcake Muffins

I'm not sure precisely why I had a sudden craving for lemon poppyseed muffins today. Given the amount of candy I ate last night at the movies, there was no good reason to be craving anything sweet.  But suddenly it hit me, and I really, really wanted some.

Now, knowing my propensity to eat my way through more than my fair share of a regular batch of muffins, particularly mid-semester, I decided to use my handy ratio for cupcakes to make a neat little pack of 4.  And they turned out to be lovely!  I reduced the fat in these by even more than I originally had, substituting in some applesauce, and they ended up being moist and slightly denser than cupcakes. These are based on the original ratio for cupcakes, but turned out having the slightly more dense and healthy-feeling texture of muffins (and no icing!).  My compromise?  I'm calling them cupcake muffins. (Honestly, throwing the word "muffins" in there just makes me feel slightly better about eating four of them.)  Give these a try - you won't be disappointed!

Low-fat Lemon Poppyseed Cupcake Muffins
Makes 4 muffins


15 grams Earth Balance Buttery Spread
35 grams applesauce
50 grams white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. fresh lemon rind (rind from ~1.5 small lemons)
20 grams potato starch
10 grams tapioca starch
30 grams sorghum flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. poppy seeds

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Melt the butter and mix with the applesauce, egg, vanilla, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon rind.  In a separate bowl, combine the potato starch, tapioca starch, sorghum flour, baking powder, salt, and poppy seeds.  Stir into the wet ingredients and mix well.

Pour into the muffin tin liners and bake for 13 - 16 minutes, or just until they are slightly browned at the edges and spring back when you touch the tops lightly.  Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

Decadent Lemony Berry Coffeecake

Uh, yeah.  That cake tasted as good as it looks.  Better than it looks, if you can believe it.

I know this isn't technically a post for the Gluten-free Ratio Rally, but I feel this need to profess the power of the ratio again.  Because Oh. My. God.  This cake is seriously amazing.  Like, out-of-this-world good.  And it is possible because of a ratio.

My cousin was visiting me last week, and it was a total food bonanza.  It's sort of our thing.  We wander around grocery stores, and we talk about recipes.  And when we're in the same physical space, we cook and bake.  A lot.

After a trip to Boston's Haymarket, we came home with bags of fresh berries - probably about 2 pounds of them.  We had cherries, strawberries, and raspberries - and they were just begging to be part of something baked and delicious.

Done and done.  I consulted the ratio that Ruhlman has in his book for sponge cake (which is one part each of flour, eggs, fat, and sugar), and then we innovated a little with the flavors and flour blend.  I'm always one to reduce the fat and substitute something else, so I used applesauce to keep it moist.  And actually, there's more applesauce than fat in this cake - only 6 tablespoons of Earth Balance buttery spread in the WHOLE THING.  Think of how many extra pieces you can eat with all those fat calories you're saving (I know my cousin and I thought about that.  And then we definitely ate those extra pieces.).

And the result?  My gluten-eating, cake-loving cousin said it was the best cake she'd ever eaten.  The word "phenomenal" was dropped multiple times by both of us (in between mouthfuls).  I brought pieces around to my co-workers, who dubbed it "wonderful" and "delicious."

So you can make this one for mixed company, is what I'm saying - for gluten-eaters and gluten-haters alike.  Barring berry-haters, I suspect everyone will love it.

Decadent Lemony Berry Coffeecake

**Please note that all measurements given below in cups are approximate, as I used my kitchen scale to make this cake and used an online converter to figure out the volume measurements.

4 eggs
8 oz. white sugar (~1 cup)
3 oz. Earth Balance Buttery Spread (3/4 stick or 6 tbsp.)
5 oz. applesauce (unsweeted, natural) (~1/2 cup)
1.5 tbsp. lemon juice
1 1/4 tsp. lemon zest
1 1/4 tsp. vanilla
3 oz. tapioca starch (~3/4 cup)
2 oz. sorghum (~1/2 cup)
3 oz. brown rice flour (~1/2 cup)
(OR 8 oz. of your favorite gf flour blend)
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. xanthan gum
3/4 lb. berries, chopped into small pieces (we used cherries, raspberries, and strawberries, but you could use any dark berries you think would go well in this)

For crumble topping:
4 - 6 tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon (or more to your own taste)
2 tsp. Earth Balance Buttery Spread

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Spray a glass 9" x 13" baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.

In a medium or large mixing bowl, beat the eggs (preferably with an electric mixer) with the sugar until it's frothy.  Add the Earth Balance, applesauce, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla and mix until it's well incorporated.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flours, salt, baking powder, and xanthan gum.  Add about 1/3 cup at a time to the wet ingredients, beating on medium speed until the batter is very smooth.

Pour the batter into the 9" x 13" pan.  Press the berries lightly into the top of the batter.

In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and Earth Balance.  Mix with your fingers until it's finely crumbly.  Sprinkle the cake generously with the cinnamon sugar crumble topping.

Bake at 350 F for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool for as long as you can stand it before eating a piece (we lasted 20 minutes).  Keep refrigerated once cooled.  It's fantastic if you warm it slightly in the microwave before eating.

Roasted Chicken and Potatoes with Rosemary, Garlic, and Lemon

This is a perfect example of the power of a few simple, strong flavors that come together, mingle, and become something amazing.  My kitchen smelled ridiculously good while this was baking, and the taste lived up to it.  My cousin had emailed me this recipe a while ago, and I dutifully bookmarked it.  I looked at it periodically and thought about making it.  Then I got busy and forgot about it.

But last week, when a good friend of mine was in town and I was looking for something to make for dinner, I came back to it.  I tweaked and adapted, adding a little more of this and a little less of that.  And it was so good.  It's pretty simple to throw together, and the resulting lemon-rosemary-garlic flavor is wonderful (but not too overpowering - and you can add less or more of any of those elements).  You can use boneless skinless chicken breasts like I did (because that's what I had in my freezer) or you can use bone-in chicken with the skin on, if you prefer.  This recipe will forgive you for adjusting the ingredients according to your own tastes.

It's one of those dinners that looks and tastes kind of fancy, but is really quite low-maintenance in its preparation.  Just be careful to bake it just until the chicken is a little crispy, but not for too long, lest it get too dry.  And if you have leftovers, you can sprinkle a bit more lemon juice over it before heating it up again to keep it from drying out. 

My friend told me she was drooling all the way from the driveway, as she could smell this wafting from my house as soon as she got out of her car.  So, you should totally try out this recipe and see for yourself.  Just be aware that anyone within a certain radius of your house might show up at your door, demanding a taste.

 
Roasted Chicken and Potatoes with Rosemary, Garlic, and Lemon
Makes 3 - 4 servings

6 small red potatoes, cleaned
4 small boneless chicken breasts (you can use bone-in if you prefer), cut into large chunks
2 - 3 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary + 3 more whole sprigs (to taste)
3 - 5 cloves garlic, minced finely (to taste)
Juice of 2 lemons
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 tsp. olive oil
10 oz. sliced button or portabella mushrooms

Preheat oven to 450 F.  Line a baking dish with foil.

Place the potatoes in a pot of cold water and bring to a boil.  Boil for 8 minutes (until tender) and drain.  Slice  into halves or quarters and set aside.

In a bowl, mix together the chopped rosemary, the juice of one of the lemons, garlic, salt, cayenne pepper, and olive oil.  Place the chicken pieces in the bowl and toss to coat well.  Dump the entire thing (including the juice) into a skillet and cook the chicken over medium heat for about 5 - 8 minutes, until browned on all sides.  Add the mushrooms and continue to cook for 2 - 3 more minutes.  If your skillet is big enough, add the potatoes.  If not, remove the chicken-mushroom mixture to a large bowl and toss together with the potato pieces.

Pour the entire thing into your baking dish.  Sprinkle the juice of the other lemon over the entire thing and add the remaining sprigs of rosemary, tearing off large pieces to evenly distribute it around the pan.  Bake at 450 for 20 - 25 minutes or until the chicken is nicely browned (stir it a few times to coat with the juice while baking).  Remove from oven and serve with rice, flatbread, or another vegetable side dish.

Lemon Passover Cupcakes with Blackberry Jam and Lemon Glaze

This cake is not just for Passover, friends.  And it's not even just for the Jews.  I'm convinced that this is one that everyone will like.  I try to test out as many of my recipes as I can on my friends so that, by the time I post it to the blog, I have gathered as much (hopefully honest!) feedback as possible.  So last week, I brought this cake to my classmates and to several other friends (the brave souls who are willing to serve as taste-testers for all of you!). 

And the feedback?  They liked it.  Like, really liked it.  And I am so glad they did, because this is one of my favorite cakes.  It's got a lovely lemon flavor without being overpowering, which means it pairs perfectly with  jam (mmm, it's so amazing with jam!) and/or a simple lemon glaze.  It's light, airy, slightly spongy but not too spongy.  In fact, it's so light that you'll be tempted to eat 2 - 3 times the normal volume of cake you might normally consume - just a fair warning.

This cake is pretty minimalist in its ingredients and the batter comes together pretty quickly.  You can make it as cupcakes (I had trouble getting them to puff up as much in a muffin pan as they did as cakes, although they tasted equally delicious both ways), as mini cake loaves, or as an angel food-style cake (which will take considerably longer to bake).  Directions for each one of these variations is below.

It's true that this is a cake borne out of Passover restrictions.  And by all means, eat it at Passover - eat a lot of it at Passover.  Eat it completely plain.  Top it with fresh fruit.  Or fill it with jam and add a lemon glaze - whatever you like.  Just don't tuck the recipe away for a whole year once the holiday's over.

Lemon Passover Cupcakes with Blackberry Jam and Lemon Glaze
Makes 24 cupcakes, 5 - 6 mini cake loaves, or 1 regular angel food cake

7 eggs, separated
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 1 /2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp. lemon zest from one lemon
3/4 cup potato starch
dash of salt

Preheat oven to 350 F.  If making cupcakes, grease two muffin trays with cooking spray or line with paper cupcake liners.  If making angel food cake, get out an angel food cake pan but don't grease it.  If you are making mini cake loaves, prepare 5 glass mini loaf pans by spraying them with cooking spray or greasing and then dusting with flour.  (You don't have to grease the angel food cake pan because you'll be able to cut it out of the pan when you take it apart, but if you don't grease the mini loaf pans, it will stick!).

Separate six of the eggs. Beat the six yolks and the remaining whole egg until frothy. Gradually add sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest, beating constantly and thoroughly at medium/high speed. Then gradually add the potato starch, beating constantly to ensure thorough blending.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with the salt until stiff but not dry (it should form stiff peaks). Fold gently but thoroughly into the egg-yolk mixture.

For cupcakes:  Bake in at 350 F for about 15 - 22 minutes or until the cupcakes are lightly browned and spring back when touched gently with fingers.  Let cool completely before trying to remove; you may have to cut them out or use a fork to pry them out if you don't use paper liners.

For mini cake loaves: Bake in at 350 F for about 30 - 40 minutes or until the cakes are lightly browned and spring back when touched gently with fingers. Let cool completely before trying to remove; you may have to cut them out or use a fork to pry them out.

For angel food cake: Bake in at 350 F for about 50 - 55 minutes or until the cake is lightly browned and springs back when touched gently with fingers. Invert pan and cool thoroughly before removing cake.  Remove by running a knife around all edges to cut the cake out.

For the cupcakes pictured above:
When the cupcakes/cakes are cooled, use a knife to cut "slits" into it.  Fill the slits with a dark berry jam (i.e. blackberry, raspberry, strawberry, blueberry, etc.).  Just make sure it's kosher!  Then drizzle some lemon glaze over the top.  Let the glaze harden before serving.

For lemon glaze, mix together:
1/2 - 1 cup powdered sugar (make sure there is no cornstarch in this if you want this to be kosher!)
1 tsp. potato or arrowroot starch (more if needed)
3 tsp. lemon juice
water to desired consistency

Drizzle over the cake and let harden before serving.

OR you can serve plain or as a base for fruit shortcake (with sliced strawberries, blueberries, or any other dark berries).

Lemon Sponge Cake with Jam Filling

This is a cake that I resurrected this year for Passover in Swaziland.  I was able to attend two Seder dinners, and I made this for one of them because there was not much else I could make here in terms of desserts.  This one, though, is simplicity at its best: few ingredients, few steps, and the result is an incredibly light, fluffy, and wonderful lemony dessert.  Usually when my mother makes this, we just have it plain and serve it with strawberries, but I tried it this time with a layer of jam in the middle and it was fantastic!  Everyone seemed to enjoy the taste!  And if you are like me and don't have an electric mixer, you'll end up building your upper arm strength when you beat the egg whites into stiff peaks.  Totally worth it, no question.

Lemon Sponge Cake with Jam Filling

7 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar, sifted
2 tbsp. lemon juice
3/4 cup potato starch, sifted
dash of salt

Jam of your choice (strawberry and raspberry would work especially well)

Separate six of the eggs. Beat the six yolks and the one whole egg until frothy. Gradually add sifted sugar and lemon juice, beating constantly and thoroughly. Then gradually add sifted potato starch, stirring constantly to ensure thorough blending. Beat the egg whites with the salt until stiff but not dry. Fold gently but thoroughly into egg-yolk mixture. Place in ungreased 10-inch tube pan. Bake in a moderate oven (350 F) about 55 minutes or until cake springs back when touched gently with fingers. Invert pan and cool thoroughly before removing cake. 

I do not actually have a tube pan in Swaziland, so I used a very deep 8" x 8" nonstick cake pan, and it works just fine as long as you still invert it until it is cooled. 

Once cake has been removed, cut it in half carefully using a long knife.  Set the top half aside on a piece of wax paper.  Spread the jam of your choice generously over the bottom half and replace the top half of the cake again.

If you want to have a lemon glaze, mix together powdered sugar with lemon juice and potato or arrowroot starch until you get a good consistency.

1/2 c. powdered sugar (make sure there is no cornstarch in this if you want this to be kosher!)
1 tsp. potato or arrowroot starch, and more if needed
3 tsp. lemon juice
water to desired consistency

 Drizzle over the cake and let harden before serving.