Gluten free black bottom cupcakes

I have been making this recipe since the 1980's.  My two older children Daniel and Caitlyn, now in their 20's were 1 and 5 years old.  At the time we participated in a playgroup at the La Sierra Park in Arden Park, Sacramento, California.  At our playgroups after our children had played for some time we would eat lunch together.  Often we would share what food we had brought and have a sort of potluck.  of course this pre-celiac days for our family.  Not one to shy away from asking for recipes, I acquired this recipe from one of the mom's, who I believe was Jenny.  Our playgroup disbanded as soon as all of our oldest child started Kindergarten.  With everyone off to different schools and different schedules it just seemed right at the time.  How amazing is that, that I still have this recipe and can still create it even though we are gluten-free?!  It's funny to me how many recipes I have acquired over the years, and have fortunately been able translate them into gluten-free recipes.  I appreciate all of the recipes that I have gotten and will continue to look for more.

I made this recipe this weekend for my 12 year old daughter, Autumn who was going on a trip to Bodega Bay.  She doesn't like brownies all that much so I wanted to make something with just enough chocolate in it.  This recipe was right on the money.  Autumn's friend, Lydia also has celiac, and so I made this treat for them to share and enjoy.  Even the non-celiac's that went on this trip loved the cupcakes.  Autumn reported that they could not tell that they were even gluten-free.  As always make sure to keep all of your dry ingredients seperate from your wet ingredients until you are completely ready to combine them.  otherwise your xanthan gum tends to gum up and the recipe will cease up.

INGREDIENTS


• 1 1/2 cups Amy's cake flour (see recipe below)

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup white sugar

• 1/3 cup vegetable oil

• 1 cup water

• 1 tablespoon vinegar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

• 1 egg

• 1/3 cup white sugar

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line two 12 cup muffin pans with paper liners. Sift together the flour, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup sugar, oil and water until blended. Stir in the vinegar and vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture until incorporated. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese, egg, 1/3 cup sugar and salt. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Fill muffin cups 1/3 full with chocolate batter, then top with a heaping tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture. Bake cupcakes in preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until done.

*Note:  I make double of the chocolate mixture to be able to incorporate all of the cream cheese mixture.

Amy’s Gluten-Free Cake Flour


For 3 cups:

1 cup rice flour

1 cup cornstarch or arrowroot

2/3 cup potato starch

1/3 cup tapioca starch

1 tablespoon potato flour


For 9 cups:

3 cups rice flour

3 cups cornstarch or arrowroot

2 cups potato starch

1 cup tapioca starch

3 tablespoons potato flour

*If you would like to purchase baking flour pre-mixed, Authentic Foods sells Bette Hagman’s Featherlight Rice Flour Mix, but it’s not as good as Amy’s. The differences are slight but enough to make the difference in the smooth texture of your cake.



Don’t forget ½ tsp xanthun gum per cup of flour used.