Double Dark Chocolate Muffins

Double Dark Chocolate Gluten-Free, Egg-Free Muffins

Ok...  So as many of you gluten-free eaters out there know, it can be a difficult task to bake a delicious muffin without gluten.  It is even more challenging to bake a delicious tender gluten-free muffin without eggs!  In most gluten-free baked items, eggs (sometimes in combination with a starch such as tapioca or potato) are used to help bind and create texture due to the lack of gluten dirived texture and binding qualities. When one is not able to use the eggs, even an egg substitute falls short of this huge responsibility many times.

It took many tries, but finally I was able to acheive a muffin that is gluten-free, egg-free, free of hydrogenated fats, but yet rich, delicious and moist. 

DRY INGREDIENTS:
2/3 c. Dark Cocoa Powder, (we like Hershey's Special Dark... and it works ok with all the allergies we deal with!)
1 c. Buckwheat Flour
3/4 c. Masa Harina
1 1/4 c. Brown Sugar
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Baking Soda
3/4 tsp. salt

WET INGREDIENTS:
1/2 c. Flaxseed Egg Substitute Mixture*  (or two large eggs, if you don't have to avoid them)
1 c.  Milk, or your favorite milk substitute (almond milk and coconut milk are both great in this recipe!)
2 tsp. Vinegar
2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1/4 c. Applesauce, unsweetened
1/4 c. Vegetable or Canola Oil

Optional Add-Ins:
1 c. Dark Chocolate Chips (or other favorite chips)
1/2 c. Coconut, shredded, unsweetened or sweetened
1/2 c. Chopped Pecans
1/2 c. Sunflower Seeds
 Or anything else you prefer....

Struesel Topping:
 1/4 c.  Buckwheat flour (or any GF AP flour mix that you like)
1/2 c.  Brown Sugar
2 Tbs. Butter, softened but not melted.

In a large bowl mix together all the Dry Ingredients.  Then measure all the Wet Ingredients right into the mixing bowl with the Dry Ingredients.  Then mix together well with a whisk until mostly smooth.  There is no real need here to mix all the wet ingredient together before adding to the dry as you would with full gluten muffins...  there is no gluten in these to make it tough!  Just stop mixing when the batter is just about all smooth and you'll be all set!  At this point fold in any of the "Optional Add-Ins" that you choose.  The muffins pictured above just had the dark chocolate chips added.  Scoop the batter into well greased muffin tins (or likewise use cupcake papers...) to about 3/4 full.

If you choose to add the Struesel Topping, simply mix the flour and brown sugar together well, and then cut in the butter with a pastry blender or use your fingers, until it resembles crumbs the size of peas or smaller.  Sprinkle this mixture over the uncooked batter and proceed to bake.  In the picture shown above, the middle muffin has the Struesel Topping and the two others do not. When I choose to add coconut into the muffin batter (which is absolutely delicious, by the way) I sprinkle the tops with the shredded coconut instead of the struesel topping.  It's up to you!

Bake at 425 degrees for about 15-20 minutes.  The tops of the muffins should feel firm to the touch.  I like to check a couple of the muffins by inserting a wooden skewer or cake tester into the center.  If it comes out clean (with the exception of any melted chocolate chips) then they are done!  Remove from oven and immediately remove, CAREFULLY, from the muffin tins.  Allow to cool for maybe 5 minutes or so.

These muffins are best when served warm.  At room temperature they are just a little dryer than when warm, but still quite good.  They will keep in an airtight container for 2-3 days, and they freeze extremely well.  Put them in the freezer and take out just what you need the night before. Then, at breakfast, warm them in the microwave if you wish, or wrap in foil and warm in a 350 degree oven for about 5-10 minutes while your getting ready for your day!


*Please see the post called "Egg Substitutes" for more information regarding the Flaxseed Egg Substitute.  If you are not allergic to eggs, simply use real eggs instead of the substitute. 

Apple Coffee Cake w/Warm Vanilla Sauce

This coffee cake is one of the best.  It originated from a "regular" coffee cake recipe that I use quite a bit with just about any fruit including but not limited to rhubarb, blueberries, apples, or cranberries (fresh).  I have not found a fruit yet that is not good in this, so feel free to be creative!  It can be eaten without the vanilla sauce, if you want to cut back on sugar and fat, or if you cannot have dairy (you'll notice that it is mostly butter, sugar and milk...) but it really sends this cake "over-the-top" in the flavor and texture category.  Sometimes, I will use the sauce if serving this as a dessert (pictured below) and omit it if serving the cake for a breakfast item (pictured above).  This recipe uses all quinoa flour, and I would highly recommend that you try it this way too.  I am sure it can be done with a combination of buckwheat and quinoa or just buckwheat, but the results with all quinoa flour is the best results I have had yet working with any gluten-free flours.  This recipe is also egg-free.  If you can have eggs and use them, simply use 1 egg in place of the 1/4 c. flaxseed egg-substitute.  You will probably want to omit the applesauce in the cake batter as well if actually using eggs.  There are more explanations about this egg-substitute in the "Egg Substitutes" post.  I am so excited about sharing this recipe with you and hope that you find it as wonderful as we did!

Cake Batter:
2 Tbs Butter
1 c. Sugar
1/4 c. Flax seed Egg-Substitute (See "Egg-Substitutes" Post)
2 Tbs. Applesauce
2 c. Quinoa Flour
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 c. Milk
1 c. Apples, peeled, cored and diced (or other fruit like fresh or frozen rhubarb, blueberries, cranberries)


Cream together butter and sugar, and then add the flax seed egg substitute and applesauce.  Mix until smooth and creamy.  In a separate bowl, stir together the quinoa flour, baking powder, and baking soda.  Add to the butter mixture alternately with the milk.  Scrape the bowl and continue mixing until all ingredients are incorporated and the batter will be smooth.  Stir in the apples (or other fruit).  Pour into a greased 8" or  9" square pan or a 9" round cake pan.  Sprinkle the Struesel Topping (recipe below) over the entire surface of cake, make sure to use the full amount of topping that you have, it might seem like too much, but it will be perfect once the cake is baked.  Bake cake at 350 degrees F for 30-40 mins.  The topping should be lightly browned and a toothpick stuck in the middle of the cake should come out mostly clean with possibly a moist crumb or two on it, but nothing gooey.  Let cool for 10-15 mins before cutting.  This cake is still absolutely delicious at room temperature with or without the optional Warm Vanilla Sauce (recipe below).


Struesel Topping:

1/4 c. Quinoa Flour
1/4 c. Sugar
2 Tbs. Butter, cold

Mix together the flour and sugar in a small bowl.  Cut in the butter until all pieces are smaller than the size of peas.  Sprinkle over unbaked panned caked batter.

Warm Vanilla Sauce (Optional, but Highly Recommended):
1/2 c. Butter
3/4 c. Sugar
2 Tbs. Cornstarch
1/2 c. Milk
1 tsp. Vanilla

Mix together the sugar and cornstarch until there are no lumps.  Place into a sauce pan with the remaining ingredients.  Cook on medium low, whisking, until the butter is melted and everything is incorporated.  Turn heat to medium high and cook until the mixture comes to a boil, turn heat down to medium low and continue to boil for 2-3 mins.  The mixture should thicken to a nappe consistency (cling to back of spoon) and have no starchy texture/flavor when you taste it.  Remove from heat and cool for about 10 mins before drizzling over cake, it will thicken just a little more as it cools. 

Apple Coffee Cake w/Warm Vanilla Sauce