The Party’s Over…..

Today was an awful day and I had to take my parent’s to the airport for them to fly home to the US. Usually, I can hold it together until the day they leave but had many tears last night in the lead up. The morning didn’t start well when I tried to fill my void of sadness with an entire mini loaf of warm bread from Ma Belle at Hamilton. My Mom was raving about the bread earlier so I wanted to send her off with 2 mini loaves for the plane as it is often a VERY long journey for Celiacs when travelling. Pam, from Ma Belle, was a gem and baked up 4 for us and they were still warm when I picked them up. I had already had a big breakfast at home and wasn’t even hungry but I started with a bite of the still warm mini loaf and suddenly I had no will power and the entire delicious loaf was in my stomach. Who says comfort food doesn’t deserve it’s name?

But back to the holiday with my parents. This visit was the best I can remember as we got to spend all of our time together. We laughed, we ate, we did tourist things (Hey, Newcastle is AWESOME!), we ate, we hugged and kissed each other, we ate And when Mimi and Poppy talk about posting on the dancing daughter’s wall, they mean it literally!

The food party is O-V-E-R at home as I get back to the gym and back to work tomorrow but a cake always makes things better. Enjoy……I’ll just be over here licking the plate to make myself feel better.

German Chocolate Cake
Adapted from Taste of Home

Cake:
125 Grams dark chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup water
1 cup margarine
2 cups sugar or sugar substitute like Natvia
4 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups gluten free AP flour less 2 Tbls
2 Tbls corn flour
½ tsp xanthan gum
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk

Icing:
1-1/2 cups sugar
1-1/2 cups evaporated milk
3/4 cup butter
5 egg yolks, beaten
2 cups flaked coconut
1-1/2 cups chopped pecans
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Line two large round springform pans with baking paper and then spray with baking spray.

In small saucepan, melt chocolate with water over low heat; cool.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in 4 egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in melted chocolate and vanilla. Combine the flour, cornflour, xanthan, baking soda and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition.

In a small bowl and with clean beaters, beat the 4 egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold a small amount of the egg whites into the creamed mixture before folding in the remainder.

Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake at 180° or 160° fan forced for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the centre comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

For icing, in a small saucepan, heat the sugar, milk, butter and egg yolks over medium-low heat until mixture is thickened and golden brown, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat.

Stir in the coconut, pecans and vanilla extract. Cool until thick enough to spread.

Spread the icing on the top of one layer and then stack the next layer on top. Cover the remainder of the cake with icing and decorate with pecan pieces if desired.

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