BAKE YOUR OWN DELICIOUS GLUTEN-FREE TREATS

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE ALMOND CAKE

175g gluten-free flour (or equal mix of rice flour, potato starch and tapioca flour) 2 tsp gluten-free baking powder ½ level tsp xanthan gum 20g cocoa powder 200g dark soft brown sugar 50g ground almonds 20g gluten-free dark chocolate chips 3 medium eggs 100ml vegetable oil 100ml milk or gluten-free unsweetened almond milk 1 tsp vanilla extract PREHEAT the oven to 160c/140 fan/gas 3 and line an 18cm-wide cake tin with baking parchment. Sift the flour into a bowl with the baking powder, gum and cocoa powder and stir until mixed. Add the sugar, breaking up any lumps, then add the ground almonds and chocolate chips.

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, oil, milk and vanilla extract until combined. Fold the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir, then spoon into the tin and bake for an hour or until a skewer comes out clean.

Allow to cool, then turn onto a wire rack and top with chocolate ganache (melt 125g gluten-free dark chocolate with 150ml whipping cream and a knob of butter, stir until smooth and glossy, then cool before spreading). The same mixture can be baked in a loaf tin or made into cupcakes.

LEMON DRIZZLE CAKE

115g gluten-free flour ¼ level tsp xanthan gum 1 level tsp gluten-free baking powder 150g sugar plus 25g for the glaze 50g finely ground almonds 2 medium eggs 175g butter/margarine, melted Finely grated zest and juice of 1 large unwaxed lemon and 1 lime PREHEAT the oven to 190c/170 fan/gas 5 and line a 20cm square tin with baking paper. Sift the flour with the gum and baking powder, then stir in 150g sugar and the ground almonds. In a small bowl, beat the eggs and mix in the melted butter/margarine, lemon and lime zests and lime juice.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry and beat the batter until smooth. Pour into the tin and tap it on the work surface to remove any air pockets.

Bake in the middle of the oven for 40 to 50 minutes until the surface is springy, then remove from the oven.

Mix the lemon juice with 25g sugar and spoon over the surface while the cake is still warm in its tin.

Recipes from phil Vickery’s essential Gluten-Free, published in association with coeliac UK by Kyle Books, 2016.