CUPCAKES

From Client Appreciation Afternoon

Thank you. 

Thank you for being amazing clients and for all of your support for The Coach House and its team. We wouldn't be here without you and we so badly wanted to show you how much you mean to us! We hope you enjoyed our matinee showing of Lion. 

Many of you enjoyed our cupcakes and asked for the recipes as well...maybe you were surprised that these little sweets were actually GLUTEN FREE! 

Say what? I know, you couldn't even tell could you? When most people hear gluten free they think of something resembling crumbling cardboard. But the truth is the trick to getting good gluten free treats is the flour. I have tried may different versions, some homemade mixes and pre-made mixes- usually some kind of combination of rice and/or bean flours, sometimes requiring the addition of a 'gum' (xantham or guar).

My favourite was Bob's Red Mill standard gluten free mix. This version did require the addition of a gum and was a bit dense. So I dabbled with a few basic DIY mixes I found on Pinterest. My favourite contained a mix of rice and coconut flours. This was until Bob's Red Mill released a new gluten free flour- 1:1 Baking Flour which needs no additions AND you can substitute into your favourite recipes as if it was regular gluten containing flour! 

This is the flour we used for all the cupcakes and the recipes, and all the recipes were just standard Chocolate and Vanilla cake recipes from Martha Stewart's cookbooks (Cupcake and Cake, respectively). The lemon recipe came from i am baker's blog. The icing was basic buttercream (icing sugar, butter and milk) with the addition of either vanilla, peppermint or lemon. I don't actually have a recipe for this as I just add and adjust ingredients until I get the right consistency.

But, before any one gets the wrong idea, these cupcakes were most definitely NOT healthy. They were a treat. Whether gluten free or not, cupcakes are loaded with sugar. To make them healthy, you would have to remove the sugar and let's be real, what you would be left with would NOT be a cupcake.

The point of using gluten free flour or a non dairy milk isn't to make them 'healthier' per say but to allow those who can't eat those ingredients- whether due to Celiac Disease (an autoimmune reaction to gluten) or a Gluten Sensitivity (this can present with digestive upset, diarrhea, eczema, unwell feeling, etc)- to enjoy a treat. Even if you don't feel you are sensitive or allergic to gluten, a reason to consider using gluten free flour is to mix up the grains that you are exposed to. We tend to over consume wheat/gluten (bagels, cereals, bread, baked goods, etc) while not consuming many other grains. By mixing up the flour you use, you get a more varied diet and a break from the overconsumption of gluten/wheat.

This is important to remember however, a cupcake is a cupcake. Whether it's organic, gluten free, dairy free, or vegan.

It. Is. Still. A. Cupcake.

So, eat the cupcake and enjoy the sugar (just don't do it every day)!

Thank you again for being a part of our journey, we wouldn't be here without you and we are so glad we were able to give you a Thank You treat!

~The Coach House Team~