Gluten-Free Cola Cake

This cake should be banned, it is so addictive. Seriously, it is so good, you can feed it to glutenavores (what do you call people who eat gluten?) and they will not know that they are eating a gluten free dessert.  Unfortunately, I didn’t do it justice when I photographed it.

Besides the sugar, fats, and white rice flour there are a couple more health hazards to be wary of. First, since it is called cola cake it obviously contains cola. Unfortunately, many colas now contain High Fructose Corn Syrup, so try to buy a soda made with real sugar like Coca Cola Natural or Pepsi-Cola with Real Sugar. Many of the health stores carry their own brand of cola made with real sugar, as well. Second, you need to be careful when you buy marshmallows. Many are now made with modified food starch instead of cornstarch, so read the packaging carefully. Finally, this recipe calls for vegetable shortening and believe it or not there is actually a slightly healthier shortening on the market. Spectrum Naturals Organic Vegetable Shortening is never hydrogenated and is made from pressed organic palm oil.

Gluten-Free Cola Cake Recipe

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
1 cups white rice flour
3/4 cup tapioca flour
1/4 cup potato starch flour
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 cup cola
1/2 vegetable shortening (I like Spectrum)
1/4 cup butter (or use dairy-free margarine)
4 tablespoons cocoa
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup milk (or use almond or rice milk to make it dairy-free)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups small marshmallows (beware some marshmallows contain modified food starch)

In a small bowl, combine sugar, flours and xanthan gum; set aside. In a small saucepan, add cola, butter, shortening, and cocoa; bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in flour mixture. Beat in eggs. Add milk, baking soda, vanilla, and marshmallows; mix well. Pour into a greased 13×9 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes, then spread with cola frosting. Serve warm or cool.

Cola Frosting

1/2 cup butter ( or df margarine)
3 Tablespoons cocoa
1/3 cup cola
1 cup small marshmallows
1 cup pecans, chopped
1 pound powdered sugar

In a medium saucepan, add butter, cola, and cocoa; bring to a boil. Turn off heat; add marshmallows and pecans. Slowly stir in powdered sugar; mix well. Spread on cake.

I thought about playing with this and making it a little healthier but then thought better of it. You shouldn’t mess with a good thing!  Whenever I meet someone who has been newly diagnosed with celiac’s disease, I like to make this cake for them. Most people who are diagnosed with cd go through a period of mourning all the things they can’t have, by serving them this cake I let them see that delicious cakes and cookies can still be a part of their life. Once they have adjusted to eating gluten-free, I start encouraging them to play with and develop a taste for sorghum, quinoa, and coconut flours.

Do you have anything that you share or do to encourage those who are newly diagnosed with celiac's disease?