Two Minute Gluten Free Mini Cakes

First Published Sept 20, 2013

Update: Two things I like about this recipe is that I can use Bisquick flour blend, and it has versatility. It's a good recipe to play with.

You can watch the demonstration video on YouTube:

2 Minute Gluten Free Mini Cakes: Quick Snack and Easy Dessert

Thanks for reading. October, 2025

One thing about baking from scratch: It takes a lot of time. But mug cakes are made in the microwave, and that means that within a few minutes, the cake is done. So what could be better than a made-from-scratch cake ready in a few minutes?

Inspired by Anne's video for gluten free Mexican mug cake, I came up with this recipe for mini cakes. Using ramekins instead of mugs, I adapted a basic cake recipe to suit the portions and the quick cook method.

You'll need four 4-ounce ramekins for this recipe, but you can halve the recipe to make two cakes, or double it to make eight cakes.

Dry Ingredients

1/2cup gluten free Bisquick Pancake mix

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 tsp of salt

3 tbsp gluten free cocoa powder

Wet Ingredients

1 tablespoon of flax meal with 3 tablespoons of water

1 egg

1 tsp of apple cider vinegar

3 tbsp of rice milk or almond milk

Directions

Whisk together the Bisquick mix, sugar and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Sift in the cocoa powder and stir until the dry ingredients are well blended.

Add the wet ingredients all at once and stir until well combined.

Spray the four ramekins with a gluten free cooking spray. Fill the ramekins about half way full with the batter.

Microwave the ramekins two at a time for two minutes. Let the cakes cool for about 15 minutes before removing them from the ramekins.

And that's it. No turning on the oven, not waiting all day for the cake to cool. It's just a quick batter, two minutes in the microwave and 15 minutes to cool. And you're done.

If you want to make a cake, though, check out my recipe for gluten free chocolate cake on this blog, and you'll be able to watch the video. If you have any questions or comments about cooking or baking gluten free, please leave a comment in the comment section. I'll get back to you ASAP.

Gluten Free Lemon Bars

First Published Aug 26, 2013

Update: This recipe has stood the test of time. Watch the demonstration video on YouTube:

How to Make Gluten Free Lemon Bars Using Gluten Free Bisquick Mix

Thanks for reading. September, 2025

These gluten free lemon bars are a family favorite. Sweet with a bit of tartness, and a crust that has just the right texture. I credit the Gluten Free Bisquick Pancake Mix for that. The half cup of white rice flour gives the crust a bit more body, and the powdered sugar keeps it sweet.

For the crust:

1 cup Gluten Free Bisquick Pancake Mix

½ cup white rice flour

¼ cup powdered sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons chilled gluten free butter spread

4 teaspoons to ¼ cup cold water

For the topping:

2 eggs

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon white rice flour

¼ teaspoon baking powder

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

Zest of one large lemon

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Spray an 8x8 baking pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper

Make the Crust

Whisk together the gluten free flour mix, white rice flour, powdered sugar and salt.

Cut the chilled butter into chunks and add it to the mix.

Use a fork or pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour mix.

When the flour mix is crumbly, use your fingers to break it down until it has a sandy feel to it.

Add two teaspoons of cold water and work it in with your fingers.

Continue adding one teaspoon of water at a time until the mixture feels sticky.

Add ½ teaspoon of water at time until the mixture holds together.

Transfer the mixture into the prepared pan and press it across the pan, making it as even as possible.

Place the pan in the oven and bake the crust for 20 minutes.

Make the topping

Five minutes before the crust is done baking, make the lemon topping.

In a bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the eggs and cream of tartar until light and fluffy.

Add the sugar, white rice flour and baking powder, the lemon juice and zest to the egg mixture and beat on medium speed until well blended and slightly thickened.

Take the crust out of the oven and pour the lemon mixture over the hot crust.

And Bake

Put the pan back into the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan for at least one hour before cutting.

Sprinkle powdered sugar on top if desired. I don't usually do this, because I find the bars to be sweet enough, but a little extra sweetness is always an option.

Recipe for Gluten Free Brownies

First Published May 6, 2013

Update: While I favor the mixes for convenience, I like this recipe. It makes a cakey brownie the family likes, and uses Gluten Free Bisquick, a flour blend I can find in almost any supermarket.

You can watch the demo video of this recipe on YouTube: 

A Gluten Free Brownies Recipe made with Gluten Free Bisquick Flour Mix

Thanks for reading. October, 2025

Original Post: One of my New Year's resolutions was to create a recipe for really good gluten free brownies. I didn't want a goopy, overly sweet brownie; I wanted a delicate, cakey kind of brownie that held together when I cut a piece.

Two issues I encounter when experimenting with brownie recipes is the final product is either too wet or too dry. I search recipes online and many of the recipes call for a pile of dates in place of sugar, or massive amounts of butter. These are all too goopy.

The ones that call for sixteen different kinds of gluten free flour are too dry or crumbly, and/or have a chalky kind of aftertaste.

Hence, my resolve to create my own recipe. After several trials and errors, I have found the ultimate combination of ingredients and now have my gluten free brownie recipe.

Like many of my recipes, though, there's always room for play. I want to try adding a handful of chocolate chips, or maybe some crushed almonds. I gladly welcome suggestions in the comment section.

Recipe for Gluten Free Brownies 

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and butter an 8in. square pan

 

Dry Ingredients: 

1 1/4 cup Gluten Free Bisquick Mix

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking powder

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup cocoa powder

Wet Ingredients:

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

1 stick gluten free butter, nearly melted

Instructions:

• Whisk together the Bisquick mix, salt, baking powder, and sugar.
• Sift in the cocoa powder
• Whisk the cocoa powder into the dry ingredients until blended
• Add the vanilla and eggs to the dry ingredients
• Stir to break up the eggs and start incorporating them into the mixture 
• Add the nearly melted butter and stir until the ingredients are blended and the mixture is thickened
• Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes
• Allow to cool for one hour before cutting
• Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired

Resolution Update

Other than creating a brownie recipe, I also vowed to make more cooking videos. I'm working on that, as you can see.

 

I also vowed to start a gardening blog, which I did. Check out just az gardens to see how my gardens grow.

 

Haven't quite gotten the vegetarian meals my husband will actually like yet, but hey, the pizza bread I made the other night was meatless, and he liked that.

 

I also intended to exercise more. That, to, is a work in progress.

 

And finally, I resolved to find inner peace. Yea. That one is taking some work as well. But hey, I'm growing veggies and making brownies. So maybe it's all good.

How I Created the Gluten Free Chocolate Donut Recipe

First Published March 14, 2013

Update: We really like donuts.

Thanks for reading. September, 2025

Sometimes people ask me how I come up with my recipes. Well, like most cooks, I look to already existing recipes for inspiration and guidance. But I also depend on the Scientific Method.

It's a sound methodology for recipe development, and I used it to create the recipe for my gluten free chocolate donuts.

Ask a Question (Can donuts be low fat and gluten free?)

Do Background Research (Discover donut baking pans- Viola! Baked donuts cut the fat)

Construct a Hypothesis (The right gluten free flour blend with a method for baking donuts results in a gluten free, low fat donut)

Test the Hypothesis by Doing Experiments (Test various gluten free flour blends combined with other ingredients until one particular set of ingredients in specific amounts results in tasty donuts)

Analyze Data and Draw a Conclusion (Take the donuts to work and see if everyone else likes them as well. If so, the recipe works)

Communicate the Results (Make a YouTube video)

One of the most important steps in creating a new recipe is keeping track of the experiments and the results of those experiments. My notebooks are filled with recipes that didn't work, but I don't throw that data away. Parts of a failed recipe may have worked, and I can draw on those minor successes.

For example, I may have a sauce recipe that didn't work for enchiladas, but hey, with a bit of tweaking, it will make a great chili sauce.

It took four 'experiments' to get just the right donut recipe. I kept track, and so didn't make the same mistake twice, and made notes on what worked and what didn't.

But it doesn't stop there. Oh no. Now that I have a basic chocolate donut recipe, I'll start playing around with it. Maybe I'll add some sour cream, or yogurt- just to see what happens.

Well, that's my 'secret' to creating new recipes. I follow a method and then cook, cook, cook. And even after I get it right, I cook some more.

Time to Make the Donuts

First Published Jan. 8, 2013

Update: This is a good recipe, and you can watch the demonstration video on YouTube:

Gluten Free Chocolate Donuts, An Easy Recipe: No Fryer Needed

Thanks for reading. October, 2025

Original Post: Donuts were practically a food group for us when the kids were young. Sunday mornings Bob or I would go to the Safeway down the street, which had a great bakery, or sometimes to Dunkin' Donuts, which wasn't quite so close to home. The kids, of course, loved the sweet cakey treats and it was an easy breakfast for a lazy day.

Donuts and Coffee

The Safeway down the street has closed. Bob and I aren't allowed the deep fried cakes because, well, they're deep fried. My son can't have them because he has to maintain a gluten free diet, and donut batter is made with wheat flour. Only my daughter the vegetarian can have donuts, but she doesn't eat many sweets these days, so donuts aren't around anymore in our house.

Until now!

Donut Pans

We missed donuts. We wanted donuts. So one day I saw in a Bed Bath & Beyond flier these nifty pans for baking donuts. The next chance I got I went to that cook's paradise and purchased two of them.

I've written a recipe for chocolate donuts that are pretty low in fat, comparatively speaking, and of course, gluten free. It's an easy recipe and you can store them in a cake saver or similar container for up to three days - if they last that long.

Gluten Free Chocolate Donuts
Makes 12

Dry ingredients:
1 1/4 cup Gluten Free Bisquick pancake mix
1/4 cup gluten free cocoa powder
1/2 cup granulated sugar

Wet ingredients:
1 egg
1/2 cup rice milk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp softened gluten free butter

Directions:
-Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
-Use a gluten free cooking spray and spray the two donut pans.

-Sift the GF Bisquick and cocoa powder into a large mixing bowl.

-Add the sugar and whisk the dry ingredients together.

-Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until well combined.

 

-Fill each donut round three-fourths of the way full, smoothing out the batter with a small spatula or the back of spoon.

 

TIP: Wet the spatula or spoon first. The moisture makes the batter easier to smooth.

 

Bake in the preheated oven for 7-to-9 minutes. Allow to cool in pans for 5 minutes. Slide a butter knife around the edges to loosen and remove the donuts from the pans. 

 

Try these with your morning coffee or tea, or with a cold glass of your favorite sort of milk. These are great for breakfast, for snacks and for dessert. The calorie and fat count is much lower than store bought donuts and of course, they're perfect for anyone on a gluten free diet.