Gluten-Free Makeovers (82 page)

Chill the cake for at least 6 hours. Bring to room temperature before serving.

*
The halved layers will be more fragile. Use two large spatulas to handle them and prevent them from breaking. However, broken pieces can be
glued
back together with mousse and will not show when frosted.

Use commercial chocolate or yellow cake mix to make two or three layers of cake (see Pantry, page 273).

This cake is light and richly flavored with warm spices and a hint of orange. Last time I served this, everyone, gluten-free or not, came back for seconds. The layers freeze well. Because it is so easy to assemble and transport, I often store well-wrapped cake layers in my freezer for last minute gatherings.

Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two 8-inch round cake pans.

Beat the eggs, sugar, and oil on medium speed until light lemon in color, about 5 minutes. Blend in the canned pumpkin and vanilla.

Mix together the flour blend, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a separate bowl. Blend with a whisk. Add to the pumpkin mixture and gently stir until no flour is visible.

Divide the batter evenly between the two pans. Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pans before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the filling: Heat the marmalade in the microwave on high for 30 to 40 seconds. Stir in the brandy, if using, and let cool for 5 minutes.

Make the cream cheese frosting according to the recipe, substituting ½ teaspoon orange extract for the vanilla.

To assemble: Set one cake layer on a cake plate. Place strips of wax paper or paper towels underneath the edge of the cake to catch any overflow of frosting. Spread with an even layer of filling. Top with the second layer. Spread the top and sides of the cake with the frosting. Sprinkle the orange zest over the top for a lovely presentation. Remove the wax paper before serving.

Tip
:
Freeze the cake layers before frosting. Assembling and frosting while the cake is still frozen will reduce crumbs and produce a smoother finish.

This falls into the have-your-cake-and-eat-it-too category. Although this is lower in calories, it doesn’t sacrifice anything in taste. The crust would be great with Chocolate Orange Mousse Filling on page 222 or an instant pie and pudding filling.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan with vegetable spray.

Make the crust: Toss the cookie crumbs with the melted butter and press into the bottom of the springform pan. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven. Lower the oven temperature to 300°F.