Pumpkin Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting (Gluten Free and Refined Cane Sugar Free)

After I took this picture,  I spilled the cup of coffee in the cake. As well as all over my great-grandmothers hand
embroidered table linen. Smooth.

AThis cake is terrific! It is so moist and flavorful! I'm a firm believer that pumpkin recipes aren't just for the fall and winter months. Although, some people do go a little overboard with pumpkin...

For example, I've been making four loaves of pumpkin bread a week for my employer for about a year and half. That's almost 300 loaves of pumpkin bread people! I think that can definitely be classified as obsessed. Whenever I decided to move on to another job, I'm going to be charging big bucks for that recipe. I mean, what would they do without their crack pumpkin bread? But enough about them and their silly obsession. Let's talk cake!
This may be cake, but I have to say that I've eaten for breakfast once or twice or twenty times and felt totally cool about. You see, not only is this deeeelicious cake gluten free, it's also free of refined cane sugar making it a healthier choice than some "whole grain good for you sugar laden" boxes of super refined cereal. This cake even bakes great as cupcakes! 

Yummy picnic food! 

Pumpkin Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients for Cake:

1 cup Blanched Almond Flour

3/4 cup Brown Rice Flour

1/4 cup Tapioca Flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon cloves

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon allspice 

1 15 oz. can pumpkin puree

1/2 cup coconut oil, liquified

3 eggs at room temperature

1/2 cup honey

1/3 cup coconut sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven 350 degrees.

Begin by melting the coconut oil. I do this by creating a makeshift double boiler with a small sauce pan and bowl, and heating it over low heat. When completely melted, set aside to slightly cool. Combine dry ingredients (flours, spices etc.) in a small bowl and set aside. In a large bowl mix together wet ingredient, including the coconut sugar and combine using an electric mixer. Once combined add, the dry ingredients to the wet and mix thoroughly. Pour batter into a greased 9x13 baking dish (or lined muffin tin). Bake in a preheated oven for 35-40 minutes checking half way through baking time.

Ingredients for Frosting:

1 8oz. block of cream cheese softened. (or cream cheese substitute) 

1/3 Cup maple syrup, more to taste

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Mix with an electric mixer on high speed until thoroughly wiped. Spread on top of cooled pumpkin cake and sprinkle on chopped pecans. Oh yeah! 

Double Chocolate Mint Cookies

These cookies are delicious. They are peppermint patty in cookie form. Oh yes, and did I mention they're delicious?  I did? Okay, just checking. This dough freezes well. It's great to have in your food arsenal, you know,  just in case.

Double Chocolate Mint Cookies With Peppermint Icing

Cookie Ingredients:
1 1/2 Gluten Free All Purpose Flour (1/2 cup Almond flour, 1/2 cup Brown rice flour, 1/2 cup Tapioca starch)*
1/2 cup Cocoa Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Xanthan Gum
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Stick (1/2 cup) Butter
3/4 Cup Sugar
2 Eggs
1 Teaspoon Peppermint oil
12 ounces chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a small mixing bowl combine first 5 ingredients and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Add peppermint oil continue mixing.
Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredient and mix until throughly combined.
Fold in chocolate chips.
Place heaping tablespoons of dough on the parchment line cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes (Be careful not to over bake)
Place cookies on cooling rack.
When cookies are completely cool, drizzle with peppermint icing.

Peppermint Icing:

1 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar

1 Egg White**

1 Teaspoon Peppermint oil

Place all ingredients in bowl. Whisk to combine. 

*I made my own four mixture, but any GF all purpose flour should work fine. 

**For those weirded out by using a raw egg white, replace with 3 Tablespoons pasteurized egg white.