Perfect Low-Cost GF Flour Substitute

This flour substitute recipe was passed on to me from a friend.  That's the perfect way to find a new recipe--your friends are tried and true and you know their recipes will be too.

This works cup for cup for any recipe you want to bake.  So for every 1 cup of flour, you use:

Ingredients: 

1/3 cup rice flour
1/3 cup brown rice flour
1/3 cup cornstarch {Argo is GF}
1 tsp unflavored gelatin
1 tsp xanthan gum

that little recipe is equal to every cup of flour that you would need...so if you need 3 cups of flour, just multiply it by 3.   It's been used to make muffins, bread, cakes, and cupcakes--which all turn out perfect....much better than the GF mixes that stores sell.

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Below is the recipe for Classic White Cake from Food Network if you'd like to try out this GF flour substitute.  No one will ever know!

Classic White Cake

Ingredients

• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 large egg whites (3/4 cup)
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 (9-inch) diameter by 1 1/2-inch deep layer pans or 1 (13 by 9 by 2-inch) pan, buttered and bottoms lined with parchment or waxed paper

Directions

The fine moist crumb of this cake complements any type of filling and frosting -- the perfect celebratory cake.

Set a rack at the middle level of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar for about 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. Combine egg whites, milk and vanilla extract. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to butter mixture then add half the milk mixture. Continue to alternate beginning and ending with flour mixture. Scrape bowl and beater often. Pour batter into prepared pan(s) and smooth top with a metal spatula. Bake cake(s) about 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean. Cool in pan on a rack for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a rack, remove paper and let cool completely.

Variation:

CLASSIC YELLOW CAKE Substitute 3 large eggs and 1 egg yolk for all of the egg whites above.

How to Make GF Cinnamon Cream Cake

Recipe and Instructions For Cinnamon Cream Cake

The post below this one, shows a picture of my Gluten Free Cinnamon Cream Cake.

These are the directions. This might seem like a lot of work because it requires cooking Pinto beans before hand. I use Pinto beans all the time, so I often cook a lot at one time and store them in the refrigerator to use as I need them. You can cook beans in your crockpot over night; in a pressure cooker--about 40 minutes--or in a pot for a few hours. Cook your beans until just done, then drain them and let them sit in a bowl to dry just a bit.

The thought of beans may not appeal to you, but they are actually a very beneficial source of fiber (15g) and protein (9g)--not to mention other great vitamins!

INGREDIENTS:

Cinnamon Layer
2 C. Pinto beans (Cooked and drained)
1 C. Brown Sugar
2 eggs
1/4 C. Walnuts
3 Tbsp Cinnamon
Pinch of salt

Cream Cheese Layer
8oz. Cream Cheese
1 C. Pinto Beans
1 C. Brown Sugar
1 egg
Pinch of salt

You'll also need a blender or food processor to do the hard part.  A potato masher would also work.

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Coat your baking sheet with butter  or oil (I used a rectangular glass dish--about 13 X 9 X 2).
The idea is to put the first set of ingredients into your machine and puree them to a fine batter.  This depends on the strength of your blender.  A food processor should have no problems with this, but mine was recently cracked by exhuberant children who wanted to play with it.  My blender needed a bit of 'help' from me.  I had to stop it and stir the batter with a long spoon occasionally.  IF you do this, do turn OFF your machine first.  Yes, puree the walnuts too.
Pour this layer into your baking pan.

Now, puree the second set of ingredients for the cream cheese layer. 
Pour this mixture into your pan.   Use a knife to swirl the two layers around a bit (fun part--make it pretty).

Now bake for 30-40 minutes until set.  You can check it with a fork or knife.  If inserted in the cake, it should come out clean.  If it doesn't, your cake is not done.

Please be careful not to slam this cake around when moving it about.  It will end up very flat.  But still tasty.  :)