Clean Cakes by Henrietta Inman {book review}

A few years ago baking was all the rage with The Great British Bake Off reigning as king on the BBC, but things are changing as we are more aware, thanks to Jamie Oliver about the amount of sugar and other additives in our food.

Since I started baking at home it is the very rare occasion that I buy store bought cakes and treats, with the exceptions of my girls favorite biscuits here and there. When I bake at home I know exactly what is going into it and I do think it’s important that we start thinking about what it is we are putting into our bodies.

Henrietta Inman, author of Clean Cakes, felt similar when she started to question all the traditional sugary pastries and bakes she was trained to make. She then started her own business using her knowledge from being a pastry chef in many kitchens around London, but with a twist using nothing but natural ingredients. No refined sugar in this book.

This isn’t just a cookbook, but a text book of information on all sorts of alternative ingredients for the key baking ingredients: dairy, sugar, and gluten. Miss Inman teaches us how to stock our larders/shelfs full of all the ingredients we need to make any of her creations at any time.

So, now that we have the knowledge and ingredients we can start baking cakes, bread, cookies/bars, tarts and pies, raw desserts, and patisserie treats - mostly chocolate, including how to make your own chocolate.

After reading the book cover to cover I couldn’t help but bookmark a few recipes to try! It’s always good to try new things and here is a list of those bookmarked recipes:

• Courgette, basil, lime and pistachio cake with avocado lime cream and raspberry jam (picture)
• Baked banana, date, and pecan loaf with spiced caramel sauce (picture)

• Dark chocolate dipped peanut butter and jelly dreams 
• Chai-spiced oatmeal, raisin, sultana, and currant cookies
• Sour cherry and macadamia butterscotch blondies
• Blueberry Galettes
• Gooseberry and almond tart
• Maple Baked Apple Pies
• Tiramisu mousse
• Chocolate, banana, and passionfruit pie with sticky toffee sauce (picture)

• Pristine Black Forest parfait 
• Blueberry lemon mousse cake with scented geranium flowers (cake on cover)
• Homemade chocolate
• Dream coconut ice (picture)

Now all I need to do is stock up my cupboards! However, that doesn’t mean that I have given up on sugary, buttery, flour cakes and bakes for good. It means, for me, that there is alternative and I like living in a world where there is choice. Sometimes I will chose to make a cake with full fat milk, sugars, and plain flour and other times I will chose dairy, sugar, and gluten alternatives and when I do I will turn to this book.

It is truly a beautiful book. I have learned a lot, it really shows how much time and effort Miss Inman must have put into this book. I couldn’t recommend it more; especially to those with food intolerances.

The book is out today! Order your copy online or from your favorite retail seller!

note: I was sent a copy of clean cakes to review from the publishers Jacqui Small LLP; no other compensation was given. All opinions and views are my own. Please see my contact/policy page for further information. I have everything I need to make the blueberry galettes so, hopefully will be making and posting those soon!!

Gluten & Dairy Free Blueberry Almond Crumble Muffins

When I was little I had a good dentist, who happened to live in our neighbor hood and on Halloween would give out toothbrushes and Trident sugar free gum. I didn’t realize how great he was until we moved states and I encountered a capable, but horrendous dentist.

Which is why I really appreciate our current dentist, he’s pretty cool and my girls love visiting him. They don’t see the dentist as something to fear and I thank him for that. I think it really does matter how you feel about going depending on who you’re going there to see.

If it were not for my friend who used to work with him, we’d still be with our old dentist who just wasn’t great with kids.

To make sure he knows he’s appreciated I occasionally bring him baked goods. The first time I brought a big plate of Rocky Road, however unbeknownst to me he cannot have gluten or dairy. So, he was unable to enjoy the Rocky Road due to all the chocolate and biscuits.

This time round, as our appointment was in the morning, I brought him these Blueberry Crumble Muffins. They were a bit heavier then regular muffins but they were good. The blueberry and almond flavors really go well together.

It will be six months before I get to ask him about them, but I really hope he’s enjoyed them. Wonder what I should bring him next?

The recipe was adapted from Ms Cupcake’s The Naughtiest Vegan Cakes in Town! It’s one of those books I highly recommend to any one who is after Vegan or dairy free cakes and bakes. Plus all of the recipes can be adapted like I did to this one to be gluten-free as well!

Blueberry Almond Crumble Muffins

crumble:

100g gluten free self-rising flour

50g demerara sugar

50g dairy-free margarine

Put all the ingredients into a bowl and mix together with your hands until it’s all crumbly.

blueberry almond muffin:

500g gluten free self-rising flour

60g ground almonds

1 tsp bicarbonate soda

1 tsp baking powder

250g golden caster sugar

500ml Oatly Oat Drink

320ml sunflower oil

2 tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp almond extract

100g whole blueberries

Heat the oven to 180C/350F and line a muffin tin with paper cases. I had enough batter for 18 muffins. In a big bowl mix the dry ingredients together. In another bowl mix the wet ingredients together. Then pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and quickly fold together with a metal spoon until just combined. It will be a bit lumpy but that’s exactly how it should be, if it starts to fizz just bang the bowl on the counter a couple of times. Then fill the paper cases about ¾ full before dividing the blueberries between the cases and sprinkling with the crumble. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Cool in the tins for at least 10 minutes before placing on a cooling rack to finish cooling off. Then package up and give to really cool dentists who can’t have gluten or dairy.

notes: I used Dove’s Gluten-Free Self-Rising flour and Vitalite Dairy Free Margarine. I also used Oatly Oat Drink that was leftover from a previous post I did for them. Feel free to use a soya or rice milk. Be sure to check that your baking powder is gluten free. None of these brands are sponsoring this post, but thought I would mention it as I felt it would be helpful. All opinions are my own please see my contact/policy page for more information.

If you enjoyed this post here are a few others you might like:

My first attempt at Vegan Cupcakes

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting 

Oatly Espresso Cupcakes

Oatly Chocolate Mini Donuts

2 dozen Vegan Cupcakes & a dozen Gluten-Free!

School is almost out for summer! Finally. You know how when you’re young you can’t wait to finish school. Well, what no one tells you is that when you have kids and they are in school it’s like being in school again.

I get up early every morning for “the school run” and stress about everything I don’t have ready or forgot to do the night before. Then I do “the school run” again in the afternoon just to be overwhelmed by the homework and other stuff the school requires of me.

To say the least I am as much ready for summer vacation (summer holiday’s) as my daughter is! Every time something ends it’s a little bittersweet isn't it? I’m thrilled at how much my girls have grown and also a little sad as they will never again be how they are right now.

Baby Baker is going to nursery in the fall and last week was her last day at the toddler group I have taken her to for the past year. It was party day and her good friend is a vegetarian but his mom is vegan. So, to ensure that she could join in the party food I made vegan cupcakes from the infamous Ms. Cupcake’s book The Naughtiest Vegan Cakes in Town!

I was just going to make a batch of the Mint Chocolate Chip ones at my friend’s request. However, a few nights before party day at toddlers, my friend texts to say it’s her boss’s birthday and he can’t have dairy and is a celiac. I was like how convenient. So, I decided to make the Bakewell Tart Cupcakes as well and then divide them each so each party had a variety.

However I didn't fully understand that celiac meant no gluten. So, the night before I had 2 dozen cupcakes baked and ready to be frosted when we concluded my friend’s boss wouldn't be able to have the cupcakes, as I didn't use gluten-free flour.

I wasn't going to let that stop me. So, I made a 3^rd batch of cupcakes that were dairy (vegan) and gluten-free! And it all worked out in the end!

I received very positive reactions to these cupcakes! Here's what they had to say... 

“Possibly one of the nicest cupcakes I have ever had! And I've eaten a lot of cake! Thank you so much for sharing with me!” ~ Lauren {Mint Chocolate Chip Cupcake}

“Ummm, so good!” ~ Bex {Bakewell Tart Cupcake – took one home for her husband}

“Best cupcakes I have ever had!” ~ Rebecca {my vegan friend who took all the leftovers home!} Her husband said, “Mm, they’re pretty good actually” which according to her is high praise indeed! ;0)

“Best cupcake I have ever had! I wouldn't have know they were vegan.” ~ Molly’s Mum {Mint Chocolate Chip Cupcake}

“A huge huge thank you to @unitedcakedom fantastic gluten free cakes amazballs as my boss says. Star baker for def” ~ Louise via twitter {friend who requested gluten and dairy free cupcakes for her boss’s birthday}

Who knew vegan cupcakes would be so popular? Well, Ms Cupcake obviously did! I will definitely be making a trip there next time I am in London. The book isn't all cupcakes there are many other type of bakes that are all dairy free and she does tell you how to make them gluten free if need be!! 

notes: Ms Cupcake: The Naughtiest Vegan Cupcakes in Town byMelissa Morgan; visit Ms Cupcake in Brixton