Princess’s 10th Birthday fast approaches.  And, while we’re crazy busy around here (and also not really the type for huge parties) I try to make sure she at least has a cake at home and cupcakes to take to school.

This is one of those times when the difficulties of maintaining a gluten-free lifestyle for the girls become more apparent than normal.  Often times people want to “share”  or “treat” the girls.  And, while I usually can be prepared enough to bring along a gluten-free treat from home, just in case…  like any kids, my girls have a tendency to make a bee-line for the things they are NOT supposed to have.  And get-togethers end with me watching them like a hawk and saying, “No,” so many times I feel like a broken record.  Worse, they occasionally manage to get around me and indulge in something that should not.  Parties become Not Fun.

I’m also not so big on the parties that the girls are invited to for their ASD classmates.  It’s hard to watch ONE kid with Autism.  For me, at least, a crowd of them is even harder.  Hence and therefore, I tend to try to make birthdays a quiet, hometime affair.

One of my favorite gluten free/casein free recipes when I DO send goodies to school with the girls is one I came up with last year, and was one of my first forays into adapting a recipe.  In this case, I played around with a champagne cake recipe to get where I wanted to go:

Angel’s Kiss Cupcakes

1 1/4 c AP Gluten Free flour of your choice
1/4 c. almond flour
1/2 tsp guar gum
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
dash salt
1/2 cup LaCroix carbonated water – flavor of your choice. I used lime. (For those in other regions of the country, this is just an unsweetened, flavored club soda.)
1 Tbsp almond milk or other milk replacer
1/2 c. veg. oil
1 tsp almond extract

Stir together dry ingredients (flour, almond flour, baking powder, guar gum, and salt) in a med bowl.

In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar until lemon colored ribbons form. Turn mixer to low and add oil, almond milk, extract, and carbonated water. Add dry ingredients. Mix to combine, then beat for 2 minutes.

Pour into 12 cupcake liners and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. Cupcakes are very white and poofy – should not brown when done.

Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely.

Icing -

1/2 cup veg oil margarine, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp of almond extract
1/4 cup of LaCroix water.

Beat together margarine and sugar. Add extract. Add LaCroix water in small additions until correct spreading consistency is reached. You may not need it all. Tint a soft color. Pale blue is very nice with the very white cupcakes!

For that matter, 7 Minute Icing would be another excellent alternative.

Enjoy!