Vegan Easter eggs

It's very nearly Easter and I think most of us are also on our 2 week break to celebrate. I've got a super simple recipe for some yummy vegan creme eggs. If you've ever tried to buy the free from versions of these you'll know you're looking at a pack of 3 for nearly £10 on most sites and almost £3 an egg if sold individually on others.

2017 Moo Free Bake Off ~ Vegan & Gluten Free Chocolate Cake

Today I bring you a delicious cake that has taken me absolutely ages to perfect. There are so many different recipes out there on the net for all manner of free from foods and vegan cakes are no exception...Except, that every single one I looked at had a bunch of different flours, or a load of raw ingredients not to mention all the different types of foods or products that you have to go through to make a decent egg replacement.

I finally feel, after well over a year, I have found a recipe that whilst is still not as cheap to make as gluten and egg containing cake recipes, it works and is no where near as pricey as some of my previous experiments!

In this post I have used Moo Free baking chocolate drops which are available from all major supermarkets priced at £2.18 (Morrisons). I was sent my packets free of charge to participate in Moo Free's Bake Along which is a nod towards the wonderful Bake Off that I'm very glad is back! Moo Free chocolate is certified organic, GMO free and free from dairy, wheat, gluten, casein and soya making it ideal for my friends daughter's birthday!

RECIPE

The Organic Coffee Shop ~ Redruth ~ Free From Friendly!

As any fellow free from foodie will know one thing that's really hard to adjust to is finding places that will competently serve you whatever allergy free food it is you require. It really is amazing the amount of chefs I've come across who don't know what a vegan is let alone what contains gluten and what doesn't!

I can't eat wheat, milk or gluten and avoid most meat as that makes me feel unwell too. I suffer with IBS and have done since I was 14 so this is nothing new. I've adjusted to shopping for groceries, reading labels (and do this regularly because supermarkets are always changing their ingredients!) I'm also sadly use to completely vetoing restaurants because they don't serve anything apart from a plate of chips.

I recently found a new place in the next town over from me, a lovely cafe and health food shop called The Organic Coffee Shop. This place was recommended to me by the ladies on reception at the chiropractor. The perfect opportunity to check out this new coffee shop arose when my aunt popped round my house (a vegan) and my mother came along too (my mum can't eat gluten or wheat and avoids dairy). We fancied a treat and some quality time together and I chose The Organic Coffee Shop in Redruth.

Enjoying Coeliac Awareness Week with Tesco Free From Foods

This week is coeliac awareness week. ( See here for more info on coeliac disease) I've not been able to eat gluten for about 13 years. At first it was a huge struggle, supermarkets were only just bringing out 'free from' products and the quality wasn't fantastic. If you've been a reader for a while you'll also know I'm intolerant to dairy and wheat. These days the free from ranges are so, so much better. One superstore that has really improved their range not just in general but with their very own range is Tesco's Superstore. Look at my local Tesco:

  The frozen section has improved the most in my opinion. There's a lot more gluten free options than dairy and gluten free but I'm really impressed with pizzas, garlic bread, breads and nuggets which my children love.

I was sent a gift card to pick up some gluten free items from my local Tesco store. The garlic bread has only been available for a few months, I can't tell you how great it is to be able to buy some!  The bread cooks quickly and well and tastes really garlicky, just like your regular non gluten garlic bread. It's also milk and wheat free.

Before we found out I couldn't tolerate the foods that were causing my stomach problems, I had never got around to trying some really good food items. One food I never managed to taste was scampi (shock! I know) I was browsing the frozen section, not getting too excited in case there was milk in them, when I saw they didn't: Hooray!! I had scampi for the first time in my life this week and It. Is. So. Good. I had mine with some veg and chips and it did not disappoint. I do find them a bit sickly if I eat more than 4/5 but other than that they hit the spot. Midge thought they were ace so I will buy some normal ones for her next time.

Before our separation, my partner used to make us a weekly free from battered fish which was delicious. I keep meaning to practice but until I get around to it I've found these crispy breaded Pollock fillets that are a brilliant replacement. They are quick and easy, we all enjoy them and I love the crispy bread crumb coating.

These lemon slices are one of my favourite treats to pick up. The center of the cakes is lemony and creamy, the sponge is firm and the topping is lemon sugar which is delicious. The children loved these too!

As you can see I have finally found loads of tasty treats and essentials I can now eat! The range of food available in Tesco's is really good to see and I am always pleased to see new items being added, especially to the frozen section because that has been some what overlooked for a rather long time!

Do you eat free from foods? Are you a coelic who has been struggling to find tasty replacements for your cupboards? I hope this post has shown you just a selection of yummy goodies available to you. If you don't find something in your store you can always speak to customer services who in my experience have been really good ant trying to get products in that are normally more commonly found in my larger Tesco store. Check out the Free From Range by Tesco online!

Cupcake Mumma 

Enjoy Gluten & Dairy Free Pancakes AND Vegan Pancakes on Pancake Day!

Delicious Free From Chocolate Pastry Roll

Two weeks ago The Great British Bake Off focused on pastry. I've seen lots of lovely tarts and vol-au-vents but didn't join in on this occasion, I had the time because I use a bought gluten free puff pastry and can make a gluten free shortcrust pastry, I guess I just lacked the motivation this week and I'm not very imaginative!

I did bake a pastry related item however but chose not to link it because my bake didn't match any of the challenges. This bake is super easy, it's a gluten and milk free chocolate pastry roll and was delicious.

Budget Gluten Free Pork, Apple and Stuffing Pie

This pie is something I wish I cooked ages ago!I had never heard of putting pork apple and stuffing together in a pie until a few years being more used to the traditional chicken or steak and kidney. I have made this pie so many times now but not baked it in a while so I thought why not? Now that I'm no longer a vegetarian I could give this a go and it's perfect for this weeks Great Bloggers Bake Off Challenge with Jenny,this week hosted by An Organised Mess

You will need (for 2 small bowls or 1 small dish)

• Shortcrust pastry either bought from a supermarket or use 80g Doves Farm plain flour and 3 tbsp dairy free butter plus some salt mixed together into crumbs with your fingertips then brought together with 1 egg and a little water into a ball

• 5 pork pieces (I bought a frozen bag which suited my food budget)

• Gluten free stuffing mix 

• Jar of apple sauce

First I defrosted my pork pieces then placed them in a pan with a small amount of oil. When they were cooked I used kitchen scissors to cut the pork into smaller chunks (can't be the only one with rubbish cutlery!?) I made my pastry as the pork kept warm and kept it to one side.

I added a jar of apple sauce to the pork then separated my half and the husbands for the stuffing which I sprinkled on top. I added some boiled water to mix the stuffing in with the pork and apple. When I make a bigger pie I do make my stuffing mix in a jug then pour on top but as these are small pies there really is no need

With the filling in the bowl I separated the pastry ball into 2 then rolled flat before covering both dishes, marking and brushing with milk (you can use an egg wash if you prefer) I used up my left over pastry by making pastry hearts!

The pies were cooked on 180 for 25 minutes and then had 5-10 minutes at 200 before being removed from the oven.

I was really pleased with how they turned out, the pork was really nice. 

Anyway, there's this weeks bake! I have a chocolate pasrty roll on the blog tomorrow which was supposed to go up last week but really didn't fit into any bake off categories; it's very tasty though so do check it out!

Cupcake Mumma

Free From Apple Crumble Cake

This week was free from week on the Bake Off. I actually struggled with this one (believe it or not!) There were sugar free cakes (okay, refined sugar free cakes!) gluten free breads and a dairy free ice cream cake. I'm having to try and go with the bake that would be the cheapest on our food budget and this week proved hard. I couldn't afford the alternatives for the sugar I always put in cakes. I tried honey but I thought, yuck! I shoved in the sugar and made a sponge instead!

So this week I went with gluten and dairy free sponge cake with a topping of gluten free oats and crumble mix.

Recipe

Free From Apple Crumble Cake

A gluten and dairy free sponge cake with apples and a crumble topping. Perfect for autumn! (And when you can't chose between cake and crumble!)

Ingredients

• 150g Dairy free spread
• 150g Caster sugar
• 1 tsp Vanilla essence
• 2 Eggs
• 150g Doves Farm Self Raising Flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• Doves Farm Plain Flour
• Gluten Free Oats
• Dairy free spread
• Apples (enough for your chosen dish)

Instructions

First make a sponge cake how you normally would by mixing all your ingredients together making sure there are no lumps

Pour the sponge mix into your chosen dish (I used a long dish for pies!)

Slice your apples and place them on top of the sponge mix

In another bowl, add some flour and butter. Using your hands, make a crumble. I didn't measure this bit, I just judged how big my dish was. Make sure there's not more spread than flour.

Scatter your crumble mix over the apples and sponge, covering entirely just like you would an ordinary apple crumble

I used 2 handfuls of gluten free oats and some more sugar on top of the crumble to give it that crunch.

Cook time: 35 mins at 180'C 

My Dairy Free Windtorte

So I decided to make life difficult for myself this week for The Great Bloggers Bake Off by baking a Spanische Windtorte for dessert week. I wasn't going to go near a dairy free creme brûlée no matter how much I wanted to and I didn't want to do the cheesecakes because finding a recipe was driving me nuts. Some how searching the recipes I could only really find the words 'raw', 'healthy', 'sin free', 'guilt free' am I the only person who doesn't give a fig about the guilt!? I felt like it! Besides, I baked a vegan and gluten free cheesecake in a previous Bake Off challenge so I was only left with the 1 option really!

Gluten & Dairy Free Madeira Cake

The Bake Off is back and that means so is The Great Bloggers Bake Off! Im a little apprehensive about adding my bakes this year because I've seen so many fellow bloggers bakes already this week and the standard is very high! Of course this is all good fun and it's lovely to be inspired to bake again. I have missed the link up because I've been busy and under the weather but I thought I'd share my cake week bake anyway. I'll probably miss a few link ups because i'm going on holiday too!

Last week we had the best (and in my opinion the easiest ) week: cake week. I decided to go with a gluten and dairy free Madeira cake which is the first cake I ever learnt to bake as a little girl in my mums orange kitchen. 

You Will Need

150g Butter (I use Stork or Vitalite)

150 g Caster Sugar

Generous amount of vanilla extract

3 Eggs

150g Doves Farm Gluten Free Self-Raising Flour

1/2 tsp gluten free baking powder

I mixed the butter and sugar together then added the eggs plus a little flour to stop the buttery lumps forming. I then added the flour mixing well. Lastly, Midge added the vanilla plus a little gluten free baking powder.

The overall look of the cake is very nice but if I lined the cake tin properly it would not have been so misshapen. Taste wise this cake was eaten in about 25 minutes so I'm taking that as a seal of approval! I was really happy with the inside, it was slightly fluffy but still firm which I like. It probably could've used 5 more minutes in the oven but I'm happy with my first bake.

This week is biscuit week which should be interesting depending on what I go with! Next week is bread week which I feel slightly less optimistic about! Are you joining in the Great Bloggers Bake Off 2015? Or are you baking along as and when you feel like it like i'll have to do until i'm back from holiday? Perhaps you've been inspired by the show, if so I'd love to see your bakes!

Cupcake Mumma

Reasons to be Cheerful ~ Lingerie & Hot Chocolate!

I've had a pretty good week this week! I've had some lovely hot chocolate dates this week the first at home with well, myself actually! Hot chocolate, Little A playing nicely it was a perfect moment. I took A for a date on Tuesday with his new hair do which I love. He gets so hot with his thick locks (even though his hair is gorgeous!)

I had a costa date with a new mum friend on Friday! It's taken us weeks and weeks of just casual hellos and quick chats, then longer chats when we realised we walked the same way. One day two weeks ago I handed my number over, she actually text me unlike several other mums last year and finally we had lunch and a hot chocolate. I had a genuine 'I'm so friggin happy moment' talking, getting along really well, having baby cuddles. It was a lovely couple hours before the school pick up.

Lastly, I attended a blogging event in Bodmin last Wednesday. I went with stevie from A Cornish Mum and met several other bloggers, 3 lovely volunteer customers who were posing in the underwear and swimwear ranges and a couple of ladies from the local WI as well as Mish herself, her lovely staff and forgive me I cannot remember your name but lady from Panache who also fitted me you were lovely!

We had a yummy lunch, got fitted professionally and went home with gifted underwear and a Panache goodie bag. Can't wait to write about the event real soon!

Cupcake Mumma

Banana Loaf~ Gluten and Milk Free ~ A-Z Challenge

Today I bring you B is for Banana Loaf with Golden Syrup and Chopped Peanuts. I love making banana cakes so shoving my mixture into a loaf tin and adding some last minute toppings of choice is a great way for me to spend an hour or so! This recipe is gluten, wheat and milk free but of course you can easily use ingredients of your choice and experiment with your toppings. Icing sugar, caramel sauce (yeah I can't make it either- disaster!) other nuts you prefer or chocolate would taste great (naturally) here goes...

*Banana Loaf with Syrup & Peanuts.

100g butter

100g sugar (I used brown sugar as that's what I had in but can use any really)

3 eggs

200g Gluten free flour (I use Doves Farm)

2 Bananas Mashed

1/2tsp bicarbonate soda

1tsp vanilla essence

Pinch of salt

Topping

Golden Syrup to drizzle

Handful of salted peanuts finely chopped to sprinkle

How To Bake The Mrs Cupcake Way:

Take all your ingredients and put them into a bowl. Mix really well, use a whisk before adding your banana if you like. Make sure your loaf tin is lined with grease proof paper and pour your mix into the tin.

Bake on 180• for 20-25 minutes (or when your knife comes out clean when inserted into the cake)

Carefully remove your cake whilst warm and now you can drizzle on your syrup or caramel or chocolate or whatever you've chosen as your desired topping.

Add those chopped peanuts and enjoy!

I have a rather slap dash approach to baking so if this isn't for you, may I recommend a Google search, Pinterest or maybe one of my other recipes that are more sensibly written?

Now then, whose for cake?

* If you scroll to the bottom of my blog, you'll find a handy fact sheet with all sorts of information including weights for those who don't use Grams!*

Cupcake Mumma

Making Chocolate with Little A

A few months ago my friend bought me a surprise gift: a raw chocolate kit. It came with chocolate powder, syrup and butter all in its raw form ready for me to make up a batch. I made these before little A had nursery so you can see that they don't take long to make.

A got involved with the stirring of the melted butter:

We added cocoa powder together (very messy!) and kept stirring until it looked so glossy and delicious.

I added the syrup, but A could have done it with the amount I put in. I still try to make my dark chocolate sweeter than its supposed to be..into the silicone mold it goes! This came in the set too.

An hour or so later the chocolates were popped out and we had fun eating homemade, rich chocolates on the nursery run!

Cupcake Mumma

Great Bloggers Bake Off 2014: Cherry Cake (Free From)

The Great British Bake Off is back! That means The Great Bloggers Bake Off is back too! Hurrah! This week the challenge was very simply, cake. Mini cakes, cherry cake and um cake.

I went for a cherry cake. Not a Mary Berry cherry cake just a big standard cherry cake with some butter icing. Yum yum. Just like last year all bakes are Gluten free, Dairy free and Wheat free.

I simply took a normal recipe for a Madeira cake and bunged in 200g of glacé cherries. I baked until golden brown and clear when tested with a butter knife at 180 and left the cake to cool. I mixed up a whole box of icing sugar with vitilite butter, added pink food colouring and refrigerated until I needed it. The pesky cake must have still been a little hot despite having over an hour to cool because I noticed my icing sliding a bit. Oh well!

I decorated with fresh cherries and voila, a free from cherry cake! I'm very pleased with my first bake it tastes good but is a bit too heavy, I'd prefer it a lot more softer but it's not too bad. The cherries didn't all sink either so that's a win!

Are you watching the Bake Off? Why not get your bake on too?

Cupcake Mumma

Free From Find #2: Baked to Taste Pasties!

Living in Cornwall you just got to have a Cornish pasty! Sadly, the good old traditional pasty is out for me but that's where Baked to Taste have come in handy!

Now of course you can make your own pasties and I have the perfect gluten, wheat and dairy free pasty recipe (filled with sun dried tomatoes and vegetables) so do check this out for something to bake and eat straight away or even wrap up and take out!

Back to Baked To Taste and their pasties. There are several flavours of pasty in the range: cheese and onion for those who can eat dairy, curried vegetable and the one I bought: sun dried tomato and spinach. The pasties are sold so far in health food stores in the frozen section. Once bought I popped the pasty in the oven and roughly 30 minutes later I was tucking in to a really rather tasty tea. The pastry isn't hard and crumbly but flakes off with a nice big bite like any other pasty! The only part of the pasty that's a bit of a let down is its crimped edges which seem to cook slightly harder and crispier than the rest of the pasty. I've seen this mentioned elsewhere too so I'm glad it isn't just me!

The pasty is filled to the brim which is so good to see. Nothing like the disappointment of a stingy pasty! The filling is quite peppery and the sun dried tomatoes add to this with their own flavour. I think it's absolutely delicious.

Cost wise they're not cheap (but free from never is) they are £2.18 and I consider them to be classed as a small pasty. The price does put them with your freshly baked pasties so you can't complain!

They are rather nice and filled me up perfectly at lunchtime...I'd probably add a side of chips for dinner though!

Product: Baked To Taste pasties (Sun dried tomato flavour)

Price: £2.18

Dietary info: wheat free, gluten free, lactose free.

Cupcake Mumma

Free From Finds #2 Delicious Jaffa Cakes!

There are some deliciously sweet treats I really missed when I found out my body could no longer tolerate gluten, wheat and dairy. Doughnuts are always the first thing I say to people I miss when they ask me the 'Don't you miss anything?' question. I don't really now, a part from doughnuts!

I used to eat Jaffa cakes at all the children's parties, (then at the adult ones too!) they made great sleepover treats and special treats in general. I can't remember when I first found these Jaffa Cakes by Kelkin, it's definitely been a few years now, but I'm surprised by how many people don't know they exist and are so easily bought from major supermarkets. One thing I will mention is that they may contain traces of milk as they are made in a factory that handles this ingredient. As I'm not allergic, I happily take the risk. This product also contains soya and egg. 

There are 12 Jaffa cakes in 1 box and they are a much smaller size compared to the original Jaffa cakes. The size is a little disappointing at first but perhaps that's just me being greedy! The Jaffa cakes are made exactly the same as the original cakes, with a sponge bottom, a jelly centre (best bit) and covered on the top with dark chocolate. I've always found them to not be as soft as the gluten and dairy cakes but that's the only thing I can complain about! They taste really nice, the chocolate is lovely, not a bitter dark chocolate but a nice sweet, tasting one to match the sponge. You can still 'dissect' the Jaffa cakes without them crumbling and falling a part (a common problem with gluten free foods) which is a bonus, I love nibbling off the chocolate, eating the sponge and saving the jelly until last, delicious!

If you haven't heard of Kelkin Jaffa cakes, check our your local supermarkets Free From section or request stock at customer service. Alternatively, health food shops often have them in store too. It's lovely to have Jaffa cakes back in my food cupboard!

Product: Kelkin Jaffa Cakes

Dietary Information: Free From Wheat and gluten. Containes Soya and Egg. May contain traces of Milk and nuts.

Price: £1.80

Bought From: Local Tesco store also available in Tesco Extra in my local area.

Cupcake Mumma

Free From Finds #1

I've decided to go back to my blogging basics. In order to love and enjoy my blog again I'm going to make sure I blog about what I like no matter what. You win some, you loose some. I'm tired of comparing myself to other blogs so here we go! With that out of the way, I've decided to reguly blog about any Free From foods I come across. Some will be known by pretty much everyone, but sometimes you come across a product or a recipe that others haven't noticed or even realised they could eat (the ingredients are long and confusing sometimes!)

I'm not paid or sent items to review so these products are those I've come across, bought myself, tried and then shared. I'll always state if otherwise.

My first find are these Sea Salted Lentil Chips produced by Cofresh. These are gluten free, dairy free, wheat free and soya free.

Best way for me to describe the smell, taste and texture? Well, think slightly thicker popadoms and I think you'll be there! They are delightfully crunchy and incredibly hard to put down! I found these in a local Health food shop so do pop in and have a look around or see if you can request they get some stock in. If anyone has seen these in a superstore, please let me know!

****

Product: Cofresh Lentil Chips Sea Salt flavour (also available in a dill sauce flavour)

Price: £1.08

Dietary Info: Free From: Gluten/Wheat/Dairy/Soya/Egg

Purchased From: The Natural Store Cornwall

Cupcake Mumma

Gluten & Dairy Free Yorkshire Puddings

If you are a coeliac like me or just avoid gluten because you feel better for it, you'll be all too aware of the things you miss out on. Those gorgeous tasting doughnuts, that beautiful fresh bread and those yummy Yorkshire puddings....

Free From Mince Pie Recipe

Super Simple FreeFrom Flapjack!

I love flapjack. It's the one thing I can whip up super quick without too much fuss, mess and everything else. Sure I can make up a batch of cupcakes pretty quick but flapjacks are even quicker and satisfy a sweet craving every time.

The recipe I use is really easy. It's one I've had in a notepad for a long time so I don't actually know where its come from. I remember first baking some flapjacks when I was about 11 with my Mum and I hadn't baked them since finding this recipe and remembering how easy they are! These lovely sweet treats are both Wheat, Gluten and Dairy free. Enjoy!