Gluten-Free Revolution: Cupcakes Squared Addendum
Gluten-free minis! Today's batch was Carrot Cake, Chocolate Almond, Strawberry Cream, and Not So Red Velvet. I opted for carrot and velvet, which I hadn't tried before, and a strawberry, to celebrate my Honorable Mention in The Year's Best Horror, of which Shweta had just informed me via text message (thanks again, Shweta! It didn't even occur to me I might be included, so I wouldn't have looked on my own).
I ate the Not So Red Velvet first. The cake is moist and dense, with a little bit of grit that's probably from almond flour. I definitely tasted a nutty component, which underscored the cocoa richness, so the whole thing was not too sweet, but very velvety due to what was definitely buttermilk in the batter. I approve. The frosting tasted like it might have a bit of cream cheese in it, which makes me happy, and also I liked the ratio of cake to frosting, which I forgot to mention in my first review. Basically, there's a nice tall dollop of frosting on top of the cake, but there's about half again as much volume to the cake itself, so you neither get your tastebuds drowned in frosting, nor end up wondering if there was any frosting on there at all.
The Carrot Cake is served with the bottom of the dollop of frosting rolled in crushed walnuts, then shredded carrot sprinkled atop. Very nice presentation. The cake was chewy with shredded carrot and sultanas, but actually a little bit on the dry and crumbly side, which is a bit inconvenient for a cupcake. Still, the flavor was very good, and I actually couldn't detect any sweetness that wasn't carrot or raisin, which gets bonus points. The frosting was definitely cream cheese, whipped to fluffiness and with the barest hint of sugar under the richness of nuts. But for the texture issue, this is another winner.
Spouse got a Strawberry Cream of the gluten variety, of which he approved. He also highly approved of the S'mores cupcake I got him the other day, which sported mini-marshmallows.
Also? There are more starfruit in my fridge. Man, I wish they'd grow in this climate, I'd plant myself an orchard. I have been asked my favorite fruit, and I have given varied answers depending on my mood, but in truth starfruit owns my soul.
I ate the Not So Red Velvet first. The cake is moist and dense, with a little bit of grit that's probably from almond flour. I definitely tasted a nutty component, which underscored the cocoa richness, so the whole thing was not too sweet, but very velvety due to what was definitely buttermilk in the batter. I approve. The frosting tasted like it might have a bit of cream cheese in it, which makes me happy, and also I liked the ratio of cake to frosting, which I forgot to mention in my first review. Basically, there's a nice tall dollop of frosting on top of the cake, but there's about half again as much volume to the cake itself, so you neither get your tastebuds drowned in frosting, nor end up wondering if there was any frosting on there at all.
The Carrot Cake is served with the bottom of the dollop of frosting rolled in crushed walnuts, then shredded carrot sprinkled atop. Very nice presentation. The cake was chewy with shredded carrot and sultanas, but actually a little bit on the dry and crumbly side, which is a bit inconvenient for a cupcake. Still, the flavor was very good, and I actually couldn't detect any sweetness that wasn't carrot or raisin, which gets bonus points. The frosting was definitely cream cheese, whipped to fluffiness and with the barest hint of sugar under the richness of nuts. But for the texture issue, this is another winner.
Spouse got a Strawberry Cream of the gluten variety, of which he approved. He also highly approved of the S'mores cupcake I got him the other day, which sported mini-marshmallows.
Also? There are more starfruit in my fridge. Man, I wish they'd grow in this climate, I'd plant myself an orchard. I have been asked my favorite fruit, and I have given varied answers depending on my mood, but in truth starfruit owns my soul.