Blackberry Upside Down Cake

Gluten Free

Serves 6 - 8

Extremely Important ;) :The trick to a perfect presentation is lining your baking pan with well-greased parchment paper to ensure that none of the cake sticks. 2 1/2 cups fresh blackberries 1 1/2 cups rice flour 1 cup tapioca flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 3 eggs (2 egg yolks and 3 egg whites) 1/3 cup canola oil 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons Grade B maple syrup 1 1/2 teaspoons real vanilla extract 1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Line the bottom of an oiled 8x2-inch round cake pan with 2 rounds of parchment paper. Dust the pan with one tablespoon of the rice flour, knocking out excess. Place blackberries in 1 layer on the bottom of the pan and drizzle with 2 tablespoon of the maple syrup.

Sift together remaining flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt and set aside.

Separate eggs. In a medium mixing bowl, beat egg yolks until light yellow then combine with oil, remaining syrup and vanilla extract. Alternately add egg mixture and milk to flour mixture, blending after each addition. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form and gently fold them into the batter.

Spoon batter evenly over berries, smoothing the top, and bake in middle of oven until top is golden and knife inserted in the center of cake is clean when removed, about 30–35 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, run a knife around edge of pan, then invert onto a large platter or cake plate. Peel off parchment and serve warm with ice cream or an alternative.

Pumpkin-Gingersnap Pie

This is what I took to Thanksgiving this year. I also made it for my first (hosted, but collaborative) Thanksgiving in Utah 5 years ago. It definitely has a place in my recipe file. It's super easy, and if you do it in a springform pan as suggested it is a thing of beauty. It's much lighter than a traditional pumpkin pie plus sweet and spicy.


Pumpkin-Gingersnap Pie


2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 (3 3/4-ounce) package cook-and-serve vanilla pudding
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup heavy cream 1 cup coarsely crushed gingersnaps
3/4 cup chopped pecans

Graham cracker pie crust, recipe follows
Gingersnap crumbs, for garnish
Whipped cream, for garnish

In a medium saucepan, combine spice and pudding mix and cook as directed, substituting half-and-half for liquid. Remove mixture from heat and stir in pumpkin. Cover surface with plastic wrap and let stand for about 1 1/2 hours, until nearly room temperature. Stir gently when cool. Whip cream. Fold gingersnaps and whipped cream into pudding mixture. Spread half of pecans in bottom of crust. Pour pudding mixture over nuts and chill pie for 4 hours. Sprinkle with remaining pecans and garnish with gingersnap crumbs and whipped cream.

Graham Cracker Pie Crust: 1 1/2 cups (5 ounces) finely ground graham crackers 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 1/3 cup sugar 3/4 teaspoon salt

Stir together crust ingredients and press onto bottom and 1-inch up side of a 8-inch springform pan. Fill right away or chill up to 2 hours.
Recipe courtesy Gourmet Magazine