Best Birthday Cake Ever!

Ok.  This was a once in a lifetime project!  Above are the pictures of my birthday cake for this year.  I will be turning 27 (three cubed!) on the 29th of this month.  My obsession with Rubik's Cubes (paticularly the original 3 by 3) made this a really really special birthday for me. 
The above cake is entirely gluten/dairy/yeast/nut free!  (unfortunately it is far from fat/sugar free). 
It is a giant mud-cake made from layers stuck together with chocolate and vanilla frosting.  The icing is also stuck on with chocolate frosting!  The colours were finally virant enough after I physically PAINTED the icing with a paint brush!

To give an ide aof how to make this...
1)  Choose a square tin without rounded edges
2)  Choose a type of cake - I chose MUD
3)  Bake LAYERS for your cake (I baked 2 very thick ones (about 1/3 the cake height) and 2 thin ones (about 1/6 the cake height)
4)  Wrap layers in baking paper and gladwrap
5)  Freeze for a few days!
6)  Remove all layers from freezer and unwrap carefully
7)  Stick layers together using frosting (I went, from bottom to top, big layer, little layer, big layer, little layer)
8)  To make the cube as perfect as possible stick layers together by having the tops of each big and little layer facing in towards each other (any "non-flat" bits will be hidden within the cake!)
9)  Cover the entire outside in chocolate frosting!  (YUM)
10)  Roll out white fondant icing and cut BIG squares to fit the sides and top of the cake (I just used the cake tin the actual layers were baked in as a guide)
11)  Stick fondant onto cake using the frosting as 'glue'
12)  Gently press in firmly on all sides to ensure a smooth finish
13)  Paint the cube black using black food dye and a sponge!  (Wear gloves!)
14)  Measure you little squares and cut 45 out of rolled flat white fondant icing
15)  Paint each lot of 9 desired colour
16)  Stick each square in place using chocolate frosting as 'glue'
17)  Use a paint brush to touch up the colours on the squares once stuck on! 
18)  ENJOY!

GFCF Peach and Pear Muffins

Ingredients:
2 cups GF self-raising flour
1 cup GF plain flour
2 cups tinned dice peaches and pears (mixed in syrup and not drained)
2 cups castor sugar
2 extra-large eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup soy milk

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 200 degrees celcius
Mix everything except fruit into a smooth batter
Add fruit and mix evenly through mixture
line muffin spots with patties
Fill each muffin spot with mixture (it's very runny so I suggest using a desertspoon to heap it into the spots)
Bake for 45 minutes until brown on top and skewer comes out cleanly
Enjoy

GFCF Ginger Muffins

Ingredients:


200g naked ginger chopped into small chunks

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup castor sugar

1 cup soya flour

1 cup GF plain flour

1 cup GF self-raising flour

1 cup vegetable oil

1 cup soy milk

2 extra-large eggs



Instructions:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius

Mix everything except ginger in a large mixing bowl until smooth

Add ginger and stir through evenly

Line muffin spots with patties

Fill each muffin spot with mixture

Bake for 45-50 minutes until golden brown on top and skewer comes out cleanly

Enjoy

GFCF Passionfruit Muffins

Ingredients:

2 small tins passionfruit

2 cups castor sugar

1 desert spoon strawberry essence

2 ½ cups GF self raising flour

1 ½ cups GF plain flour

1 desert spoon xanthum gum

2 extra-large eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

1 cup soy milk



Instructions:

Preheat oven to 175 degrees celcius

Mix everything together into a smooth mixture (it will be a bit runny)

Line muffin spots with patties

Fill each spot with mixture

Bake for 60 minutes until golden brown on top and skewer comes out cleanly

Enjoy with your favourite herbal tea...

GFCF Apricot and Almond Muffins

Ingredients:

2 cups GF plain flour

1 cup GF self-raising flour

1 cup white sugar

1 cup castor sugar

1 cup almond flakes

1 415g tin apricots

1 desert spoon almond essence

2 extra-large eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

1 cup soy milk



Instructions:

Preheat oven to 200 degrees celcius

Drain apricots well then cut into small chunks

Mix everything except almonds and apricots into a smooth paste in large mixing bowl

Mix in apricots and almonds ensuring even distribution

Line muffin spots with patties

Fill each patty with mixture (they will only rise a little bit)

Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown on top and skewer comes out cleanly

Enjoy



For a slightly less intense almond flavour use ½ teaspoon of almond essence (kids may not like the strong almond flavour)

GFCF Citrus Surprise Muffins!

Ingredients:


200g mixed citrus peel finely chopped

2 cups GF self-raising flour

1 cup GF plain flour

1 desert spoon xanthum gum

2 cups castor sugar

1 cup soy milk

1 cup vegetable oil

2 extra-large eggs

1 desert spoon coconut essence

1 desert spoon orange essence

1 desert spoon lemon essence

1 desert spoon baking powder



Instructions:

Preheat oven to 200 degrees celcius

Mix everything together until smooth in a large mixing bowl

Place patties in each muffin spot

Fill each spot with mixture

Bake for 35-40 minutes until brown on top and skewer comes out cleanly

Enjoy with Chai Latte or your favourite herbal tea!

Crustless Passionfruit and Strawberry Tart

Crustless Strawberry and Passionfruit Tart


Ingredients:

1 small can of passionfruit

3 desert spoons gelatine

1 cup castor sugar

2 punnets strawberries



Instructions:

Stir sugar, passionfruit and gelatine together in a microwavable bowl

Microwave for 2 minutes on High

Stir warm mixture

Chop 1 punnet of strawberries into small bits

Stir strawberry bits into mixture

Line cake tin with baking paper

Pour mixture into tin

Cut other punnet of strawberries into desired shapes to decorate the top

Gently place ‘decorating strawberries’ on top of mixture

Allow to sink in partly (so they don’t fall off

For a nice touch make a small rubble pile of strawberry bits in the centre

Hold together rubble pile by drizzling glucose syrup over the pile

Refrigerate until firm

Serve with vanilla soy ice cream and enjoy!

Rum and Raisin Muffins

Ingredients:


- 1 cup soya flour

- 2 cups GF self-raising flour

- 1 desert spoon xanthum gum

- 1 cup castor sugar

- 1 cup brown sugar

- 1 cup vegetable oil

- 2 cups raisins

- 2 tablespoons rum essence

- 2 extra-large eggs

- 1 cup soy milk

- 1 desert spoon baking powder

Instructions:

- Preheat oven to 200 degrees celcius

- Mix everything together into an even batter

- Place patties in muffin spots

- Fill each patty with mixture

- Bake for 35-40 minutes until brown on top and skewer comes out cleanly

- Enjoy!

Coconut and Raspberry Muffins Reworked

Ok so the last recipe for coconut and raspberry muffins wasn't so great!  It felt raw even when cooked because it was so moist.
Here is a version that actually bakes!

Ingredients:


1 cup coconut flour

1 cups GF self-raising flour

2 cups castor sugar

1 desert spoon coconut essence

¼ cup coconut oil (microwaved for 30 seconds so it is extra runny)

1 desert spoon baking powder

1 desert spoon Xanthum gum

1/3 cup desiccated coconut

2 cups frozen raspberries

1 cup vegetable oil

1 cup soy milk

2 extra-large eggs



Instructions:

Preheat oven to 200 degrees celcius

Melt coconut oil in microwave for 30 seconds

Mix everything except raspberries in a large mixing bowl until smooth

Mix in raspberries

Line muffin spots with patties

Fill each muffin spot with mixture

Bake for 35-40 minutes until skewer comes out cleanly

Enjoy

Apple and Cinnamon Muffins!

Ingredients:

1 can sliced apples

2 cups plain GF flour

1 cup self-raising GF flour

1 cup vegetable oil

2 cups castor sugar

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

3 extra-large eggs

1 desert spoon guar gum

1/3 cup clear apply juice


Instructions:

Preheat over to 200 degrees celcius

Drain apples and mash into small chunks

Mix everything together in a large mixing bowl until evenly distributed

Line muffin spots with patties

Nearly fill each muffin spot with mixture (very very sticky – use 2 spoons to scrape mixture off into the pan)

Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown on top and skewer comes out cleanly

Enjoy with a Chai Latte!