I have always been a fan of cream cheese pound cake, though it is something that I’ve rarely made, even when I could eat wheat. It is so rich that it’s not a dessert you’d eat every day. And in the past, I hadn’t thought about baking cakes as cupcakes (making them easier to freeze and then to eat incrementally), which is how I often bake for myself today.
I had been wanting to try converting this recipe to its gluten-free counterpart, and the occasion occurred when I saw that my cream cheese was about to outdate. So, I baked this recipe, but I forced the dough into becoming 24 cupcakes. Usually, my gluten-free baked goods don’t rise much, so I had stopped being concerned about dough being at the top of the muffin tin. In fact, I was thinking this was going to be perfect as there is no baking powder or baking soda in this recipe. WRONG! The first batch took forever to bake, and they all ran over, causing the tops to be crispy while the bottom parts were moist. They were delicious, but they were also a true pain to remove from the pans as the tops stuck, then crumbled, and fell off.
So, I had to find opportunity number two. One of my best friends had invited me to a big birthday bash, and she needed a gluten-free dessert to cater (literally) to some of the guests. With a small change from the pilot, the recipe worked perfectly.
Cream Cheese Pound Cake Cupcakes
3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened (for about two hours outside refrigerator)
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs
2 cups sorghum flour
1 cup arrowroot starch
1 and 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
Prepare 24 muffin tins and one 8” x 4” loaf pan (or other small pan). You can either grease the pans or use liners for the tins; both work well. Remove oven rack as needed to accommodate pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Using a stand mixer, combine softened butter and cream cheese. When incorporated, beat in sugar for 4-5 minutes, until fluffy. Beat in each egg. Then, beat in vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk sorghum flour, arrowroot starch, xanthan gum, and salt. Add to bowl and mix on low until blended.
Using an ice cream scoop with a mechanism for removing the dough (or using a small measuring scoop), place one scoop per cupcake. Do not overfill! Place remaining batter in the small loaf pan.
Bake at 325 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. When done, edges will be lightly browned but tops will look light and might appear to be undercooked; test with a toothpick, which should come out clean. Do not use a convection oven as the temperature will be too low to cook the cakes properly.
Cool slightly, then remove from pans. Freeze or eat within one day. Yield: 24 cupcakes and one small loaf.
***
Of course, I had to try one as soon as it had cooled. Yum! The taste is incredible—something between a cheesecake and a pound cake, for obvious reasons. This is a great party food, but it will freeze well if you don’t want to share. The only problem, other than the calories and cholesterol, is that these cupcakes get stale quickly. So freeze what you don’t eat. And enjoy this rich dessert. You’ll forget that you’re eating gluten-free.
I had been wanting to try converting this recipe to its gluten-free counterpart, and the occasion occurred when I saw that my cream cheese was about to outdate. So, I baked this recipe, but I forced the dough into becoming 24 cupcakes. Usually, my gluten-free baked goods don’t rise much, so I had stopped being concerned about dough being at the top of the muffin tin. In fact, I was thinking this was going to be perfect as there is no baking powder or baking soda in this recipe. WRONG! The first batch took forever to bake, and they all ran over, causing the tops to be crispy while the bottom parts were moist. They were delicious, but they were also a true pain to remove from the pans as the tops stuck, then crumbled, and fell off.
So, I had to find opportunity number two. One of my best friends had invited me to a big birthday bash, and she needed a gluten-free dessert to cater (literally) to some of the guests. With a small change from the pilot, the recipe worked perfectly.
Cream Cheese Pound Cake Cupcakes
3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened (for about two hours outside refrigerator)
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs
2 cups sorghum flour
1 cup arrowroot starch
1 and 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
Prepare 24 muffin tins and one 8” x 4” loaf pan (or other small pan). You can either grease the pans or use liners for the tins; both work well. Remove oven rack as needed to accommodate pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Using a stand mixer, combine softened butter and cream cheese. When incorporated, beat in sugar for 4-5 minutes, until fluffy. Beat in each egg. Then, beat in vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk sorghum flour, arrowroot starch, xanthan gum, and salt. Add to bowl and mix on low until blended.
Using an ice cream scoop with a mechanism for removing the dough (or using a small measuring scoop), place one scoop per cupcake. Do not overfill! Place remaining batter in the small loaf pan.
Bake at 325 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. When done, edges will be lightly browned but tops will look light and might appear to be undercooked; test with a toothpick, which should come out clean. Do not use a convection oven as the temperature will be too low to cook the cakes properly.
Cool slightly, then remove from pans. Freeze or eat within one day. Yield: 24 cupcakes and one small loaf.
***
Of course, I had to try one as soon as it had cooled. Yum! The taste is incredible—something between a cheesecake and a pound cake, for obvious reasons. This is a great party food, but it will freeze well if you don’t want to share. The only problem, other than the calories and cholesterol, is that these cupcakes get stale quickly. So freeze what you don’t eat. And enjoy this rich dessert. You’ll forget that you’re eating gluten-free.
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