Yellow Birthday Cake - Strawberry Shortcake

I have been meaning to put a cake up for some time now, but had not quite gotten around to it.  We just don't make cakes very often and most of our birthdays are summer birthdays.  So with Easter came a good time to do it.  We decided to have Strawberry Shortcake, for which I have included all the recipes needed to make it.

This is a great all round cake recipe.  Use it for shortcake, Birthday Cake, or even for Tres Leches Cake (if you are going to make this Tres Leches Recipe, be sure to double this cake recipe for it).  It is strong (won't fall apart), has a delightful flavor, is spongy just like the wheat based cake mixes, and in my opinion is better than any gluten free boxed mix you will find at a store for much less than they would cost too! One recipe will make a 9" inch round or 10 x 7 inch rectangular cake.  If you would like a 13 x 9 inch rectangle or 2 - 9 inch rounds, just double the recipe. 

If you like buying the boxed mixes to have on the shelf for convenience, try pre-packing your own mixes in 1 quart ziploc bags, putting dry ingredients in the bag and marking the bag with wet ingredients and baking information.  (If I make 10 of the same pre-packed mix simultaneously, it takes less than an hour.  I would likely only use about 4 of these in one year, so I would only do 4 for our family, which would take about 1/2 the time.)

Yellow Cake/Orange Coconut Cake

1/4 cup Vanilla Pudding mix*
       (I use Jello Brand Sugar and Fat Free
        because it is Gluten and Dairy Free)

1/2 cup Tapioca Starch

2/3 cup White Sugar

1/2 cup Rice Flour

1 1/4 tsp Xanthan Gum

1 tsp Baking Soda

2 1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Salt

* * * *

2 eggs + 1 egg white (large)

6 TBSP Melted Butter

2 TBSP Coconut Oil (can be subbed w/ butter)

1 tsp Orange Extract (or favorite extract)

2/3 cup Rice Milk (Vanilla Flavor if you have it)

*you can substitute 1/4 cup tapioca starch plus 1 tsp vanilla for the pudding

1) Combine all dry ingredients (top list) in a Medium Bowl

2) Combine all wet ingredients (bottom list) in a small bowl and beat/mix til eggs are well incorporated

3) Form a well in the dry ingredients and pour wet ingredients in it.  Mix just til combined.

4) Pour into a greased 10 x 7 inch  pan (I think my pans actual measurements averaged about 6.5 x 9.5) .  Bake 350 for about 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. You can also use a 9 inch round pan with the same bake time.  (The bake time depends largely on the pan size you choose, so if you are not using this size, check for when a toothpick comes out clean.) Cupcakes take about 20 minutes.

For the Strawberry Shortcake I made in the picture above, here is how I did it:

Strawberry Syrup

1 1/2 cups Sliced Strawberries 

1/2 cup Agave Nectar 

1 tsp Corn Starch

1) In a small sauce pan whisk together the agave nectar and starch.  

2)Turn oven on to medium/high heat add the strawberries and stir near constantly until the syrup begins to foam.  When it has been foaming for a minute or two, turn off heat and let cool.

3) I topped cake slices with fresh sliced strawberries, followed by strawberry syrup, and then some whipped cream.