gluten-free chocolate cake

I have to admit that my taste buds have changed since going gluten-free.  I sometimes wonder if what I'm eating tastes as good to those who can still eat a bakery donut or crusty baguette.  Which makes me nervous baking for non-GFers.  (Thankfully my family keeps it real :)  This recipe continues to be a hit gluten-free or non.  So, I share...

gluten-free chocolate cake

1 3/4 cups *GF flour blend (see below)

1 3/4 c. sugar (or 2 c. sucanat)
3/4 cup cocoa

1 t. guar gum 

1 1/2 t. baking powder 

1 1/2 t. baking soda 

1 t. salt 

2 eggs 

1 cup milk 

1/2 cup oil 

2 t. vanilla extract 

1 cup boiling water 

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 13x9 baking pan.  Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, guar gum, and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pan.  Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely.  Frost with chocolate frosting.  

Source:  Adapted from Hershey's Perfect Chocolate Cake Recipe

*The gluten-free flour blend I use is a mixture of 4 cups fine brown rice flour, 1 1/3 cups potato starch and 2/3 cups tapioca flour.  

Our Favorite Chocolate Frosting
1/4 c. milk
1/4 c. butter
1 c. chocolate chips
1 t. vanilla
2 c. powdered sugar
Bring milk and butter to boil in saucepan over med-high heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Blend in chocolate chips, vanilla and powdered sugar. Beat until smooth.

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In our corner of this world, spring has brought all sorts of exciting new findings.  Every time I turn around, my boys' hands are full with some little creature.
Here are a few captured this week.  All of them have been carefully released after they were hugged and squeezed and petted and loved and called George... 

I guess that's a house-full of boys for ya...

Chocolate cake and catching frogs, in one post.

I love my boys!