Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Stuffed Cupcakes

What a cupcake!  This is a gluten free chocolate cupcake with a chocolate chip cheesecake center that is topped with toasted slivered almonds and dusted with a bit of powdered sugar.  I think I'll just stop there... I'm sure you are thinking, "You had me at "stuffed cupcake", no further explanation necessary", right? Actually, that is what I was thinking.

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cheesecake
Stuffed Cupcakes

Prior to going gluten free, one of my favorite cupcakes to make and eat was a Black Bottom Cupcake recipe from my Mom.  I was sooo thrilled to make this gluten free, revamped version and have it turn out so good.. I actually like it even better, and believe me, I didn't think that was possible.  With the birth of this new gluten free version, a new name was also birthed, Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Stuffed Cupcake...the name is a mouthful, but so is this cupcake!

 From the outside, this cupcake looks quite tame and unassuming, maybe even a little boring, but once you bite into one of  these babies, boring is out the door!  What awaits you in the middle of this beauty is a rich cream cheese center filled with melted chocolate chips...not to mention the moist and fluffy cake and the wonderful crunch from the toasted slivered almonds on top.  Oh...my...goodness, pure indulgence.  Needless to say, no frosting is needed on this cupcake, which makes it easy to transport (no trying to cover them up without smashing the frosting!) and it is really so easy to make too.

I am so excited to share this Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Stuffed Cupcake recipe with you and I really hope you try it out!  If you do, leave a comment below and let me know how it came out!

Don't miss a recipe!  Subscribe to my blog by putting your e-mail in the space to the right and you will receive my free recipes in your in-box whenever I post!

GLUTEN FREE CHOCOLATE CHIP CHEESECAKE STUFFED CUPCAKES
Recipe from:  Goodies Gone Gluten Free
Yield: 3 dozen cupcakes
click here for Printable Recipe

Cake:

2 cups sugar

1 1/4 cups brown rice flour

1/2 cup potato starch

1/4 cup tapioca starch

1 teaspoon xantham gum

3/4 cup cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup light flavored olive oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

Filling:

8 oz. package cream cheese

1 egg

1/3 cup sugar

1/8 tsp. salt

1 12 oz. package of semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips

Beat filing well and stir in chocolate chips.  Set aside.

Stir together all of the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.  Add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla and beat with a mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes.  Slowly pour in the boiling water and continue stirring to combine.  The batter should be very thin and watery. 

Fill muffin cups lined with paper 1/3 full with batter.  Top each one with one heaping teaspoon of cream cheese mixture.  Top with a few slivered almonds.  Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.  Cool completely on cooling racks and dust with powdered sugar.

Gluten Free Italian Seasoned Croutons

Since being gluten intolerant, I have longingly eyed the bags of croutons as I go down the grocery store aisle.  I have searched for a gluten free version of a crouton in the stores, but as of yet had not found one.  Wouldn't you just know, I ended up finding them in my own kitchen (that is, after I made them).

I am a salad loving Mama.  I love my greens, but I really love the extra "goodies" in a salad, you know, some nuts, goat cheese or other crunchy things.  Croutons is one of those extra goodies I love in my salad.  These Gluten Free  Italian Seasoned Croutons are crunchy, buttery and nicely seasoned, and they really hit the spot in completing a well put together salad.

Gluten Free Italian Seasoned Croutons

 After making some Gluten Free Honey Oat Bread I was down to my last chunk of the loaf, so I thought, hey, let's try to make some croutons out of this!  And guess, what?  I did!  They were so easy and so yummy, I could have just popped them all in my mouth one by one...no salad needed.  They would be great on top of some soup too (although they might get soggy quick).  I had to keep my family from eating one every time they walked by, so I could take a picture of my Gluten Free Italian Seasoned Croutons before they were all gone.  If you haven't made a loaf of homemade gluten free bread, you could use store bought gluten free bread, but you will need to cook them for less time, as they will not be as chunky as the ones I made and will cook quicker (but here is another good reason to try to make the Gluten Free Honey Oat Bread ).

GLUTEN FREE ITALIAN SEASONED CROUTONS
Recipe from:  Goodies Gone Gluten Free
Yield: 1 1/2 cups of croutons
click here for Printable Recipe

1 1/2 cups of cubed gluten free bread (preferably homemade so you can get big chunks)
2 Tbsp. melted butter
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
1/4 tsp. Italian herbs (seasoning)

Cut bread into cubes ( I used about a 2 inch chunk of  homemade bread to get 1 1/2 cups of cubes).  In a small bowl melt butter in the microwave or over low heat in a small saucepan.  Stir in garlic salt and Italian herbs.  Stir in cubed bread until coated and pour cubes on a greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 5 minutes and then turn the bread cubes with a spatula.  Continue baking for about 15 minutes or until browned and crispy, turning over the cubes every 5 minutes or so.  If they are browning too much on the outside, but are still too soft, turn the oven down to 325 degrees F.  and continue to cook until they harden more.  They will crisp up a bit more after you remove them from the oven.  Store in an airtight container or baggie.  If they soften  while storing, you can crisp them back up in the oven before using them. Enjoy!

Gluten Free Honey Oat Bread

This gluten free Honey Oat Bread is so soft and light.  The touch of honey and oats give it that earthy, homemade texture and flavor.  There is no gluten free bread taste here.  It is so amazing, hot out of the oven, slathered in melted butter.  I have to stop my son from eating half the loaf when it is done!  I feel like a real pioneer woman making this homemade bread...and it is so easy to make...who knew?

Gluten Free Honey Oat Bread

You want to know something weird?  Sure you do. I never used to make fresh homemade bread.  It took me going gluten free to have the smell of fresh bread baking in my kitchen.  I mean, I had to find out I can't eat bread to get myself making my own bread!! Now is that ironic or what? It makes me want to jump with delight each time I pull one of these fresh baked babies out of the oven (and sometimes I actually do).

I was intimidated in the past with the idea of homemade bread.  All that working with yeast, letting it rise just right, kneading it,  punching it down...I don't know...it just seemed overwhelming.  This Gluten Free Honey Oat Bread is so easy to make, it's like pouring a bowl of cereal to me now!  I can't believe how it comes out.  Not only is it easy to make, but you will not think you are eating a gluten free bread.  Everyone I have served it to is in awe.

If you are one of those brave people who have made homemade bread in the past that was not gluten free (I look up to you and applaud you, by the way), don't expect the same look of the dough as you go through the steps of making this gluten free Honey Oat Bread.  In the beginning, it will be more like a thick cake batter, than a stiff dough.

Then after the first rise, it won't double in size like a traditional bread.  It will rise, but only slightly.  It's more like it gets fluffy.

After the first rise, you will put it in the bread pan to rise again.  It is important you don't let it get over the top of your pan as it rises, but just to the top, because if it does rise too high, it will drip and "melt" over the pan when baking and not only make a mess, but not look so good when baked.  It should look something like, after the second rise, just before putting it into the oven to bake.

Your final masterpiece should look something like this beauty. Golden brown on the outside, tender on the inside (I'm not talking about fried chicken here, so don't get confused).

Gluten Free Honey Oat Bread

Don't let making gluten free bread at home intimidate you.  You will be so happy when you make it.  Do a happy dance for me when you do, okay?

GLUTEN FREE HONEY OAT BREAD
Recipe from: Barefeet in the Kitchen
Shown on: Goodies Gone Gluten Free
click here for Printable Recipe

1 cup brown rice flour
1 1/4 cups GF oat flour (I grind up my GF oats)
2/3 cup potato starch
1/3 tapioca starch
2 tsp. instant yeast
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 tsp. xanthan gum
3/4 cup warm milk
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup soft butter
3 large eggs

Place the flours, starch, yeast, salt and xanthan gum in a mixing bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer.  Warm the butter and honey in a glass bowl or cup until the butter is melted.  Whisk or stir it together and set aside.  Using an electric mixer (hand mixer, or stand), gradually beat the warm milk into the dry ingredients.  The mixture will be crumbly at first, but once all the milk is added, it will come together.  Add the melted butter and honey to the mixing bowl and beat until thoroughly blended.

Add the eggs, one at a time.  Beat the mixture till each egg is thoroughly integrated before adding the next one.  Once you've added all the eggs, beat the mixture at high speed for 3 minutes.  This adds air to the thick batter, which helps take the place of the missing gluten as far as structure is concerned.

At the end of 3 minutes, the batter will look like thick, heavy butter cream icing, or cake batter; smooth and silky.  The dough will also be very sticky, and feel a bit gritty if you rub some between your fingers.  Leave the batter right in the mixing bowl and cover the bowl with a light cloth or plastic wrap.  Let the thick batter rise for 60-90 minutes.  This batter won't double in size, but it'll definitely puff up.

Gently stir the batter down.  Scrape it into a lightly greased 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan.  Use your wet fingers, or a wet spatula or bowl  scraper, to smooth the top, eliminating any "wrinkles."  The smoother your loaf is before you put it into the oven, the smoother it'll be once it's baked.  Lightly sprinkle the top of the loaf with oats and press lightly into the loaf.

Loosely cover the pan and let the dough rise till it barely crowns at the rim of the pan, 45-60 minutes.  Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Bake the bread for 25 minutes, until golden brown.  Remove it from the oven, and turn it out of the pan onto a rack.  Lightly brush with melted butter to help keep the crust soft, being careful not to brush off sprinkled oats.  Enjoy!