Gluten Free Applesauce Cake

Let me start this post by saying this is not a gluten free blog by any means.....but I feel like so many of you write to me asking if you can make the recipe gluten free by substituting this flour for that flour, etc.

I usually don't have the right answer.

This gluten free thing has gotten out of control.

Every restaurant now has to cater to the dieter who says she "can not eat gluten", but she usually doesn't even know what gluten is (I say "SHE", but I know there are some HE's out there too....).

If you know people that suffer w/ celiac disease (and believe me, they suffer), then you would never give me that crap that you can't eat bread but you can drink beer and eat pizza (you can't pick and choose your gluten, can you?).

Basically, I know that the wheat in this country is no longer milled in the same process as it used to be, and that most breads don't even taste good anymore.

You are eating garbage....industrial milled white flour that is definitely not good for your waistline and probably not good for your digestive system either, but don't tell me you have celiac, because it is a real condition that is diagnosed by a medical professional (such as an MD).

It causes rashes, joint pain, fatigue, bloating and pain. I have 2 people very close to me that have this disease and they are extremely careful what they eat.

So perhaps you don't want to eat bread because you feel bloated or you have put on weight. That's fine. Cut out the carbs and white flour.
You can live a healthy lifestyle if you change what you eat.

So what's a girl to do?
Do I stop eating bread and cakes? It doesn't bother my stomach, but it does bother my mind.

So, I seek out better breads, made by artisan bakers or bakeries that use ingredients that I can trust. And I don't buy cake mixes, I make my own cakes....(btw Bob's Red Mill products make some mighty fine flour and alternative flours milled in the old fashioned way........).

Hey, but that's me.
I'm not here to preach.
Eat what you want.
Drink soda all day long.

Ok, I will stop now....I wanted to be a team player and try this gluten free cake.

I did everything I was supposed to do.
I made my own oat flour (grinding organic oats). Used coconut oil instead of butter (turned out very moist!), and used unsweetened organic applesauce.

The review:

First of all, let's not call this a CAKE.
A cake is "an item of soft, sweet food made from a mixture of flour, shortening, eggs, sugar, and other ingredients, baked and often decorated".

Let's be honest and call these applesauce oat squares.

When the so called "cake" came out of the oven, I was annoyed. It didn't rise and there was hardly enough batter to fill a brownie pan.
I felt I had wasted the ingredients.

But then I tasted these thin pathetic little squares.
OMG, they tasted SO GOOD!

I treated them like a healthy snack, and continued to eat 4 of them. My husband ate the other 5, so this gluten free "cake" was gone 2 hours after baking.
I guess we really didn't like it.

I have no advice for you on how to change the recipe to make it bigger, fluffier or better.
If you go in thinking they are just fantastic oat squares made w/ applesauce, then you will be happy, but please don't call it a cake.

Gluten Free Applesauce Cake: (recipe found on the internet)

1 cup applesauce
1/4 cup coconut oil (melted)
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 cup oat flour just blend up regular oats in food processor
1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1/3 cup raisins

In a large bowl, stir together the applesauce, coconut oil (measured when melted), large egg, and vanilla extract. Stir until completely combined.

Add in the baking soda, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, allspice, and nutmeg. Stir until completely combined.

Stir in the brown sugar and oat flour (blend regular old fashioned oats or quick oats in a blender or food processor until they resemble flour.

If desired add in the chopped pecans or walnuts and raisins.

Pour in a well greased (preferably lined w/ parchment paper) 8 x 8 square pan.

Bake 35 minutes. Let cool and invert onto a cooling rack. I cut them into squares before inverting.

The original recipe wants you to make a cream cheese icing, but there is no need. These are moist and sweet enough.
Just a sprinkling of powdered sugar for aesthetics is all you need.

Delicious (and healthy!).

:)