More Tea Party Fun

Mothers, daughters, sisters. Pretty cups and saucers. Sweet treats. Flowers. Tea (herbal), 0f course. And a most ridiculous puppy named "Bear" who likes to 'scratch his tongue' on little girl feet.  My sister Shan and  and her daughter Gabby hosted the tea party fun this time. Loved it!

Gabby made the adorable and delicious little gluten-free tea cakes in the shapes of radishes, lettuce, carrots, and peas in the pod - complete with faces. Perfect for an early spring tea party. 

Poppy Seed-Orange Pound Cake

(from 1000 Gluten-Free Recipes by Carol Fenster)

1/2 cup unsalted butter (or 1/3 cup canola oil)

2 cups sugar

4 large eggs

3 cups Sorghum Blend*

1 1/2 tsp xantham gum

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2  cups soured milk**

2 Tbsp grated orange zest

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/3 cup poppy seed

Preheat the oven to 325 F. Generously grease the cake molds (or a 10" Bundt pan).

Beat the butter on medium speed in a large bowl until smooth. Add sugar and continue beating until well blended. Mix in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In a medium bowl, sift together the sorghum blend, xantham gum, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. In a measuring cup, combine the soured milk, orange zest, and vanilla extract. With the mixer on low speed, beat the sorghum mixture into the egg mixture, alternating with the soured milk and ending with the 'flour' mixture. Mix in the poppy seed. Spread the batter in the prepared molds/pan.

If baking the tea cakes (in the molds) bake for 11 minutes. If baking in Bundt pan bake 1 hour or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove cake from pan and cool completely on rack.

* Sorghum Blend

1 1/2 cups sorghum flour

1 1/2 cups potato starch/cornstarch

1 cup tapioca four

Whisk the ingredients together until well blended. Store tightly covered. Makes 4 cups.

** Soured Milk (homemade buttermilk)

1 Tbsp cider vinegar or fresh lemon juice

2% milk (cow's, rice, soy, potato, or nut) to equal 1 cup

Let stand 10 minutes to thicken slightly.

For the glaze, Gabby says she just made a very thin icing and colored it before washing the cakes with it.

(The very cute vegetable mold pan is from Williams-Sonoma. Just in case you wanted to know.)