xanthan gum

I offered to make Nora pumpkin bars for her birthday. Her mom said, "can you make them wheat- and sugar-free?" Well, Nora lives a wheat-free lifestyle and she deserves a healthy and delicious special birthday treat, honestly, who doesn't? So, I set forth to do some research on the interwebs and figure it out. I learned about the importance of xanthan gum in gluten-free baking. I also learned that most gluten-free baking mixes do not contain xanthan gum and you have to add it separately, so I reached for the gluten-free pancake mix, it already has xanthan gum in it. Then I bought some extra fancy grade pure maple syrup for sweetening and got out my favorite pumpkin gingerbread cake recipe and altered it. Having never ventured into the world of gluten-free baking, I was nervous. I made the cake in a 9x13 pan, but also made one cupcake that I could eat for "quality control" purposes. It actually turned out really good! Good enough to share the recipe:

Wheat-free, Sugar-free Pumpkin Gingerbread Cake

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup pumpkin
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup dark molasses
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups gluten-free pancake mix
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350. Combine pumpkin, butter, syrup, molasses, and eggs and beat at low speed 2-3 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and beat until well mixed. Pour cake batter into greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Bake for 30-40 minutes.

Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.