Gluten Free Bailey’s Irish Cream Pound Cake

To begin, I would like to welcome my newest Gluten Free Taste Tester, Dominique! I have lost a few taste testers because they moved. (I’m sure the decision to move had nothing to do with the 5 pounds they gained as taste testers.) I am very happy to include her into my “fold.”

Traditionally, before the development of baking powder in the mid 1800’s, pound cakes consisted of one pound each of wheat flour, sugar, butter, and eggs. Eggs not only held the cake together, but they provided the leavening for the cake. But once baking powder was created, bakers could vary the ingredients slightly, introduce new flavors, and create numerous new and wonderful versions of the pound cake. And that was only the beginning, as this wheat free pound cake so wonderfully demonstrates.

I found a delightful recipe by Paula Deen for Bailey’s Irish Cream Pound Cake. However, her recipe includes wheat, which people who are gluten free cannot have. So I set to work experimenting, and applying my rather extensive knowledge of gluten free baking, to recreate it as a gluten free cake. Of course, I added some tweeks as well (soaking syrup, pecans). The result: A delicious, exceptionally moist pound cake flavored with Bailey’s Irish Cream!

THE INSIDE SCOOP:

When both volumetric and weight measures are provided, the volumetric measures should be considered approximations. The standard measure for a cup of sugar is 192 grams. By volume, this measure will typically be less than 1 cup. When baking, it is always best to use a food scale to measure dry ingredients.

This recipe was made using My Gluten Free Flour Mix. Due to the varying characteristics of gluten free flours, other gluten free flour mixes are not guaranteed to work.

You’re Such a Softie! Let butter soften to room temperature. To soften quickly, place the stick of wrapped butter in a microwave and microwave on low heat until slightly softened but not melted. Leaving the butter in the original paper helps it soften evenly.

I’m Eggcited About Eggs! Be sure eggs are at room temperature. Cold eggs can result in a lumpy batter and heavy texture. To quickly bring eggs to room temperature before cracking, place eggs in a bowl of very warm (not hot) water for 10 minutes.

Crack eggs into a small bowl before adding to the batter. That way, it is easy to remove any bits of eggshell or bloody eggs.

A large egg should weigh about 50-55 grams. This recipe requires 3 eggs, which should have a combined weight of about 150-165 grams. However, with the current egg shortage due to Avian Flu, I sometimes find a few much smaller eggs mixed into the carton of Large Eggs. (One time, I found a Peewee size egg in my carton of Large eggs. Peewees weigh only 35 grams!) I have included the weight of 3 Large eggs so that, if necessary, extra eggs can be added or larger eggs can be used. To measure out the correct amount of eggs, break eggs into a small bowl and whisk, then pour out the amount needed for this cake and store any extra egg for other uses.

Since gluten free flours do not contain gluten, refrigeration time is essential to allow flours to absorb moisture and eliminate the gritty “gluten free” texture and taste. Although the “grittiness” can be mostly eliminated after 30 minutes of refrigeration, I find longer refrigeration times continue to improve the texture, taste and rise of gluten-free baked goods.

Don’t Be a “Cling-On.” When the batter is finally ready to be baked, spray the Bundt pan/s with non-stick cooking spray, then Immediately dust with gluten free flour. Although it is preferable to grease the Bundt pans with vegetable shortening, I have always found the hard way that “I missed a spot” and had a hole in my cake. However, cooking sprays will pool in the bottom of the pan; therefore it is important to dust the pan with flour immediately after spraying and pour the batter in right away.

Don’t Lose Your Temper(ature)! To check for doneness use an instant read thermometer or a metal cake tester (e.g., kabob skewer). The instant read thermometer should read 115 degrees. Do not use a toothpick with gluten free baking- not only is a toothpick not long enough to reach the middle of this cake, but the “toothpick test” is not accurate with gluten free baking.

Soak it to me! Make the soaking syrup immediately after the cake comes out of the oven. A warm cake will absorb the soaking syrup easier than a cold cake.

I used my metal cake tester, aka metal kabob skewer, to make the holes for the soaking syrup because it was long enough to reach all the way into the cake. Be sure to make plenty of holes so that you cn get as much of the soaking syrup into the cake as possible.

And speaking of the soaking syrup, boil the sugar and water in a large saucepan for 5 minutes to reduce it slightly and thicken the syrup, but be sure to remove the sauce pan from the heat before adding the Bailey’s. The syrup will bubble up like crazy and spill out of the sauce pan if the alcohol is added to a boiling syrup. (Please take my word on this- it happened to me. Twice.) Once the Bailey’s is added to the soaking syrup, slowly spoon it onto the cake, giving the syrup time to soak into the holes.

Once the syrup has been absorbed by the cake and cooled, it is time to remove the cake from the Bundt pans. Run the flat side of a knife around the outside and inside of the pans to loosen the cake. For a full-size Bundt cake, place the cake plate or cake board on top of the cake pan and then, while holding both cake and cake board in place, tip the cake over and let the cake slide onto the cake board. For mini-Bundt cakes, turn the cake pan/s over onto a flat surface, such as waxed paper dusted with powdered sugar. DO NOT PLACE ON A COOLING RACK! The bottom of the cake will fall through the gaps in the cooling rack. Cool to room temperature.

To frost the cake: How much milk, if any, is added to the frosting mix will depend on how thin or thick you want the frosting. I like a frosting that is thin enough to run down the sides of the cake, but not so thin that the cake appears to have a glaze rather than frosting.

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Gluten-Free Bailey’s Irish Cream Pound Cake

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By Connie Teunis – Serves: 12-16

Cooking Time: 75-80 minutes

An exceptionally moist gluten-free pound cake made with Bailey's Irish Cream. Add a Bailey's Irish Cream Soaking Syrup and a Bailey's Irish Cream Frosting, and you will be tipping your hat to the Luck of the Irish!

Ingredients

• Cake:
• 465 g./ 3 c. My Gluten-Free Flour Mix
• 2 t. Baking Powder
• 1 t. Xanthan gum
• 60 g./ ¾ c. Psyllium Husk Powder
• ½ t. Salt
• 396 g./ 3 ½ sticks/ 1 ¾ c. Unsalted Butter, softened
• 384 g./ 2 c. Firmly-packed Brown Sugar
• 192 g./ 1 c. Granulated Sugar
• 300 g./ 6 Large Eggs
• 1 ½ c. Whole or 2% Milk
• ¼ c. Bailey’s Irish Cream
• 60 g./ ½ c. Pecans, chopped (opt.)
• Bailey’s Soaking Syrup:
• 192 g./ 1 c. Granulated Sugar
• 236 g./ 1 c. Water
• 36 g./ ¼ c. Bailey’s Irish Cream
• Bailey’s Frosting:
• 240 g./ 2 c. Confectioner’s Sugar (aka Powdered Sugar)
• 27 g./ 3 T. Bailey’s Irish Cream
• 13.4 – 53.6 g./ 1-4 T. Milk as needed

Instructions

1

Directions:

2

In a medium bowl, whisk together My Gluten Free Flour Mix, baking powder, psyllium husk, xanthan gum and salt.

3

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and both sugars at medium speed until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addition.

4

Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternating with milk. Beat for 3-5 minutes to ensure flour has absorbed milk. Add Bailey’s Irish Cream; mix in thoroughly.

5

Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

6

When Ready To Bake:

7

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

8

If adding pecans to the batter, line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the chopped pecans on the baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes, or until aroma rises. Remove from oven; cool completely.

9

With butter or shortening, grease a full-size Bundt pan or 10 mini-Bundt pans, dust with My Gluten Free Flour Mix.

10

If using, fold the prepared pecans into the batter.

11

Pour the batter into the large Bundt pan or pour 6-8 ounces of batter into each of the mini-Bundt pans depending on the size of cakes made by the mini Bundt pan.

12

Place the Bundt pan(s) on a baking sheet and place in the oven. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Bake for 75-80 minutes for a full-sized Bundt cake or 25-35 minutes for the mini-Bundt cakes, until an instant-read thermometer, when inserted into the middle of the cake, registers 115 degrees. If an instant read thermometer is not available, use a metal cake tester and insert it into the middle of the cake. The cake is done if the metal cake tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack. Let cool for approximately 20 minutes.

13

To Make the Bailey’s Soaking Syrup:

14

While the cake cools slightly, make the Bailey’s Soaking Syrup: Place the sugar and water in a 3-quart saucepan and place over high heat. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes, until syrup just begins to reduce. Remove from heat and add the Bailey’s Irish Cream; set aside.

15

Poke holes into the bottom of the cake with a long metal cake tester. Slowly spoon the soaking syrup into the holes. Let cool for 20 minutes.

16

Run the flat side of a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the cake. Turn the cake over onto a cake plate or desired flat surface, such as waxed paper dusted with powdered sugar. DO NOT PLACE ON A COOLING RACK! The bottom of the cake will fall through the gaps in the cooling rack. Cool to room temperature.

17

To Make the Frosting:

18

Combine the confectioner’s sugar and Bailey’s Irish Cream in a medium bowl. Beat on very slow speed to combine, then increase speed and beat until smooth. Add milk, as needed, to make a frosting that can be drizzled onto the top of the cake.

19

Spoon the frosting onto the top of the cake; let the frosting drip down the sides.

20

Enjoy!

My Gluten Free Flour Mix:

70 g./ 7 T. White Rice Flour
35 g./ 3 1/2 T. Brown Rice Flour
24 g./ 2 T. Potato Starch
15 g./ 2 T. Millet
11 g./ 1 1/2 T. Tapioca Flour

This equals 155 g. per 1 cup.

To make a large batch at once, I multiplied the above amounts by 8:

560 g./ 56 T. White Rice Flour
280 g./ 28 T. Brown Rice Flour
192 g./ 16 T. Potato Starch
120 g./ 16 T. Millet Flour
88 g./ 12 T. Tapioca

This makes 1240 g./ 8 cups of Gluten Free Flour Mix

Please Note: Although both volumetric and weight measures are provided, the volumetric measures should be considered approximations. One cup is 155 g. by weight; it may not equal 1 cup by volume.