Here is a nice recipe for a chocolate cake that is advertised as both gluten free (flourless) and sugar free (1g of natural sugar).   If you give it a try, let us know your thoughts in the comments below:

Gluten Free and Sugarless Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons almond flour
• 1/2 lb semisweet chocolate chunk (for cooking)
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 egg yolk
• 5 egg white (at room temperature)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Baking Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Coat a Spring form pan with butter and dust with cocoa powder. (do not tap out excess).
3. Combine melted chocolate and remaining butter. Stir until smooth and combined. In a large bowl combine the chocolate mixture with the almond flour, sour cream, egg yolks, and vanilla extract. Stir until well-blended.
4. With an electric mixture, beat egg whites and salt until stiff glossy peaks form. Add one-quarter of egg whites to the chocolate mixture to lighten. Gently fold in the remaining whites until no white streaks remain.
5. Pour into prepared pan and smooth the top.
6. Bake for 20 min or until cake has risen and is barely dry on the top. A wooden tooth pick inserted comes out with a lots of moist crumbs.
7. Place cake, still in the pan, on a rack and cool until warm. Cake will fall dramatically. Loosen edges of the cake with a knife and remove the pan sides.
8. This cake can be combined with the Sugar Free Chocolate Mousse and topped with toasted slivered almonds. Texture should be dense, moist and slightly fudgy .
9. Chocolate can be melted on low microwave setting just until melted or over a double boiler.

[Recipe Courtesy of Recipe Zaar]

There are a few good flourless cakes out on the market, but here is a good one for a chocolate cake.

Gluten Free Flourless Chocolate Cake Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips or 8 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate
• 6 large egg white
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more
• unsalted butter, for the pan
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 6 large egg yolk
  

Baking Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Butter a 9 inch springform pan well.
2. Place butter and chocolate into a large glass bowl and microwave for 30 second increments, stirring well until after each increment until completely melted. Allow to cool slighly. Whisk in the eggs yolks well.
3. In another bowl, add the egg white and mix with a hand mixer until soft peaks form, about 3-5minutes.Gradually add the sugar and beat until soft and fluffy.
4. Mix in 1/4 of the egg white mixture to the chocolate mixture and stir well.
5. Gently fold in the rest of egg whites until mixed well.
6. Pour into springform pan, smoothing out the top. Bake at 45 to 50 minutes.
7. Allow to cool completely. Dust with Confectioners sugar and maybe some berries on top!

[Recipe Courtesy of Recipe Zaar]

One of my favorite desserts has always been carrot cake with a good frosting on top.  Here is a great recipe if you like orange frosting!

Gluten Free Carrot Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 cup soya flour or besan flour
• 3/4 cup maize cornflour (100% corn)
• 2 teaspoons gluten free baking powder
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 2 teaspoons mixed spice
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups grated carrot (about two medium carrots)
• 1 cup chopped walnut
• 1/2 cup light olive oil
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 3 egg, lightly beaten

Carrot Cake Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to moderately slow (160c).
2. Grease a deep 20cm round cake tin, line the base and sides with baking paper.
3. Sift flours, baking powder, bicarbonate soda and spice into a large bowl.
4. Stir in the sugar, carrot and walnuts.
5. Stir in the combined oil, cream and eggs until smooth.
6. Pour the mixture into prepared cake tin and bake in a moderately slow oven for about one hour.
7. Stand the cake for 10 minutes before turning onto a wire cake rack to cool.
8. Top cake with Orange Frosting.

Gluten Free Orange Frosting

Ingredients:

• 125 g cream cheese, chopped
• 1 teaspoon finely grated orange rind
• 1 1/2 cups icing sugar

Orange Frosting Instructions:

1. Beat the cheese and the rind in a small bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
2. Gradually beat in the sifted icing sugar until smooth.

[Courtesy of Recipe Zaar]

Carrot cake is one of my favorite desserts, so I was excited to see a nice recipe for gluten free carrot cake. This one is also advertised as being dairy free and casein free!

Gluten Free Carrot Cake

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg white
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup gluten-free flour, mix (your choice, I’ve used a few different versions)
• 1/2 cup tapioca flour
• 1 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if in flour mix)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 raisins
• 3/4 cup chopped walnut (toasting optional, but brings out more flavor)
• 2 1/4 cups grated carrot (about 1/2 a pound)
• 1/4 cup diced fresh pineapple

Baking Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Lightly grease or prepare an 8×8 square pan, or 9 inch round pan.
3. In your mixer, beat the sugar, oil, and eggs together.
4. Add the vanilla.
5. In another bowl, mix together flour, xantham gum, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
6. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
7. Stir in raisins and walnuts.
8. Fold in the carrots and pineapple.
9. Mix well, but don’t over mix.
10. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
11. Allow the cake to cool completely in the pans set over a wire rack.

[Courtesy of Recipe Zaar]

There are a lot of great gluten free cake recipes out there (and pre-made mixes), but sometimes it takes a certain taste for birthday cake. If you follow a gluten free diet, here is a gluten free birthday cake mix you might enjoy.

Gluten Free White Birthday Cake

Ingredients:

• 1/2 c. White Rice Flour
• 1/2 c. Sorghum Flour
• 2/3 c. Tapioca Flour
• 1/3 c. Potato Starch
• 1 c. White Cane Sugar
• 2 teas. Baking Powder
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 t. xanthan gum
• 3/4 c. (1 1/2 sticks) softened butter or margarine
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 t. vanilla
• 1/2 c. milk-any type

Recommended frosting: Pillsbury French Vanilla Frosting (now gluten free)

Baking Instructions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350.
2. Grease pans (this recipe makes 16-18 cupcakes, 2 6-inch round layers, 9-inch square, or a 10-inch round)
3. Throughly combine the first 8 dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
4. Place softened butter in mixer bowl and beat until fluffy.
5. Add flour mix to butter, blending on lowest setting until combined, then changing to setting “2″ on the mixer until mixture is crumbly, about 1 minute.
6. In small bowl, lightly whisk eggs and vanilla together.
7. Add eggs to mixer and mix until smooth and thick, about 1 minute.
8. Add milk and mix for 1 more minute.
9. Pour into prepared pan and bake until toothpick is clean.
10. Time will depend on the shape of your pan, but should be about 24 minutes for cupcakes, 45 minutes for a loaf pan.
11. Allow to cool in pans for about 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack.
12. Frost when cool.

[Recipe Courtesy of Amanda's Random Rambling]