Wednesday, June 19, 2013 | By: Rita Hutcheson-Cobbs

Gluten-free Fat-fat Strawberry Cake with Easy Topping...

 Our son, Garrett, will not eat dessert icing of any kind! Even as a small boy, we had to either make a cake without icing or get a chocolate chip cookie with a string print of icing for his birthday. He wouldn't eat anything with visible chocolate or any icing on his slice. So desserts, like strawberry cakes or my mother's Green Cake, became his favorite desserts.

 This one is easy to do and certainly one that can be made quickly for anyone with a busy life or just wanting something sweet without all the guilt...


Ingredients you will need...

1 Gluten-free vanilla cake mix 
1 can of diet lemon lime soda
1/2 cup of natural apple sauce
1 teaspoon real vanilla
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1 - 15oz jar of natural strawberry jam
4 cups fresh strawberries, diced small
fat free whip topping if desired (I have a gluten allergy and have a reaction to this)

Directions...

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Spray two square baking pans with cooking spray.
With an electric mixer, mix well the cake mix, soda, apple sauce, vanilla, and cinnamon.
*Check for sweetness. Some gluten-free cake mixes and baking mixes don't have enough sweetness, 
so I will add some Splenda brown sugar or another sweetner to help.)
Pour the batter into the cake pans, half into each.
Bake until a knife inserted comes out clean, approx 35 minutes.
While cake is baking, mix jam and strawberries together and chill.
After cake is done, allow to cool 10 minutes before removing first cake layer from pan.
Place first cake layer on serving dish.
Pour half of strawberry mixture over the layer.
Place the second layer of the cake on top of the berry mixture.
Then repeat with the remaining of the berry mixture on top of the second layer of the cake.
Top with whip topping.

** I am planning to frost the next one I make with strawberry icing and then add the jam.
** Another idea is to add other berries to the fresh strawberries and the strawberry jam,
 like fresh blueberries or pineapple.
**The cake alone is 4 Weight Watchers Points for 1/8th so try it with just the fresh berries and 
the fat-free whip topping.

So many possibilities...so much fun...
Hugs, Rita



Wednesday, June 12, 2013 | By: Rita Hutcheson-Cobbs

The Rain...

 Sitting at the Decatur Starbucks on Sunday...it began to rain...

Just thought the drops of rain on the glass were beautiful...
Journaling prompt: drops of rain...
What will you do with them...

Hugs, Rita