Gluten Free
It’s my blog’s birthday! Happy birthday blog 🙂 I’m actually half a week late because I completely forgot what month it was I started, but it’s the thought that counts right? And the cake of course.
When I started this blog I had no idea what I wanted it to be. I loved baking, and I loved taking photos of what I made. My sister suggested I put up the recipes and photos in a blog, which sounded like a better idea than just hoarding hideous photos on Microsoft. I was so completely intimidated by the beautiful blogs I was reading at the time, I thought my blog would be a clumsy failure full of silly writing and hopeless photos. And guess what, it was! (Example 1: my first post…)
But over time I think (I hope!) I’ve gotten a little better at it. The recipes I put up now reflect the food I love to make and eat, and the photos, although looking nothing like how I dream of being able to photograph one day, are in their own clunky way prettier. It makes me happy knowing that people read what I write and actually try out the recipes. Even though it’s not why I started, and it’s not why I continue to work hard on this space, it’s nice knowing there’s a little audience out there. I’m so thankful that you all exist! All the comments I get and emails bring a smile to my face 🙂
I thought for this momentous day I would share a few of the blogs that inspired my to start (most of them you’ve all probably heard of) and also a few of the blogs that inspire me to keep going. Undoubtably the two blogs that sparked a love of photography and baking, and continue to inspire me daily, are Poires au Chocolat and Raspberri Cupcakes. There’s not a doubt in my mind that I wouldn’t have started blogging if not for these two. Even today when people ask me for what blogs I think stand out, with the multitude of professional photographers and chefs setting up their own sites, I first think of these two.
As my blog has developed it’s own taste and taken a turn for the healthy, 101 Cookbooks, Sprouted Kitchen and of course Smitten Kitchen have become my staple weekly reads, that I check probably more regularly than my university emails, unfortunately.
And as for the new blogs I’ve discovered, the lovely Josefine at Smoothie Lover, Consuelo’s Honey and Figs, and the beautiful To Her Core, constantly put up amazing recipes that I always, ALWAYS want to eat. Their posts are always so beautiful and healthy I’m so happy to have discovered them.
I had a lot of ideas for what kind of cake to make for this day, but in the end I decided against a big celebratory layer cake or tart. I wanted to make something that represented exactly what my blog would taste like if it was a cake. And I’m pretty sure I got it right!
This cake is so yummy. It’s so moist and rich. The syrup soaks down and keeps the cake moist for ever, and the topping is crunchy and tangy from the rhubarb and raw sugar. We ate this with ice cream for afternoon tea, but it could work for any special occasion really. And the recipe is inspired by a woman’s weekly recipe, just like that very first plum cake I made on my first post.
So Happy Birthday Sugar and Cinnamon! And Happy Easter to all of you. If you’re reading this now, just know that if I could I would give you a big slice of cake with a scoop of ice cream on it xxx
One Year Ago: Healthy Date and Walnut Balls
Vanilla and Cinnamon Rhubarb Cake Adapted from Women’s Weekly
185g (1.45 cups) butter, softened
150g (2/3 cup) caster sugar
3 eggs, at room temperature
1 tbsp orange zest, from about 2 oranges
1/4 cup (60ml) buttermilk or yogurt
150g (1 cup) self-raising flour (or 1 cup almond meal for gluten free- will be slightly denser but still great)
80g (1/2 cup) ground almonds or semolina
1/5 tsp cinnamon
200g (1.8 cups) rhubarb, cut into 3cm pieces
1 tbsp raw sugar
For the Syrup:
1 cup (250ml) orange juice
110g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
125ml (1/2 cup) water
11g (1 cup) rhubarb, cut into pieces
Preheat the oven to 180C (350F) and line a 20cm (8 inch) cake pan with baking paper. Beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the orange zest, followed by each egg, beating in one at a time slowly so the mix doesn’t split. Once combined, mix in the flours and cinnamon gently, and the buttermilk until just combined.
Smooth into the cake tin and top with the rhubarb and raw sugar. Bake for about 50 minutes to 1 hour, until a skewer comes out clean.
Meanwhile make the syrup. Combine all the ingredients and cook in a small saucepan over a low heat until the rhubarb has dissolved (you can strain it if you want a smoother syrup). Cook for about ten minutes to reduce it, then pour half over the hot cake and reserve the rest for pouring over pieces when you serve it. Eat with ice cream!
Happy blogiversary to you honey…and here’s to more….xxx save me a slice x
Aw thank you! I will 🙂
Happy Birthday to your lovely blog!! I’m so happy to have found you…. 🙂
This cake… You couldn’t have chosen a more perfect cake than this to celebrate … Celebrate your one year… And to celebrate your incredible talent…
I did look at your first post, and it was lovely… It looked to me as though you’ve been blogging forever.. Your photos were beautiful… And your story went perfectly with it.. And so cute that your grandpa tried to sneak the cake home!
Happy Anniversary… And it look forward to many more! 🙂
Aw thank you! Such a lovely comment 🙂
Happy first blog birthday!! I truly think getting through that first year is the hardest part and when most people give up. So it’s a BIG accomplishment!! Your cake sounds so good! I’m really into rhubarb right now and this is lovely.
It’s true the first year is definitely the hardest! There were so many moments I wanted to give up! Thank you xx
I love your cake! And your blog too..Happy Blog Blogiversary. Always love to visit and see your beautiful posts.
Aw thanks 🙂
Congratulations, Lilli! I so wish I could celebrate with you with a piece of this lovely cake (with ice cream of course). As I can’t, I’ll just have to have another piece of the chocolate that’s sitting temptingly beside me right now. Poires au Chocolat is great, isn’t it? I don’t know rasberri cupcakes, but I’m off to have a look now!
Aw thanks! Chocolate makes a pretty good substitute 🙂 I love your blog too! You should definitely check raspberri cupcakes out, although her cakes are much more impressive than mine!
Happy Blog Birthday!!! Gorgeous cake 🙂
Thanks!!
What a bright and delicious looking cake!
Thanks!
What a lovely cake! I simply love rhubarb so much, the slight sourness it brings to a sweet dish, so good!! I also love how you combined the colors of the cake with the blue-green background, lovely!
Aw thank you!
Happy birthday sugarandcinnamon!! Lovely cake Lillian and your first post is a great one! You have come along way! Lovely blog 🙂
Aw thank you!
Wow, that cake looks delicious!! Happy blog birthday – I had no idea you’ve only been doing this for a year – your recipes and photos are all so delicious and beautiful that I assumed you’d be at it much longer!
You’re so sweet! Thanks 🙂
Happy Blog Birthday honey!!! What a lovely post xx have a great Easter xx
Thanks Elaine 🙂
Happy birthday!
And thank you so much for mentioning me in this lovely post. I’m honoured 😉
Looking forward to reading even more wonderful posts from your lovely blog!
Thanks Josefine 🙂
A belated birthday to your lovely blog Lillian. And this looks like a lovely cake to celebrate the occasion 🙂
Thank you!
Happy Anniversary Sugar and Cinnamon! Here is to the next year!! Lovely cake, by the way 🙂
Thank you Jo!
Happy blogiversary! This make reminds me of a financier recipe I’ve made, but in cake form – I’m definitely going to try the almond meal version:)
Thank you! Tell me how it goes if you do 🙂
Happy Birthday dear!!!! I’m so glad I discovered your blog too, because your recipes always look delicious and I love how they’re super healthy too! Keep up the awesome job!
And happy Monday! xx
Congratulations!!! And there is no doubt about it: your pictures are spectacular and I love reading your little stories. I am looking forward to another year of your yummy dishes! Big birthday hug!
Aw thank you! I’m excited for the next year of blogging 🙂
Hey, happy birthday! This really looks very good. My rhubarb is nearly ready for a harvest 🙂 and I know what to do with it! Your photos are beautiful!
How lucky you have homegrown rhubarb! Thank you 🙂
The cake looks absolutely divine!
Thanks 🙂
Happy blogiversary! What a beautiful cake. The crumb looks perfect – I can’t believe it’s gluten-free. I love rhubarb anything. Yum!
Thanks Alanna! I love almond meal, it makes the best gluten free cakes!
this is one beautiful cake! 🙂
Thank you!
It looks lovely and delicious!
Thanks Pam!
Hi Lillian! Just wanted to say happy blog birthday ❤ It means to much to read that my blog had anything to do with inspiring you to start your lovely blog, thank you for the super sweet mention! Haha and trust me, your first post is 100 times better than my early posts. You gotta start somewhere hey! And what a perfect cake to celebrate with, anything with rhubarb is divine. Wishing you many more blog birthdays for the future! xx
Oh my God I got so excited when I saw “Raspberri Cupcakes” commented on your blog haha xx thank you so much! Rhubarb is definitely the best thing ever in cakes 🙂 Your blog is so beautiful I’m so flattered!