Recipe(tried): Wacky Cake (Wheat-free Lactose-free Egg-free Soy-free) - Birthday Cake

This is a great recipe I have used repeatedly with multiple variations: for her birthday, try mini cup-cakes for little people and a smaller cake for the adults.

WACKY CAKE
Wheat-free Lactose-free Egg-free Soy-free

1 1/2 cups Bette Hagman gluten-free flour mixture*
1 cup sugar
3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp vinegar
6 Tbsp oil
1 cup cold water**
* OR gluten free flour mixture + 1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
** substitute part milk if desired

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, mix flour, sugar, cocoa, soda and salt.

Make three wells in the flour mixture. In one put vanilla; in another the vinegar, and in the third the oil.

Pour the cold water over the mixture and stir until moistened. Pour into 8-inch square pan.

Bake in a 350 degree F oven until it springs back when touched lightly. Cool 5-10 minutes before removing to a wire-rack. This gives the cake time to "set-up" and reduces fragility.

Cupcakes and mini-cupcakes are excellent for ease of handling.

*GLUTEN-FREE FLOUR MIX
2 cups White rice flour*
2/3 cup Potato starch*
1/3 cup Tapioca starch

* glutinous [sticky] rice flour
* Important: potato starch is not the same as potato flour [powdered dried cooked potatoes].

May be used as an equal (1:1) substitution for wheat flours. Makes 3 cups

All gluten free recipes require a binding agent to make up for the lack of gluten.
For each cup of gluten free flour (or flour mix) use an appropriate amount of xanthan or guar gum:
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoon for cakes
2 teaspoons for breads or pizza
1 teaspoon or none for most cookies