Gluten-Free, Low-Fat Kitchen Sink Cake

I wouldn’t even post this cake recipe except for the fact that it turned out unexpectedly well and that it entailed very thrifty use of leftovers in my kitchen. I had a bake sale confection to make today, but it’s been snowy and I didn’t feel like cleaning off the car and driving to the store. Add to that the fact that we’re leaving town next week and you get a gluten-free baker out to empty the frig, not fill it up.

The answer: a kitchen sink cake. I started with Karina’s recipe for a gluten-free, vegan coconut cake. Then I raided my refrigerator and cabinets and pulled out everything that needed to go (and that could conceivably be put into one cake): ½ cup of sweetened condensed milk, ½ cup of lite coconut milk, applesauce leftover from Hanukah, ½ a bag of old marshmallows, Bob’s Red Mill pancake mix that I never use, the end of a bag of confectioner’s sugar, a few half empty bags of chocolate chips, some sweetened coconut from the freezer. You get the picture.

Never let anyone tell you that gluten-free baked goods aren’t forgiving. I did keep a few gluten-free baking principles in mind, but basically I was throwing my leftovers in a bowl without really measuring. I would have never done this before going gluten-free. All the experimental cooking has been great for my culinary creativity. This cake turned out great, if not quite sweet enough. But the need for a little more sweetener allowed me to use even more leftovers! Try this out or make up your own kitchen sink cake…

Kitchen Sink Cake

Preheat the oven to 350 and grease an 8 x 8 dish. In a small bowl, combine:
1 ¼ cup Bob’s Red Mill pancake mix (includes xanthum gum, starch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt)
1 tsp baking powder
½ cup cocoa powder

In a large bowl, combine:
½ cup sweetened condensed milk (honey or maple syrup would be fine)
¼ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup lite coconut milk
½ cup applesauce
1 egg

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir in:
½ cup chocolate chips
2/3 cup flaked coconut

Bake for 35-40 min or until an inserted knife comes out clean. Cool in the pan. When cool dust with confectioner’s sugar or frost. You can use your favorite frosting or mix up the one I concocted.

For the frosting, melt over low heat (stir often to prevent burning!):
½ bag of marshmallows
1 tbsp chocolate chips

Transfer to a bowl. With a mixer, blend in the following ingredients, adding enough cocoa and sugar to bring the mixture to the consistency and chocolatiness you desire:
¼-1/3 cup cocoa powder
¾-1 cup confectioner’s sugar
3-4 tbsp milk

Spread over the cooled cake and cut into squares. Eat within a day or two.