Gluten-Free Tangerine and Chocolate Cake

This time of year, we tend to have a lot of dinner parties in our home for various holidays and it seems like we always get gifted mandarins or tangerines - so many that we cannot eat them all. This gluten-free tangerine cake is a terrific way to put a dent in this cornucopia of citrus!

For the Cake (this recipe makes two 8 inch round cakes)

1 cup sorghum flour

3/4 cup brown rice flour

1/4 tapioca flour

1 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum 1/2 teaspoon salt 3 teaspoons baking powder Click here for Gluten-free brands 1 1/2 cups sugar 1/2 cup milk 1/2 cup fresh tangerine juice 1/2 cup vegetable oil 3 eggs, beaten

2 teaspoons tangerine zest

1 teaspoon vanilla extract Are Extracts Gluten-Free? (hint: YES!)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F . Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans.

2. Zest the tangerines, then juice. Set aside.

3. Sift flours, xanthan gum, salt and baking powder into a large bowl. Mix in sugar.

4. In small bowl combine milk, tangerine juice, oil, beaten eggs, and tangerine zest.

5. Beat liquid mixture into flour mixture, making sure to combine well.

6. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.

Tangerine Buttercream

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 teaspoons tangerine zest

4 cups sifted confectioners sugar

4-5 tablespoons fresh tangerine juice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. In a large bowl, beat the butter until soft and fluffy.

2. Mix in tangerine zest.

3. Beat in 1/2 cup confectioners sugar and mix, followed by the tangerine juice and vanilla extract.

4. Slowly beat in the rest of the confectioners sugar, adding more tangerine juice if need to make a spreadable consistency.

5. Frost the cake and allow to dry for 1 hour.

For the Chocolate Glaze

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips 3 tablespoons butter 1 tablespoon honey 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. In a double boiler over hot, but not boiling water, combine chocolate chips, butter, and honey. Stir until chips are melted and mixture is smooth, then add vanilla.

2. Spread warm glaze over top of cake, letting it drizzle down the sides.