GLUTEN-FREE, DAIRY-FREE, EGG-FREE RAISIN BARS

 I have a medium sized three-ring binder that holds recipes that I have had since I graduated from college. I have an assortment of recipes that I collected during my single years teaching school and the early years of marriage. Some I wrote in on the lined paper that fit it and a few I cut out of magazines and taped in. One of the interesting things to me is that so many of the recipes I have never made.

The one I am sharing with you today is one of those. Every time I considered making it, I decided against it. You see the name of it is "Eggless, Milkless, Butterless Cake". There are no added notes so I have no memory of where it came from. So just from the name it doesn't sound like much of a cake.

Jump ahead 50 + years and it still doesn't sound that delicious to me but it is more prevelent today. Eggless, Milkless, Butterless now means Egg-Free and Dairy-Free which is necessary for some people. Today people also want Gluten-Free and this recipe used flour, baking powder, and baking soda. 

One thing that has changed with me since I started this blog is my baking/cooking knowledge has increased enough that I don't hesitate in experimenting with recipes and fortunately with good success. So last week I was searching for a recipe to make and saw this one again, but this time instead of flipping by it, I stopped and studied the recipe for a while. That night when I was trying to fall asleep I got to thinking about the recipe and hit upon the idea of using some gluten-free baking mix I had bought for the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. 

I've never made anything that was gluten-free so I was surprised at the consistency of the baking mix, but I shouldn't have been since it was made using rice flour instead of wheat flour. Anyway, I followed the recipe but used 2 cups of the baking mix instead of the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. 

The ingredients mixed well and baked well. In fact, the cake was very pretty when I brought it out of the oven. I allowed it to cool completely before I cut it into bars before covering it for the night. I needed the bars for the next afternoon but made it the day before so if they didn't turn out, I still had time to make something else before I needed to go to the church.

There were not many kids or adults at the reception at the church for the end of VBS that required gluten-free, dairy-free, or egg-free, but the few who tried them thought they were really good. I did also. So good in fact that I will be making the recipe for the Cafe Treats. 

Sunday a man came by the Cafe Treats and asked if we had anything that happened to be egg-free. I was so excited that I could answer yes that we did. (I had some chocolate chip cookies that Cafe Treats Baker Michelle made from a box mix that she bought that were G-F, D-F, and E-F. Now I can make these Raisin Bars sometimes for an option.)

PRINT RECIPE.

GLUTEN-FREE, DAIRY-FREE, EGG-FREE RAISIN BARS

1     cup sugar

1     cup water

1     cup raisins

1/3  cup shortening

2     cups G-F baking mix*

1     teaspoon cinnamon

1/4  teaspoon cloves

1/4  teaspoon nutmeg

1     cup coarsely chopped nuts (I omitted)

Boil together for three minutes the sugar, water, raisins, and shortening in a boiler, stirring occasionally.

Allow to cool. (I waited 30 minutes.)

Stir together with a whisk the dry ingredients.

Add the dry ingredients to the cooled mixture and

stir until all mixed up. 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the bottom only of an 9 - inch square baking dish.

Pour the cake batter into the dish and spread evenly.

Bake for 40 minutes.

Cool before cutting into bars. 

*Note: If you are not making the bars G-F, use 2 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, and 1 teaspoon baking soda.