Today is Australia’s National Holiday and everywhere there are picnics, bbqs, parades and parties to celebrate. I was invited to a friend’s house this morning and my job was to bring cupcakes. My friend Jan has trouble with gluten so I made my first gluten free cupcakes.
I’ve never tried to bake gluten free before so I took the chicken’s way out and bought a mix. I told myself when I went to bed that I wouldn’t use the package mix, I’d get up early and use a recipe I found on the net. When I didn’t wake up until 9:30am all my “from scratch” ideas went out the window and the package got opened.
I made the icing by combining the standard Wilton type icing with a block of cream cheese. Turned out really creamy.
Our friend Jill and her husband are headed north tomorrow for a couple of months of fishing at the top end of Australia. Their caravan is packed, the dogs have been clipped and all they need is the food and then they’re off. During the wet season there’s always a risk that the roads will be flooded and you’ll either be in for the duration or can’t get to your destination. I should say that the top end is very remote. Fingers crossed that they get there with no trouble at all.
My cupcakes came out really good so maybe I needed to try a mix before going it alone. Now I know what the consistency of the batter should be. It was thicker than a normal cupcake batter and the box instructions were to beat on high for 4 minutes. Normal cupcakes beaten that long would be like hockey pucks.
The wrappers and sugar crystals are yellow and green – Australia’s colors. If you visit here in the spring time you’d know why. There are wattle trees everywhere in Australia and the leaves are green and the springtime flowers are yellow. All along the highways you’ll see yellow and green.
Our flag is red white and blue but our national colors are yellow and green. Have I confused you yet?
So I’m off for another outing with friends. No more cupcakes! Normal Aussie sausages this time and we’re hoping it doesn’t rain. We’ve had more than our share of rain over the past few days. About 15 inches of rain has landed on us since Monday. Even the grass is begging for a day of sun. No sun til next Monday or Tuesday the weatherman says. Happy Australia Day!
Do you have a good gluten free cupcake recipe you could share with me?
Loveforfood says
So simple, so timeless, so brillant!
Nami | Just One Cookbook says
Lovely cupcakes! Frosting and cupcake liners are matching – so cute! I hope you have a nice outing with your friends! Happy Australia Day!
Joanne says
I think starting with a mix is perfectly acceptable! And they turned out so well!
Yuri - Chef Pandita says
Cupcakes look gorgeous 🙂 happy Australia day! Fun fact: Dominican Republic’s flag colors are red, white and blue too 🙂 not sure what the national colors are.
Frugal in WV says
Great looking cupcakes, yum! Love that they are gluten free!
skip to malou says
i recently baked a gluten free cake and was happy with it too. these cupcakes are surely as good as they look. happy australia day. i hope you had a fun day celebrating the ocassion.
malou
Kelly @ Inspired Edibles says
Happy Holiday Maureen! (though I think you are Canadian at heart, yes?) 🙂 I hope you are having a splendid day and enjoying these gorgeous celebratory cupcakes – yum!
Maureen says
Hi Kelly, nah, I’m a Yank down under 🙂 red white and blue also runs in my veins.
Lorraine, everyone I know goes green and gold so that’s what I did too. I started out as red white and blue and when I became a dual citizen I went green and gold too. 🙂
The cupcakes were a real treat for my friend Jan. I gave her all the leftovers and she put them in her freezer.
Yuri, when you learn what your national colors are, let me know. LOL
Lorraine Not Quite Nigella says
Maureen, you’re one step ahead of me,I’ve made gluten free cakes but never cupcakes! These are lovely and I know what you mean about the green and gold and red, white and blue. I used red, white and blue text for my Australia day story and it reminded me of France! 😛
susan from food blogga says
GF and cream cheese frosting? Happy Australia Day, indeed!
The Café Sucré Farine says
So pretty! I love the yellow and green too, so fresh looking! Your cupcakes look great, mix or not!
Carol @ There's Always Thyme to Cook says
They look great! And so pretty, love the colors.
yummychunklet says
Happy Australia Day! What colorful papers!
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com says
Happy Belated Australia Day — I had fun watching cricket series while drooling over this delicious looking cupcakes 😉
Maureen says
Hi Kiran. I hate it that the series is over but looking forward to the one day. It’s taken me years to get my head around cricket. I grew up with baseball! LOL silly mid on.. sheesh ! shortish square leg – even worse! heh
Choc Chip Uru says
Aren’t these just the cutest – awesome way to celebrate Australia Day 😀 – I am loving that frosting and I think I need to eat it now… I also made a huge bundt cake for Australia day with green ganache 😛
Happy Belated Australia Day!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru