Last week felt literally like an emotional roller coaster – and between the entire range of emotions through which I passed, I’ve come to the conclusion that life is simply too short to stay within my comfort zone.
I read a quote last Monday morning – one that made me think and gave me much strength during the rest of the week. It was a quote written by novelist Paulo Coelho, and in its absolute simplicity, it said:
“If you think adventure is dangerous, try routine – it is lethal.”
This sentence, made up of such few words but in its totality brims with so much power, made me realise that while I may be terrified of the unknown (and of certain changes that are about to take place), the fear that I am feeling is normal and completely adequate.
Because if we perpetually live in a place of expected comfort, and never stretch our limits, or expand our horizons, we will always remain in the same place, and never grow larger and bigger.
And even if there is an innate desire in me to be in control of things, I need to learn that there are spheres of influence in which the things I do can somehow determine the outcome, and there are other spheres in which the outcome does not depend on me.
There are a few major decisions to be made this coming month, but as the choices are made one at a time, I am increasingly sure that these decisions are ones I will not regret.
At my friend Jane’s birthday dinner last Saturday, during which we talked about life, about decisions, and about the things we can control and those that we can’t, she made a powerful observation.
Jane explained how each decision we make is a zero-sum game, in which we will have to give up certain things in order to gain other experiences. Basically, she stated that at every crossroad in our lives, we will have to decide which decision we take will bring us greater returns than the things we may have to give up in order to follow that path.
(Thank you dear Jane – you are wise beyond your years! And thank you for your amazing advice.)
I’ll tell you about these changes in the coming weeks, as our plans become more concrete.
But for now, I want to tell those of you who are struggling to make a choice or take a decision – that if you think you will be happy settling for routine, then you may never experience the incredulous and unexpected joy of adventure.
If you’re at crossroads today, think very carefully about which path will bring your greater happiness.
On to today’s recipe for now.
I’m sharing a favorite gluten-free coffee cake in our house.
It’s simple, requires just a handful of ingredients, and makes a moist cake that’s both versatile and delicate. In fact, it’s so simple that Juan can even make it on his own! (Ok, I know, I should give him more credit in the kitchen than I just did.)
Like I said, it’s really a very simple recipe that you’ll soon be using often.
Trust me, friends.
All you’ll need is milk cream, sugar, gluten-free all-purpose flour, baking powder, eggs and vanilla extract.
You begin by beating the milk cream with the sugar, after which you add in the eggs and vanilla extract. Next, sift the flour and baking powder into the liquid mixture, then pour the batter into a large pre-greased baking tin, and then pop it into the oven. It takes about 1 hour 10 minutes of baking time (remember that timing will vary depending on oven type, altitude, and brand of ingredients), but you’ll know the cake is done with a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out completely clean.
Enjoy!
Easy Gluten-free Coffee Cake
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 70 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 mins
- Yield: 1 large cake 1x
Description
A simple favorite gluten-free coffee cake recipe that requires just a few ingredients, and makes a moist cake that’s both versatile and delicate.
Ingredients
- 1 cup of milk cream
- 1 3/4 cup of sugar
- 3 cups of gluten-free flour blend
- 2 teaspoons of gluten-free baking powder
- 4 eggs, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon of gluten-free vanilla extract
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 deg Fahrenheit (175 deg. Celsius)
- Grease and line a round baking tin with baking paper (I always line both the bottom and the sides)
- In a large bowl, beat the milk cream with the sugar until light and frothy
- Add in the eggs and vanilla extract, and whisk well until combined
- In a separate bowl, mix the gluten-free flour blend with the baking powder until combined
- Sift the gluten-free flour mixture into the bowl with the wet ingredients and whisk very well until you get a homogeneous mixture
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking tin, and bake for 1 hour 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Let cake completely cool before removing from baking tin and slicing.
- Category: Cake
- Cuisine: Gluten-free
