Recently, a friend of mine witnessed something on TikTok and a new tradition was born- Cookbook Dinners. Basically, everyone chooses a recipe from a particular cookbook to bring to dinner. First up- my friend selected Go-To Dinners by Ina Garten. The entire evening was a lot of fun and a concept I highly recommend!

Now, I enjoy watching cooking shows and while I like Ina and have seen quite a few of her shows over the years, I wouldn't consider myself a diehard fan. I mean...I would happily accept an invitation to her dinner party. She feels like a fancy aunt who would make you feel right at home, but don't expect hot dogs and hamburgers at the summer picnic! She might be serving Fig & Goat Cheese Toasts, Grilled Halibut with a Tomato & Caper Sauce, and a side of Lobster Cobb Salad. 

Ina's love for cooking, particularly French cuisine, was sparked by an extended European vacation in her 20s. Then, while working in the White House, Garten further developed her cooking talents. Eventually, she decided to leave DC and bought a small, gourmet food shop in Westhampton, New York. She later went on to hosting her own cooking show on the Food Network in 2002- The Barefoot Contessa, where she became a household name. Her tried and true recipes have led to 13 cookbooks with over 14 million copies printed! Elegant, but earthy perfectly describes her cooking and entertaining style!

So, while I certainly trust her recipes- they're just not always the healthiest and they're not gluten free. 

And, I'm not quite sure who Beatty is...perhaps the inspiration or maybe a relative who passed down a beloved recipe. So, with a lot of inspiration from Ina and Beatty- I re-worked the recipe a bit. And man- these chocolate cupcakes were sweet, tender, and amazing!

Plus, the creamy chocolate icing very closely reminded me of my grandmother's famous recipe! Though, Ina's does have a stronger coffee flavor. For a true chocolate icing, I would recommend using only 1/2 - 1 tsp. of instant coffee granules.

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Ingredients in Beatty's Chocolate Cake

1 1/2 c. gluten free flour blend (Original Recipe: 1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour)

1 c. sugar (Original Recipe: 2 cups...why?? Cupcakes were still very sweet!)

3/4 c. cocoa powder

2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder (Original Recipe: 1 tsp.)

1 tsp. salt (only 1/2 tsp. if you used salted butter)

1 c. buttermilk

1/2 c. butter, melted (Original Recipe: 1/2 c. vegetable oil)

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 c. coffee

Ina Garten's Chocolate Buttercream

1 c. chocolate chips, melted (or about 6 oz. good quality chocolate)

2 sticks of butter, softened

1/2 tsp. vanilla (Original Recipe: 1 tsp.)

1 1/4 c. powdered sugar

1 tsp. instant coffee granules (Original Recipe: 1 Tbsp.- for a strong coffee flavor!)

Ina's recipe specifically said not to use chocolate chips, but I tend to be a rule breaker! It also called for an egg yolk. Since the chocolate is melted...it could be warm enough to cook the egg yolk, but I prefer to not run the risk and simply left it out.

Gluten Free Baking Tips & Tricks

• Weigh the flour 
• Use a gluten free flour blend, not just one type of flour.
• Use additional baking powder

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Craving more???

Gluten Free Chocolate Espresso Cookies

Gluten Free Mini Air Fryer Cheesecakes

Gluten Free S'mores Cereal Treats