Vegan/gluten free cake recipe?

[leebee]

DD is getting married in June! They are going to have cupcakes instead of a traditional wedding cake, but want to have something to cut, so I am making a 2-tier wedding cake . As several attendees are GF or vegan, I thought I'd make the cutting cake for them. I need a GOOD recipe for a vegan/GF cake. There are no real restrictions on flavor, as long as it tastes good. Also... what do I do about frosting? Is fondant vegan? Also... how much of a consideration is cross-contamination? If I made a top layer GF/vegan and separated it from the bottom layer (non-GF/vegan) by either a cake board or pedestals, would that be OK? It seems like a lot of cake for the entire thing to be GF/vegan (neither of which are particularly tasty, IMO), but if that's what needs to be done, we'll do it! I am open to any and all suggestions/recommendations!

 

[mjkacmom]

My nephew is allergic to wheat and eggs, my sister gave up trying to find a good cake recipe and makes him a homemade ice cream cake every year. Dd15 has celiac, doesn’t expect to be accommodated, plus most of the time, the gf desserts aren’t good (unless they are naturally gf like flourless chocolate cake). I’d also be nervous about cross contamination with the cake server. I’d just do a regular cake, maybe have some gf/vegan cupcakes available.

 

[anniemae]

I agree with pp. Do a regular cake and have some gf cupcakes available from a gf bakery that is experienced in gf products. Homemade gf desserts are awful. I have tried many recipes and they are just not very appetizing.

Cross contamination is a HUGE fear with GF folks. You can't even use a bowl or a spoon that once had flour in it when making a gf recipe. You must buy all new cookware or traces of flour can be in the cake, even if you cleaned the bowl thoroughly. Someone could get extremely sick from a trace.

 

[Pkltm]

I would also recommend checking with your venue, depending upon their policy and food handling rules in your state, anything served may have to be made in a commercial kitchen.

 

[Imzadi]

Cross contamination is a HUGE fear with GF folks. You can't even use a bowl or a spoon that once had flour in it when making a gf recipe. You must buy all new cookware or traces of flour can be in the cake, even if you cleaned the bowl thoroughly. Someone could get extremely sick from a trace.

Yes, I just learned from celiac people this weekend that there is a difference in the labeling of products that say "gluten free" vs. "no gluten." Gluten FREE means made in a facility that is totally gluten FREE in the whole environment, down to all the cookware, equipment & machinery - so no chance of cross contamination. Whereas food labeled "no gluten" simply means that no gluten in the ingredients. BUT the product may have been made in a facility that also makes products that do have gluten in them, re-using the machinery, cookware & equipment that may have been used for gluten products. So there IS a risk of cross contamination no matter how well they clean.

The difference is for people who prefer not to eat gluten, but really have no major adverse reactions, so they can eat the "no gluten" products. But, people who have celiac and would become extremely ill need to eat totally gluten FREE products AND make sure there is no cross contamination while being served it - as in a server putting the gluten free food on a plate, without changing out the gloves or utensils they just used to serve a gluten product.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

DD is getting married in June! They are going to have cupcakes instead of a traditional wedding cake, but want to have something to cut, so I am making a 2-tier wedding cake . As several attendees are GF or vegan, I thought I'd make the cutting cake for them. I need a GOOD recipe for a vegan/GF cake. There are no real restrictions on flavor, as long as it tastes good. Also... what do I do about frosting? Is fondant vegan? Also... how much of a consideration is cross-contamination? If I made a top layer GF/vegan and separated it from the bottom layer (non-GF/vegan) by either a cake board or pedestals, would that be OK? It seems like a lot of cake for the entire thing to be GF/vegan (neither of which are particularly tasty, IMO), but if that's what needs to be done, we'll do it! I am open to any and all suggestions/recommendations!

Well, the vegan aspect of this is the easy part. I typically have good luck using regular cake recipes and swapping the milk for dairy-free milk and the egg for egg replacer or applesauce. Vegan fondant isn’t difficult to find, just read labels. Gelatin would be the main offending ingredient you’re looking for. My “vegan opinion” is that the plan to separate the layers with cakeboard or an air gap would be fine. So long as the ingredients aren’t pressed against each other and commingling, I wouldn’t have any reservations about eating it.

I don’t, however, think that would work for the gluten free people, at least not if they’re celiac. And I find gluten free substitutions to be much less likely to taste like the real deal, so for that reason I’d be more inclined to pay the money and let a professional handle it.

Am I remembering correctly that you’re in Maine, maybe Bar Harbor? Last time I was up that way I found it to be pretty vegan friendly. I’d think there must be a bakery that could cater gluten free/vegan for you.

 

[amberpi]

I just wanted to say how darn sweet it is you’re doing this for dd!

 

[leebee]

Hmmm... maybe we need to rethink. DD and her fiancé want cupcakes rather than a full wedding cake, and my sister (former retail baker) is doing this as their wedding gift. Wedding is in NH and the venue provides a list of recommended bakeries, but the two I've contacted won't do any kind of cake for a wedding unless they are the sole provider of ALL the baked goods there. I am aware of needing to use non-gluten-contacted baking pans, mixing bowls, etc., and wasn't worried about this (except for my electric mixer). Hmmm... maybe it'll be easier to just purchase GF cupcakes from somewhere and then make a vegan cake. I'll keep thinking it over, but we might need another plan.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Hmmm... maybe it'll be easier to just purchase GF cupcakes from somewhere and then make a vegan cake.

That's the way I'd go. I think you can make a decent vegan cake yourself, so you'll have something for a cutting ceremony. Then have a wrapped (so there are no worries about cross contamination) gluten free dessert available for people with celiac. There are companies that ship them, like this one: http://www.wowbaking.com/fresh-baked-individually-wrapped-ingredients/

 

[anniemae]

That's the way I'd go. I think you can make a decent vegan cake yourself, so you'll have something for a cutting ceremony. Then have a wrapped (so there are no worries about cross contamination) gluten free dessert available for people with celiac. There are companies that ship them, like this one: http://www.wowbaking.com/fresh-baked-individually-wrapped-ingredients/

That is a good gf option. Everyone I know who does not eat gluten due to celiacs, will not eat anything cooked by a person in their house kitchen. Simply too great of a risk of cross contamination. Individually wrapped desserts cooked by professionals knowledgeable in gf cooking would be much appreciated.