Easy, Fast GFCF Cupcakes - (Gluten, Casein, Nut, Dairy, Egg, Soy Free)
Written: Nov 05 '07
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Real Chocolate and a Treat!
Cons: Very Sweet and Rich, almost too sweet!
The Bottom Line: My son can enjoy parties with these cupcakes
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| marytara's Full Review: Cherrybrook 20011 Wheat/Gluten Free Chocolate Cake... |
Including Kids with Allergies in the birthday celebration!
My son is on a "special" diet called the GFCF diet which stands for Gluten and Casein Free. Essentially this means no wheat, and no dairy. In addition due to the fact that my husband is allergic to tree nuts we also avoid those as well. My "regular" grocery shopping, meal and lunchbox preparation has taken on a whole new life of its own and then came birthday parties. When my son gets invited to a friend's party or there are classroom parties I don't want him to be excluded or feel sad watching all the other children eating cake or cupcakes. So, we make our own.
Enter the Cherrybrook Kitchen Gluten Free Cake Mix
I've found this both at local grocery stores as well as Whole Foods and a health food store where I do my shopping and it sells for around $5 a box. So, this costs more than a run of the mill cake mix you'd find in a regular grocery but less than a bakery cake. The Cherrybrook Kitchen brand sells all sorts of allergen free products. If you specifically need Gluten free make sure you get the one in the white box that states Gluten Free. They also sell one that is just nut and dairy free, but contains wheat. Anyone who is gluten free or prepares food for someone who is Gluten Free, be it that they are Celiac or on the GFCF diet to help behavior (Autism, ADHD, etc) will know that reading labels becomes second nature.
This specific cake mix is:
Gluten Free
Wheat Free
Egg Free
Peanut Free
Tree Nut Free
Dairy Free
Casein Free
Soy Free
Sesame Free
Kosher
I will include the ingredients because if you are looking for a "safe" cake then this is important to you. Of course, ingredients change on products so please check for yourself as well on the product you are purchasing.
Potato starch, evaporated cane juice, natural cocoa powder, white rice flour, tapioca starch, brownulated sugar, baking soda, xanthan gum, sea salt.
Easy to Make
Each 15.5 oz box makes either a 9 inch round cake or 1 dozen cupcakes. I've only ever used this to make cupcakes and it truly does make a full dozen of standard cupcakes that rise up and are "full size". Some mixes I've used in the past produce a dozen that are skimpy but this mix makes "good ones". I suggest using baking cups instead of greasing the pan, its just easier and there are so many cute baking cups out there to add to the fun.
The directions are clearly stated on the package. While my oven is preheating to 350 degrees I mix in the called for quanties of vegetable oil, gluten free vanilla, and cold water and stir it all up. After filling my baking cups so they are between half and 3/4 full each I bake it up in my oven for 15 minutes.
After they've cooled then I frost and decorate however many that I need for the party and stick them in my fridge in an air-tight container. The extra's I pop into the freezer so that I have them on hand. This way when my son gets invited to a party or there is a school party I can thaw one out, frost it and send it with him to school. For frosting, you have a lot of options ranging from making your own, using a gluten free mix, or carefully checking shelf brand. Pillsbury Vanilla Frosting is GFCF safe which makes it really easy. For Halloween parties I found some decorating candies in Halloween shapes that met my son's dietary requirements.
But how do they taste
I'll be blunt with you that many Gluten Free substitutes and premade products are absolutely dreadful tasting. I'm not on the Gluten Free diet myself, but I've tried it all. I really wanted to try out these cupcakes because it is especially important to me that my son be able to enjoy and participate in birthday celebrations. He loves birthdays and cake and I just didn't want to turn something positive into a negative. The consistency of these cupcakes is good but they are quite dense. They aren't a light cupcake that falls apart in the least. Most of all, these are super rich and chocolatey. This mix is definitely for chocolate lovers and for those with a sweet tooth (me!). A friend of mine tried one and said it was too sweet for her to finish that it actually made her teeth hurt, she wasn't a big fan of them. Now, the one who's opinion matters the most (my son) devours the whole thing and is quite content to eat his own "special" cupcakes at parties. For that reason, we'll try this mix again and again.
This an easy to make mix for cupcakes if you are GFCF or looking to make up cupcakes for a child with allergies to nuts, dairy, egg, wheat (or all of the above). This way they can join in the party too and not be excluded.
http://www.cherrybrookkitchen.com
Recommended:
Yes
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marytara
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