Nut Free, Dairy Free and Gluten Free cake recipe needed

[hezzier]

Ok cooking experts...we are going to get together with our neighbors and DS need nut free, neighbor needs dairy and gluten free, but we want to do a cake to celebrate two of the kid's birthdays...

I have found recipes in my Food Allergy Mama's cookbook as well as Divvies cookbook and on line that all look good, but...

First question: can I sub in Cup4Cup Flour in any recipe for regular flour?  or not a good idea?

Second question:  all the frosting recipes seem to call for rice or soy milk, what brands are nut free?  Or does anyone have another recipe?

[spacecanada]

Cup4Cup products are made on shared equipment as milk, so it won't work. (I just looked that up yesterday, actually.)  I have had mixed results using the Enjoy Life all-purpose flour - it seems like I need to use a little bit more of the gluten-free flour than what is called for when using wheat flour.  You may want to add a touch of xanthan gum, too, if you aren't using egg or another binder.  Most cakes will turn out just as well when using water in place of milk.  Some need a little cornstarch or arrowroot starch added.

I have been doing a lot of research into American brands this week (making a list of safe foods for our upcoming trip) and have found NO non-dairy milks that are made in a nut-free facility.  Zero.    It's the same situation here in Canada, unfortunately.  And then, if by chance they are nut-free, they are likely processed on shared lines with milk, too.  It's not worth it.  We use tinned coconut milk that's from a coconut-only facility, but I realise that's a nut in America.

I have found almost everything from the Enjoy Life cupcake cookbook turns out well.  We use Namaste flours as their facility is top 10+ free.  We make our own oat flour, but I'm not sure if there's one in America that's 100% nut-free and gluten-free facility... you could use more rice flour or quinoa flour, likely.

BEST VANILLA CUPCAKE
from Enjoy Life's Cupcakes and Sweet Treats for Everyone

Flour Mix 1:
¼ cup (30g) tapioca flour/starch
2 tablespoons (15g) garbanzo bean flour
¼ cup (40g) white rice flour -- we use sweet brown rice flour since Namaste doesn't make white
⅔ cup (80g) certified gluten-free oat flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup granulated sugar

1 cup vanilla rice milk -- works just as well with water!
1 teaspoon rice vinegar -- we use apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons (10 ml) gluten-free vanilla extract -- we use ½ a vanilla bean
⅓ cup (80 ml) canola oil

Flour Mix 2:
⅓ cup (40g) certified gluten-free oat flour
⅓ cup (40g) tapioca flour/starch
½ teaspoon xanthin gum

Preheat oven to 350*F (180*C, gas mark 4)
Grease a 12-cup muffin pan -- we use cupcake liners or an 8" cake pan
To make flour mix 1: blend the first 8 ingredients; set aside.
In a separate bowl, blend the vanilla rice milk, vinegar, vanilla extract, and oil; set aside.
To make flour mix 2: blend ingredients together; set aside.
Add the vanilla rice milk mixture to flour mix 1 and mix until blended.
Add flour mix 2 and blend until smooth.  Beat 1 minute more.
Pour batter into prepared muffin pan.  Bake for 25 minutes, or until the centre feels firm.
Remove from pan and cool completely.  Store, covered, in refrigerator.

-- cooking time for a full cake will be longer, obviously.  I would start at 40-45 minutes and cook until la toothpick test in the middle comes out clean.  I have notes for making this in a sheet pan, but not a round cake - must have forgot to write down the final cooking time. 

BEST CHOCOLATE CUPCAKE
same as above, with the following changes:
Flour mix 1: only ⅓ cup oat flour, plus ⅓ cup cocoa powder
omit vanilla extract

Easy, peasy!  I would be super duper extra careful with clean utensils and cookware if you are trying to make something without an allergen you regularly use in your house -- flour would be my biggest concern since it sticks to everything and finds its way into little corners and such.  I don't really need to tell you that, but I'd be paranoid of cooking for another allergen I'm not used to or have readily available in my house due to cc risks. 

You can make frosting with silken tofu and melted chocolate chips tossed in a blender, but I wouldn't trust a blender to be clean from allergens you regularly use in it -- all those moving parts... nope.  I have used water in place of milk in icing before and it works just as well -- it's only to provide some extra liquid to lighten up the frosting.  Use less water than you would milk. 

[hezzier]

I will have to ask if cross contamination is an issue...it's not an allergy, she has Chron's

[hezzier]

Anyone tried the King Arthur GF cake mixes?

[hezzier]

Look what I found... 

http://www.ardennefarm.com/Our-Story_ep_7.html

gluten free and nut free


https://www.glutenfreeandmore.com/issues/4_48/Gluten-Free-Cake-Mixes-5062-1.html

[spacecanada]

Namaste also makes a cake mix, as does Enjoy Life, both guaranteed free from all top-8 allergens -- if you want to go with a mix, anyway.

[hezzier]

Cup4Cup products are made on shared equipment as milk, so it won't work. (I just looked that up yesterday, actually.)

I just checked the bag I have in my cabinet and it actually contains milk powder so I will definitely not be using it.

[hezzier]

Here's the cake recipe I used...it's in the oven now, but I just realized when I doubled the recipe I read the amount wrong on the vinegar so only put in 2 tsp instead of 2 TBS...ooops.

http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/vanilla-sponge-cake-gluten-dairy-nut-and-egg-free-309848

using this for the "frosting"
http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/chocolate-glaze-dairy-free-109773

Will report back on how it turns out

[spacecanada]

I am always wary of all purpose gluten-free flours, because they vary so much and are super finicky, per my experience.  Sometimes they work, something they're a total disaster depending on the recipe.  Which flour mix did you end up using for that recipe? 

[hezzier]

Everyone thought the cake and glaze were great.  My neighbor wants the recipe so I will email it to her.  I ended up using King Arthur All Purpose GF flour.  It turned out very moist so I do think it could have cooked a little longer and I would guess that it will not be great leftover tomorrow which is just fine since we still have DS's nut free bakery cake in the fridge too.  I brought coconut cool whip and regular cool whip to go on top.  You could totally skip the glaze and serve this cake with fresh fruit and whipped cream/ice cream/cool whip, etc.

[spacecanada]

Adding this here because I used it on my husband's birthday cake and will never make American buttercream again.  (I never liked it anyway.)  This recipe is so easy and tastes light and not so sweet:
https://www.mybluprint.com/article/this-lesser-known-style-of-buttercream-is-lightly-creamy-not-too-sweet-and-sooo-easy-to-make

I used tinned light coconut milk.

[GoingNuts]

Wow, SC. That looks really interesting. I've never heard of that.

[rebekahc]

I tried making frosting like that once, but it didn't turn out well. This recipe seems like it would be worth a try, though!

[spacecanada]

Just make sure the cornstarch is dissolved well and it is super easy to make.  I made the custard whilst the cake was cooking and let them cool together.