Hi,
I've been asked to decorate a cake for a little boy who is on a gluten free diet. The mother has provided all of the ingredients needed for the cake , but I need to make an icing that doesn't have shortening in it. I can use butter, powdered sugar, vanillla, but no shortening. Does anyone have any suggestions or experience decorating gluten free? I know using only butter, it will be too soft. Thanks in advance for any help!
Ask her if he can have cream cheese - you can make icing with brick (not the whiipped kind) cream cheese and butter. And actually if he is only GF he can have margarine or Crisco - it is GF. We are told not to eat margarine though probably cuz it is no good for you. I am GF and I use the canned icings in the grocery store and just add in powdered sugar. Works fine for me.
btw, do not use the Wilton tubed icings from trim - they have gluten in them.
My Mom has celiac and I make her buttercream using strictly butter and have no issues with the icing being too soft. Depending on the design you may have to keep the piping bags in the fridge to keep it from getting too warm in your hands.
Some people (my mother included) with gluten intolerance also have issues with other foods as well. Soybeans being one, maybe that's why she doesn't want shortening.
I agree with brebdasmum, if they are asking for no shortening to be used then they are probably avoiding soy also since shortening is gluten free. Be careful of store bought frostings and decorating gels, not all of them are gluten free.
Using all butter should be fine as long as the cake will not be out in the summer heat. I would maybe add some meringue powder to help stiffen it up a bit for piping.
Be sure what you use to coat the pan to keep the cake from sticking is also gluten free, some of the products out there are not.
I would use butter or veg oil (since they don't want any shortening which I normally use) and then dust with gluten free flour.
Thanks everyone. I talked to the Mom tonight. She said as long as it's Philadelphia brand cream cheese, I can use it. I'm so excited. I also found out tonight that the reason for no shortening is not the GF, but they are also doing the Feingold (sp?) diet with him. I live in Florida and the heat and humidity are terrible, so I was really worried about the "butter only". You guys are awesome!
As a follow-up to my earlier posting about using canned frostings from the groery store. I was referring to either DH, BC or Pillsbury. All three of these brands are GF except for the Coconut Pecan flavor from Pillsbury.
Re:Wilton icings - two do contain gluten - the colored frostings in the tube and the Ready-to-Decorate Icing have gluten. Some of the other icing products are manufactured in plants which also process gluten so best to check with Wilton directly if you wish to use other icing/decorating items.
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