Allergy Free Recipe Needed....ideas?

Baking By belle04 Updated 29 Aug 2012 , 1:45pm by belle04

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belle04 Posted 25 Aug 2012 , 2:27pm
post #1 of 9

A friend of mine always gives me cupcake orders for her daughter's school classroom- up until now it has not mattered because it was preschool and I guess no one had allergies. Now, she's in kindergarten and there are a ton of allergies in the classroom for school. I use an altered WASC recipe, I think but can adapt for her, I just don't know how! Here is the list of allergies for this year....the next order she wants is in December so I've got some time to figure it out. Thanks for any help....

milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, rye, barley

8 replies
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jason_kraft Posted 25 Aug 2012 , 3:24pm
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There's no easy answer here, it took us several months of R&D to come up with good dairy/egg/nut/gluten-free recipes. We started by looking online for highly rated recipes and cookbooks, then picked out the most promising recipes, tested them out, and made revisions. It's also important to structure your baking processes to avoid cross contamination, and make sure your suppliers are doing the same.

Another option is to use Cherrybrook Kitchen cake and frosting mixes, you can find them at most Whole Foods locations: http://www.cherrybrookkitchen.com/products/cakescookiesbrownies.php

FYI, some schools only allow baked goods from licensed bakeries that are completely nut-free due to the prevalence of nut allergies, so make sure to find out from the school if they will even let your cupcakes in the door.

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BakingIrene Posted 25 Aug 2012 , 3:33pm
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You would not bake a reasonable single "cake" batter that tastes or looks like cake with that list of allergies.

You could commit to peanut free and nut free, no problem. Gluten free will cover the wheat, barley and rye if you mix the flour yourself from brown rice flour, tapioca flour, potato flour.

But gluten free cakes depend on eggs and milk to get the job done. Gluten free chiffon cake can be dairy free, but NOT egg free.

I think this means two sets of baked goods one of which can be egg free and one of which can be dairy free. Using GF recipes could cover all the other allergies. Check out the GF baking recipe book by Annalise Roberts, not too expensive if you are going to bake for kids.

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BakingIrene Posted 25 Aug 2012 , 3:35pm
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FYI the Cherrybrook cake mixes have barley as the first ingredient..sorry to have to tell you.

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jason_kraft Posted 25 Aug 2012 , 3:37pm
post #5 of 9
Quote:
Originally Posted by BakingIrene

FYI the Cherrybrook cake mixes have barley as the first ingredient..sorry to have to tell you.



They have two product lines: one gluten-free and one not.

Here is their gluten-free mix:
http://www.cherrybrookkitchen.com/products/gf_choccake.php

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jason_kraft Posted 25 Aug 2012 , 3:38pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BakingIrene

But gluten free cakes depend on eggs and milk to get the job done. Gluten free chiffon cake can be dairy free, but NOT egg free.



Sure it can, tofu can be used as an egg replacer, or ground flaxseed if there is also a soy allergy.

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lorieleann Posted 25 Aug 2012 , 10:07pm
post #7 of 9

the book, Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World has a Gluten Free cupcake recipe in chocolate and vanilla that does not contain eggs, dairy, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, barley, or rye. (as long as you make those choices for milk, i.e. sub soy milk for the almond).

The biggest concern I think would be with cross-contamination. You have to have a completely separate 'never-been-used-on-that-allergen- set of tools and pans to make sure you are safe. Depending on the level of severity of the allergies, even using the same mixer will introduce gluten as fine particles of flour can be released from the head (like on a KA).

And I have to say, as a mom of a kid with food allergies, I'm not going to have a hard time trusting that someone else didn't miss something. I'd much prefer that the birthday treat be something like fruit skewers and dip, popcorn balls, or rice krispy treats--or a treat for my son that I provide while the rest of the class has something else. For myself and many of my friends with allergy kids, we'd rather provide for our own and not make a fuss than to try to educate and give recipes and worry about it--and make everyone subject to a bad cupcake because getting an allergy cupcake that passes as a regular one takes a lot of trial and error! I've tasted some nasty attempts at GF and vegan baked goods, and while I appreciate the gesture--I don't see the point in subjecting the whole class to our diet needs. (and that's just THIS mom's perspective icon_wink.gif )

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ChardBakingCo Posted 27 Aug 2012 , 1:08am
post #8 of 9

I'm a gluten-free/vegan baker. You most certainly can make a (completely) food allergy friendly cake that tastes great! I've spent stupid amounts of time developing my recipes, but I can tell you that here is a great, and amazingly easy recipe that make mom always makes:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/wacky-cake-recipe/index.html

You'll just need to replace the wheat flour. Arrowhead Mills makes a decent gluten-free baking mix if you aren't familiar with mixing your own flours. You'll just need to add about 3/4tsp-1tsp of xanthan gum to the recipe.

Just be sure that they are sent with a statement that you took every precaution to avoid cross contamination with allergens, but you can not guarantee it. A lot of kids with allergies will be able to eat them, and really apreciate it : )

Hope this helps!

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belle04 Posted 29 Aug 2012 , 1:45pm
post #9 of 9

Thanks guys- I had no idea what this would be like so all the expertise and experience has been amazing. I'm thinking I might make the recipe that was shared last and just change out the flour and let everyone know what is in it by including a list of ingredients. However, I might tell my friend that I'll also make some other treat that everyone can have so that the allergy-kids don't feel like I made something only for them and they have to eat something completely different- I don't want to "separate" them from the class in any way that I can avoid.

I'll also make sure to contact the school myself and maybe the teacher to see what she suggests and make sure they know I work from home and also send in a statement disclaimer just in case for the cupcakes I do make. In the end, my friend really likes the design/decorative work I do, so it's not as much about the cakes so if I need to change what the treat is made of in order to meet those needs- I will. We'll see...I think my friend just doesn't get the logistics of this all. Thanks again for all your help and input. I'm a teacher myself, but work online now so I know that allergies definitely exist in the classroom, thus the list I got and don't want to cause any harm or make anyone second guess what is sent in. Even if I have to buy a commercial product and just decorate it.....at least I have some options now thanks you all of you!

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