I've had some requests for gluten-free cakes. How complicated is it to make a regular cake gluten-free? Can I just substitute gluten-free flour for cake flour?

AI make gluten-free cakes a lot. It is not too complicated. You should be able to just substitute gluten-free flour without changing anything else, but there are a few things to consider. There are many different gluten-free flour blends available, some work better than others. I have read about people really liking Bob's Red Mill AP gluten-free flour, but I do not like it for cake at all. (I do like it for biscuits, pizza crust, etc., just not for cake.) Right now I find that the one I like best is actually a store brand blend, oddly enough. I do personalize it a bit with some other flours, too. You might want to try a few blends, or try blending your own, until you find one that works for you. Also, beware of xanthan gum. It is helpful in the right amount, but too much and your cake will shrink and the texture will be unpleasant. Probably the best cake to start with if you want to try gluten-free is a chocolate cake recipe that calls for cocoa. The cocoa itself acts like a flour so you have less to substitute. Good luck!

Hi Marya,

I think you should use Gluten Free Baking Powder for making Gluten-Free Cakes.

Here, i post the Recipe of Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipe.

Try It.

Ingredients

Serves : 12 

• 250g plain chocolate, chopped
• 1 1/2 (400g) tins chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 4 eggs
• 150g caster sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon gluten free baking powder
• 1 tablespoon icing sugar

Directions

Prep:15min  ›  Cook:40min  ›  Extra time:15min  ›  Ready in:1hr10min 

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C / Gas mark 4. Grease a 23cm round cake tin, line with parchment and then grease again.
2. Place the chocolate into a microwave-safe bowl. Cook in the microwave for about 2 minutes, stirring every 20 seconds after the first minute, until chocolate is melted and smooth. If you have a powerful microwave, reduce the power to 50 percent.
3. Combine the beans and eggs in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Add the sugar and the baking powder, and pulse to blend. Pour in the melted chocolate and blend until smooth, scraping down the corners to make sure chocolate is completely mixed. Transfer the batter to the prepared cake tin.
4. Bake for 40 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the tin on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes before turning out onto a serving plate. Dust with icing sugar just before serving.

AI have never seen baking powder that contained gluten, but I know it is out there! Certainly, you need to be sure that all of your ingredients are gluten-free, not just the flour. You will also need to be careful about cross contamination with all your utensils, pans, mixer, etc.

Be very careful of cross-contamination.  Read the labels on everything.  Gluten is found in many things and under many different names.

Gluten-Free Baking is my specialty, it's all I do.   There are many recipes out there, but very few are really any good.

If the customer has Celiac Disease, make sure you use only certified Gluten-Free Ingredients.  Packaged and sealed.  Don't buy items at a Bulk Store.  There is a very high risk of cross-contamination.

Also when using your regular sugar (and other ingredients) at home to bake, open a new bag for a Celiac Customer.  Because if you normally use your measuring cup and scoop out flour then use the same cup to measure out your sugar, the entire container of sugar is now contaminated with Gluten.

There is more to think about then just the recipe ingredients. 

Feel free to PM me is you have any questions.  This is my specialty and my life, I have Celiac Disease.

Take Care & Good Luck

Lot's to think about and consider.