hi everyone, im doing a cake for this saturday and the little birthday girl's sister has a severe peanut allergy. the mother was very confident in me doing the cake, i have assured here that there are no nuts/peanutsin my kitchen and that i would be making everything from scratch, the cake, icing, and fondant, she just emailed me about the baking pan asking me to use a disposable cake pan, 'just in case' anyhoo, now im paranoid, should i just go and buy a brand new baking pan and keep it separte for such occasions, or will the disposable alunimum be alright, please help me out!!! thanks in advance!!!

baby

I would for this one. And I would double check the ingredients you are using. It may be nut free, but a lot of things say right on the package "processed in a factory where nuts are present" or something to that effect. This is why I will never ever take an order for a person allergic to nuts. No way no how. One, I'm not going to go crazy checking ingredients and hosing down the studio to get rid of trace amounts of nuts. Too much work, for too much liability.

One of my friend's daughter has a peanut and tree nut allergy. Depending on the severity of her allergy, it is reasonable to have a different set of "nut-free" pans. As far as your cake ingredients, I would double check each of the things that you use. All products now have to have on their packaging if they contain nuts, if they are processed on the same equipment as nuts or if they are processed in the same plant as nuts. You would be surprised at some of the things that have these warnings. Again, depending on the severity, you may have to avoid all products produced in the same plant, for fear of cross-contamination.

Good luck.

I guess she also can't eat at restaurants, can't eat at other people's houses and can't go to birthday parties.

I'm not sure if that was supposed to be sarcastic or not, but actually, yeah, they have to be really careful where she eats. There are entire restaurants that she cannot step foot in. I just made a shower cake for the church, and the mom called me to ask what I had put in it to make sure she could eat it. With a nut allergy, the more interactions with the nut the allergic person has, the worse the allergy gets. What starts out as just a bit of swelling around the lips can, over time and with repeated interactions, turn into anaphylactic shock and death. So, yeah, there are some restaurants she can't go into.

I had a coworker before who couldn't eat anything with nuts because her son was so allergic that if she went home with any nut traces on her hands and touched something that he came into contact with, he would go into anaphylactic shock. It's a huge deal for people who are affected...but if you don't know someone like that, or read about it in the baby care books because you aren't a parent yet, it might be hard to realize it could be so serious.

I think the disposable pan would work well enough. Another option, if it's a common size pan, would be to borrow one from your customer.

I am too nervous to do a cake for anyone who says they have a peanut allergy...it can be quite serious. Some kids just don't eat peanuts, but others can't even be in a room where peanuts, or even peanut oil, are being used! Just as PP stated, it can result in anaphylactic shock, and even death.
We have friends whose kids have a peanut allergy, but it's not really bad, so they can eat stuff made in a kitchen that also contains peanuts, as long as the product itself is not made with nuts. But I won't make a cake for anyone who says allergies are a concern...I don't want to be responsible for a child having a reaction! Better safe than sorry!
JMHO!

oops....sorry - dup post.

I always say that there can be traces of nut in all my products. I use nuts in my business and therefore cannot guarantee a nut-free product. It is then up to the the client if they want to order or not.

hi everyone, thanks for all the info, i actually called the mum and didnt do the cake, i pulled some strings from a friend of mine that is certified 'nut free' and she got the cake done there..... iwas just toooooo nervous doing that, never again, you are right, better safe than sorry!!!!

baby

hi everyone, thanks for all the info, i actually called the mum and didnt do the cake, i pulled some strings from a friend of mine that is certified 'nut free' and she got the cake done there..... iwas just toooooo nervous doing that, never again, you are right, better safe than sorry!!!!

baby

I got a call from a mom whose son had alot of allergies including nuts. She purchased the cake mix from a company in New York that specializes in products for people with allergies. (It was $6.00 a box) I used everything that was disposable including bags, pans, tips, spoons and bowls. I even had to hand mix everything, couldn't take a chance with the mixer. I also had to make the icing with no flavorings. I was nervous, but all went well and the look on the little boy's face when they picked up the cake was priceless! He was turning 6 and this was his first birthday cake ever!

I have a customer with a peanut allergy and also one with a tree nut allergy. I have made things oftern for both and never had a problem. I never even thought about worrying abotu the pan - I used disposable utensils, etc but I never even thought about the pan. I am glad someone pointed that out. So far I haven't had a problem, knock on wood, but I am so mad at myself for not thinking about that! Thanks yall for pointing that out...I never use anything with peanuts anyway but you can never be too safe!

Honestly, RylanTy I didn't think you meant it in a sarcastic way. I've read your other posts and you don't seem to be that type of person. Sorry if I offended you.
There is a lot to think about when baking for a peanut/nut allergic person and if you are not comfortable doing it, don't be afraid to say so. Believe me we understand and appreciate your honesty.