I am new to the gluten free thing... just got asked to make 6 cupcakes for a wedding (groom's sister is gluten free)... I have the cake part covered but what do I use for the recipe? Is just a plain buttercream okay to use? I'm confused!!! Thanks!

As long as your vanilla/flavoring is GF, you should be fine... Most icings are Gfree, unless of course it's a flour based frosting Good luck! btw- many of my family members are gfree, and they LOVE ganache on their chocolate gfree cake!

http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-683095-gluten.html

I always thought icings and frostings were OK until I read the above post. I'd go for the ganache, too, just to be on the safe side.

Okay, I've never done ganache. Any good recipes to point me in the direction Thanks!

Not all chocolate is gluten-free ..

Baking gluten-free can present a challenge to bakers that do not typically bake gluten-free.

Notes: Two out of three of mine are coeliac - I bake gluten-free for the five of us .. I rarely have gluten products in the kitchen these days.

Many times that people who are coeliac are "glutened" is when they ingest product that is cross-contaminated at the food source.

Baking Notes: not complete and not limited to -

1. No wooden utensils: they are highly absorbent - no rolling pin, no cake board

2. No wooden and plastic cutting boards as nicks, grooves and scratches can retain gluten particles

3. No Plastic storage containers. They absorb gluten like food odours and colours - have separate new containers and clearly marked, if used.

4. Dont use the same flour-sifter for gluten-free and regular flours.

5. Dont prepare gluten-free foods on the same surface used to prepare foods with gluten unless the surface has been thoroughly cleaned.

6. "Dip and spread" products, should not be - use a single utensil to dole out ingredients and separate utensils to use.

7. items such as piping tips, biscuit cutters, etc., and baking tins that are made with "seams", "rivets", or crevices, may accumulate gluten particles and runs a risk of contamination.

Any flour, gluten-free or gluten, can stay airborne in kitchens for many hours after use. As it settles, it will contaminate surfaces, utensils, and uncovered food. If you have previously baked gluten product in the previous hours, contamination could be a problem.

>> Some products that can contain gluten: not complete and not limited to -

* Alcohol derived from wheat, barely, malt, rye, etc.
* Artificial Flavouring - Natural Flavouring - Vanilla & other Extracts - Food
Colouring - Caramel Color (some types)
* Baking Powder
* Ground Spices and spice mixes
* Citric Acid
* Non Stick Cooking Sprays
* wheat, barley, rye Flours and starches - Edible and Food starch - Gelatinized and Modified [pregelatinized] - Food Starch
* Cocoa
* Cereal Binders, Extracts, and Fillers
* Oats, Oat Bran, Oatmeal
* Powdered confectioner's or icing Sugar
* Buttermilk can contain modified food starch
* Confectionery - Marshmallows
* Cheese (dusted to prevent sticking)
* Chocolate Syrup
* Flavored Instant Coffee
* Malt (wheat/barley) - Malt Extract, Syrup and Flavouring - Malt Vinegar
* Vinegar
* Rice Malt, Rice Syrup, Rice Paper
* Mayonnaise