More and more people need to eat gluten-free and allergen-free, and food vendors seem to be getting the message. As a busy mother of a teenager with multiple food allergies, I am thrilled to see so many new gluten-free baking mixes available at the grocery store and health food store.
Gluten-free baking mixes always eliminate one of the top food allergens – wheat, but they often require adding milk, butter, and eggs. The good news is, that there are almost always substitutes that will not only work, but also taste great!
You’ll want to make sure that the baking mix you are using doesn’t include any of the ingredients you need to avoid. If you’re focused on the top eight food allergens (wheat, milk, eggs, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish) the FDA requires that these products be clearly called out on the labels.
Now, let’s look at some options for replacing the butter, milk, and eggs:
Replacing butter is fairly simple. Just substitute a non-dairy shortening, margarine, or oil, in equal amounts. I like to use Earth Balance shortening, or Earth Balance soy-free buttery spread.
Replacing milk is also fairly easy. Since so many gluten-free products are lower in protein than their wheat counterparts, I like the extra protein punch that hemp milk adds. For pancakes and muffins I tend to choose vanilla or original hemp milk. For pizza crusts or breads I will use unsweetened. When I’m making a chocolate dessert (my favorite!) I’ll use chocolate hemp milk, as you can see in the chocolate cake example below.
Replacing eggs can be a bit tricky, and takes some experimenting. My top three choices for replacing eggs are:
1. Ener-G egg replacer – mix 1 ½ tsp egg replacer with 2 tbsp water or unsweetened hemp milk, for each egg. I always choose this option for breads or baked goods that need to rise.
2. Applesauce – Substitute ¼ cup applesauce per egg. This is a great choice for sweet breads, muffins, and cakes.
3. Flax seed meal – Whisk together 1 tbsp flaxseed meal with 3 tbsp water. Let set until it gels into a goop that has an egg-like consistency. This is another option for baked goods that don’t need to rise.
Gluten-Free Pantry Decadent Chocolate Cake made Allergen-Free
Now you’re hungry, right? So here’s an example, using the Gluten-Free Pantry Decadent Chocolate Cake mix, by Glutino.
The basic recipe calls for butter, eggs, and buttermilk or yogurt to be added. Here are the substitutes I used:
|
Instead of: |
Use: |
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5 tbps butter |
5 tbps Earth Balance natural shortening |
|
2 large eggs |
½ cup unsweetened applesauce |
|
1 cup low-fat buttermilk or low-fat yogurt |
1 cup Tempt chocolate hemp milk |
I added the ½ tsp vanilla that the recipe calls for, and followed the baking time and temperature recommendations on the box. To make this an even more decadent cake, I added ½ cup of Enjoy Life chocolate chips. Another option would be to add ½ cup of fresh or frozen raspberries.
One box makes a single layer cake; use two boxes for a double-decker cake. This cake is rich enough that it doesn’t really require a frosting, but if you choose to frost it, any allergen-free frosting can be used.
This cake is perfect for celebrations where a special treat is needed, and is one I often make for my family on birthdays and holidays. It’s also a great option, when you need to bring cupcakes to school.
Allergen-free baking is much like a science experiment; sometimes it takes a few tries to get it right, but it’s very rewarding when it does!