Have you ever ate a piece of chocolate cake and experienced a foodgasm with its divine taste? Cakes are for every occasion, whether it's a birthday party, wedding, or anniversary. But, let's talk about eating cake on a gluten-free diet.
Many refrain from eating cake because of the risk of triggering their symptoms. With the increased diagnosis of celiac disease, there is rapid development regarding gluten-free food. Well, you can still definitely give in to your sweet tooth pleasures. Celiac disease should never keep you from fulfilling your cravings, especially cake.
As Anthony Trollope said:
“I am inclined to think that cakes and ale prevail most freely in times that are perilous and when sources of sorrow abound.”
Cakes – The History Behind It
We've all seen cake as an essential element of celebrations since our childhood. If you have ever wondered what really cake is and its origin, we have it covered. Let's start with the obvious; a cake is a baked dessert made from a combination of flours, eggs, sugar, and flavoring. The batter made from these ingredients is then baked in an oven and further decorated with your favorite toppings.
Many say that cake originated from the ancient Greek and Rome culture as far as tracing the origin goes. The cake was then generally presented in baked dough or simpler terms' sweet bread'. Gradually, cake entered the early British culture market but alas, still as a baked dough. Although various cultures brought their versions from there on forth, giving shape to the modern representation of cake.
The Role of Gluten in Cake
I guarantee that you are fully aware that the cakes' main gluten component is the foundation itself. Flour plays an integral role in the cake; without it, you do not have a cake at all! Generally, wheat or whole-wheat flour is the main ingredient to make the cake. Here's a reminder, any food item that contains wheat is your enemy on a gluten-free diet.
On the other hand, gluten keeps the cake together due to its cohesive quality. Hence, if your cake does not specifically use gluten-free flours, you'll have to avoid it at all costs. Moreover, it's always best to double-check the icings and fillings if you're not making the cake yourself. Gluten-containing ingredients can be hiding in the basic buttercream frosting or canned fruits filling in a store-bought cake.
What to Use as Alternative to flour?
There's a vast range of gluten-free flours you can use as an alternative to the traditional wheat flour. Sometimes it gets hard to decide between potato, amaranth, rice, corn, etc. for your next cake. For a more convenient option, go for a gluten-free flour blend! A flour blend mixes various types of gluten-free flours to help attain the perfect balance of taste and texture. Another benefit is that these gluten-free flour blends are for baking. You won't have to experiment continuously to find the ideal flour for baking delicious cakes.
Eating Cake on Different Diets
We've covered the gluten-containing ingredients in a cake that you'll need to avoid on a gluten-free diet. What other elements do people avoid on different diets to make their cake diet-friendly? For example, take a dairy-free diet; the raw cake includes milk and butter in the batter. For dairy-free alternatives, go for vegan butter and plant-based milk, e.g., almond milk, soy milk, or even rice milk.
On a sugar-free diet, you'll find tons of substitutes for white sugar if you look for them. Although, for a natural replacement, you can always go for coconut sugar, agave nectar, or honey. Maple syrup also works excellent as a sugar-alternative for adding sweetness to your cakes. Go all out for cakes on a vegan diet using flax seeds instead of eggs for the batter. You can go for infinite options when making a homemade cake; all you've to do is an experiment.
Homemade Gluten-Free Recipe for Chocolate Cake
How about a good-old gluten-free recipe for a cake you can make and eat if you're a celiac sufferer. You won't even miss bakery cakes anymore once you try this recipe out. We have added an easy gluten-free chocolate cake that is super simple and will have you ready for seconds. Your family and friends won't even notice it's gluten-free.
Ingredients:
For the Cake-
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour blend
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup boiling water
For the Frosting-
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup milk
Directions:
- Preheat the oven at 350° F. Alongside, brush butter or cooking oil on two 8″ cake pans.
- Grab a mixing bowl and add sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cocoa to it. Keep whisking until the ingredients are thoroughly mixed.
- In another mixing bowl, add eggs, vanilla extract, milk, and oil. You can whisk by hand or beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes.
- Mix in the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Add boiling water to the mixture.
- Distribute the batter into both cake pans. Baking the cake for 35-40 minutes or inserting a toothpick in the center; it should come out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven. Let the cake cool, before removing it from the pan. Continue to let it cool further on the rack.
- In a mixing bowl, add butter and vanilla. Beat the ingredients till they're smooth in texture. Add in the cocoa powder and beat again. Slowly add sugar one cup at a time. Then add the milk, and continue until you get the desired consistency. Then your frosting is ready.
- Decorate the cake with frosting and enjoy!
Tips for Adapting to the Gluten-Free Lifestyle
Shifting to a gluten-free life isn't always easy for everyone, especially if you're new to it. Let's admit the facts; it can get frustrating at times. When trying to overcome the dietary challenges while baking, here are a few tips:
Keep Whisking-
One significant advantage of eating a gluten-free diet is you don't have to worry about over-whisking. Whisking your ingredients can quickly go from an easy task to a mess if you whisk it for too long with gluten-containing ingredients. That's because the gluten-component ruins the texture if you're whisking the flour for a prolonged time. Contrastingly, since gluten-free means no gluten, the longer you whisk, the more enhanced surface you'll have.
Embrace the Imperfections-
We can all be disastrous bakers at times, but that doesn't mean it's hopeless. Keep trying, and you'll eventually get there. Plus, if your cake does turn out a little on the wrong side, make something else out of it. Here's an idea, you can use cake pieces for a homemade trifle.
Let Your Creativity Run Wild-
The kitchen is one of the places you should be letting your creative juices flow. Don't be too strict about it just because you're going gluten-free. You don't always have to stick to a recipe word-to-word. Experiment with it in your style and watch it transform into a delicious treat in itself.
Go for Your Favorites-
Switching to a new diet often means you'll be missing your old favorites. And that's perfectly normal; it's bound to happen at one point or another. Chances are there are only 2-3 ingredients at most that might contain gluten in the dish. You can always go for the same classic recipe with gluten-free alternatives or look up gluten-free versions of that recipe. Cook your desired dishes at home, and you'll have your favorite gluten-free meal.
Conclusion:
The extraordinary thing about gluten-free cake is that it's just the cake that should be changed to gluten-free. The remainder of the fixings is generally typically sans gluten – yay! In conclusion, if anything is stopping you from devouring delicious cakes, it's your irrational fears. Grab your baking utensils and go for it; you'll be amazed at the tasty cake recreations you'll bake.
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