Birthday Cake for Food Allergic 3Yr Old?

Have you heard of www.elanaspantry.com? Her website is amazing - lots of great recipes on there most of which are gluten and casein free. She cooks with eggs, but I don't, so I use something like Orgran egg-replacer and things still come out pretty good. Most of her recipes are soy free and sugar free also and believe it or not, everything I have tried from her is delicious! We have a lot of food sensitivities, so I'd be glad to talk about it if you're looking for more advice or ideas, but that is a great starting place,
K.

Whole Foods has vegan cakes that taste pretty good. Also, a bakery in Glenview called Sweet Dreams has vegan cakes and cupcakes.

We have all the same allergies with the exception of soy, so here are our two favorite go to's:

cherrybrook kitchen cake/cookie mixes

and this recipe which everyone loves and is easy and economical:

mix together:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 unsweetened baking cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

in another bowl, mix:

1/3 cup veggie or canola oil
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup cold water

then, vigorously mix liquid ingredients into dry. Mix until batter is smooth with some small bubbles. Pour into cupcake papers or a greased and floured 9" round or 8" square pan. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for approximately 30 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 to 15 minutes before riming from pan.

Given your soy allergy, you may want to experiment with canola oil for greasing the pan as crisco is soy based. As for frosting, that's a tough one because of the soy ingredients in frosting recipes. You could try a glaze of powdered sugar, rice milk and vanilla with sprinkles.

Email me with any questions you have: ____@____.com

we are food allergy pros!

Hey D.,
I would check out Whole Foods, definately. My son has food alergies as well and they carry lots of great gluten free, peanut, milk, soy, etc. free baking mixes. I personally like the Namaste Brand. Arrowhead mills is ok, but I think they're stuff bakes up a bit dry. Pamela's is also another good one- really good but they're a bit more expensive. You can add rice milk/almond milk to any receipe that says milk and you can get egg replacer for eggs if the receipe calls for it. I'm sure you probably already know most of this, having a son with allegies- but just thought I'd reiterate. :) I hope that helps!
blessings,
J.

this is easy if you can use potato milk or rice milk NOT rice dream it has gluten/wheat in it, soy or coconut milk? Can you use "energy" brand egg replacer? DO you shop at the gluten free store in Northbrook or are you close to a sunset food? there is a bakery in Evanston that is gluten free etc, there is a great allergy vitamin store called All Ways Healthy in Lake Zurich they have mixes you can try. I have a child allergic to rice as well as many other so we do nt use the Cherry Brook Kitchen mixes but we do and are able to use their frosting. Check them out. Did you google for any recipies. When i get down stairs i will write you back with the ingredients, also bobs red mills makes and EXCELLENT chocolate cake mix but has garbanzo or flava beans in it and I know many peanut people do not like to use beans since they are in the legume family...etc.
J.

We used to splurge and get cupcakes from Swirlz on Webster. I believe they sell them at Whole foods as well. They are decadent! The have vegan options daily. Not certain about being nut free facility though.

If you're out in the suburbs, there's a Gluten Free Store in Northbrook: http://www.glutenfreestoreusa.com/ Pricey, but if you're looking for a pre-made cake they can point you in the right direction. Plus, they have an enthusiasm for GF food that is almost fanatical.

CHERRYBROOK KITCHEN IS PEANUT, SOY, EGG, and MILK FREE!!!

Check Cherrybrook Kitchen. They often have mixes that will be okay for such a child. Jewel usually has the mixes in the organic section, or you can try whole foods.

Here's a link: http://www.cherrybrookkitchen.com/products/yellowcake.php

I agree with Cherrybrook Kitchen brand. My son has milk, egg, wheat, barley and nuts as his allergies. The type that Jewel sells has wheat, so I have to order from Cherrybook Kitchen's website to get the one he can have. You might be able to get the cake mix at Jewel since you didn't list wheat as an allergy. I've tried just about every mix I can find for him and some aren't tasty at all, but I will even eat Cherrybrook's. I know it gets harder when they get older b/c they want the same thing as the others

http://www.cherrybrookkitchen.com/

Their mini-chocolate chip cookies and Vanilla graham crackers are very good, too.

Also, http://www.123glutenfree.com/ has some great products although the shipping is expensive. I usually just make a batch of cupcakes and freeze the leftovers. Then when we have a party, get a few out to thaw.

My son can eat the Pillsbury Funfetti icing, but I think it has soy.

Hope this helps!

this past weekend I made the Pamela's Chocolate Cake Mix - delicious! I've been GF for three years and can't believe I've never tried this mix. For frosting I used her frosting mix as well. On the side of the cake mix she has different versions of how you can make the cake and I'm pretty sure there is an egg free version. I found it at the health food store or Whole Foods.

there are some great cake mixes that are allergy free at the Fruitful Yield and/or whole foods. I have made several of them, very tasty for all the family.

I'd check here:

http://www.elanaspantry.com/recipes/

This lady's recipes look great.
D.

Hi D.,
I'm also allergic to eggs and don't eat milk. I'm also allergic to wheat. I also recommend the Cherrybrook Kitchens brand. You can find their cake mix at Target supercenters. That's where I get it. They have both the regular and gluten free version. They also make brownie mixes and choc chip cookie mixes that Target carries too. They are really good. Most baked goods without eggs and such taste horrible or are really heavy. They come in a box like normal cake mixes and are in the same aisle.
Enjoy!

My son is allergic to milk, eggs and tree nuts, so I totally understand. There are two recipes that I've used to make him chocolate cakes and they're both delicious. Here's the links to them:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Crazy-Cake/Detail.aspx

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Egg-Free-Dairy-Free-Nut-Free...

Btw, Pillsbury frosting in a can is dairy and egg free. I'm not sure about the soy though.

K.

You have gotten some good ideas, but I'd like to add another!

www.divies.com sells allery free products.

Also on babycenter.com they have message board groups for food allergies as well as cooking with food allergies. The ladies there know a lot!

Hi D. Go on line to some these food sites and you should be able to find a recipe or ask your local bakery about it.

We use the Cherrybrook brand cake mixes (not sure if they have soy in them), or I make a carrot cake with EnergG Egg replacer and rice milk, or you can get a very yummy but expensive vegan cake at Bleeding Heart Bakery on Belmont on Chicago. Not sure about soy in their products either.

Have a birthday pie. Fresh fruit with a gelatin base. Can your son have rice milk or goats milk?? If so you could make a lite crush using shortening instead or butter. It he can't have rice or goats milk. Can he eat graham crackers? You can put them along the bottom and the sides.

S.

Hi D.,

A vegan cake recipe would probably do it -- just substitute rice milk if it calls for soy milk. www.vegweb.com is a good recipe site. If you still need help, contact me individually and I can type up a recipe for you.

Best -- and happy birthday!
R.

also www.kidswithfoodallergies.org has a fantastic recipe database if you want to make your own