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Operation Gluten Free Graduation Cake

On Monday of last week I received a desperate bulk email from a woman on in our local Celiac Support Group. She was emailing the whole group (probably 50-75 people) to see if anyone knew of a local bakery who could make a “fancy gluten free graduation cake for about 150 people – the party is Saturday and I haven’t found anyone to do it yet!” I read it to Robert, and we both agreed that I could probably help her, so I emailed her back…

Hi- I am not a professional, but I have had some gluten free cake baking/decorating experience and think I could do this for you.

She emailed back immediately and seemingly relieved, agreed to let me do it. Then I got scared! What was I thinking? I am definitely NOT a professional. I have never even taken a cake-decorating class. It’s always just been me and my Martha Stewart Cake Decorating Kit and my kids’ or friends’ birthday cakes or Christmas cookies. This was serious, and I could potentially ruin a sweet 18 year old’s graduation party!

So I got started the very next day…

I did some research on different gluten free cake recipes, and then more research on ingredients. My first thought was to use the Betty Crocker yellow cake mixes, but at about $4.50 per box, (and I was going to need 8-10) I decided I could do it cheaper by using all scratch ingredients.

I made two different versions of a gluten free yellow cake recipe I found online, and let my gluten-eating hubby do the taste-testing. The first one tasted good, but seemed too “gummy and moist.” For the second one, I decreased the amount of xanthan gum, the amount of mayonnaise (yes, mayonnaise!), the amount of rice flour, and the amount of salt. Then, I increased the sugar by a little bit, and added potato starch to replace the decreased rice flour. Robert and kids agreed that this second try was very tasty and lighter – more like a “real” cake.

After figuring the approximate costs of ingredients and estimating the time it would take, I emailed this mom and told her I thought I would have to charge $175. I could hardly sleep that night, thinking this would be a deal-killer, but she called the next day to say that was just fine and “probably more reasonable than a professional bakery.” Whew. But still some panic…Can I really make a cake that is worth $175????

So last Friday, AFTER visiting new parents-of-twins in the hospital and celebrating the last day of school – and BEFORE chaperoning my daughter’s ballet class for nearly three hours for their dress rehearsal that evening, the afternoon and late night were spent baking eight 9×13 gluten free yellow cakes. While they were baking in shifts, I tried out a couple of icing recipes, tried to decide on colors, and figure out how I was going to assemble them. Robert was dispatched on a mission to Home Depot for a thin piece of plywood to use for the base. You know, he’s oftentimes the silent partner in these endeavors of mine, and never complains. He brought home a 3×3 piece of plywood, but by then I had decided to arrange the cakes in a way that would not require such a large board, so without hesitation, he went out to the garage and magically appeared 15 minutes later with a 2×2 sheet. Perfect!

He even wrapped it with foil for me.

Of course I dreamed about cakes and icing all night and got up before 6a.m. to start working on it again. I was finished by 9a.m. and called to let the mom know that they could pick it up anytime. Their family was so busy cleaning house and getting ready for the big party and shopping for groceries, that they had to send Grandpa to pick up the cake. He and I put it in the back of his mini-van, he handed me my payment, thanked me, and drove off.

And then it was gone! It was a weird feeling. I always end up being a part of the celebration that these creations are meant for, whether it be my own kids’ birthdays or the party of friends’ – eating it together, taking pictures, enjoying the response of the celebrated person, but not this time. This time it went out the door and left a big clean space on my kitchen table.

It was a fun project, and they did email and say that the cake was a hit. I ended up sending some photos of it to the entire Celiac Support Group and offering my services in case anyone else was in need of something like that. We’ll see!

Here’s the recipe, and I have to say, it is just like a “real” full-of-gluten yellow cake.
Watch out, Betty Crocker!


Rachael’s Gluten Free Graduation Cake

Cake Ingredients (X 8)

1 cup rice flour
3/4 tapioca starch
1/2 cup potato starch
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp baking soda
3 tsp baking powder
4 eggs
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp vinegar
1 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla

Directions: Combine flours, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, and salt. Mix well. Cream eggs, mayonnaise, and sugar together. Add vinegar to bottom of 1 cup measuring cup and then fill with the milk. Add creamed sugar and egg mixture as well as milk and vinegar mixture to dry ingredients and beat on medium-high. Add vanilla and beat again for 3-5 minutes. Pour into a 9×13 greased cake pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Icing Ingredients ( X 10)

1/2 stick butter, slightly softened
1/2 block cream cheese, slightly softened
1/4 cup milk
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Directions: Cream together butter, cream cheese, milk and powdered sugar. Add vanilla and beat again until thoroughly combined. Add more powdered sugar or chill if icing is too thin.

9 thoughts on “Operation Gluten Free Graduation Cake

  1. I looked yummy and pretty! I tried to make Dalton's cake for his birthday one year and it stressed me out so much I have them made. I trade Mary Kay with my friend who makes cakes. Good job.

  2. Oh Melanie…I can identify with this WHOLE post! Well, not the gluten-free part… but the worries about price, sending the hubs out to get stuff (Matt is often the silent provider of extra butter and eggs), and the weird feeling when the cake gets picked up.

    Your cake turned out SO well! I'm sure Rachael was thrilled! 🙂

  3. Wow! I was nervous FOR you as I was reading this! And felt the sadness when the cake left your house! 🙁

    The cake looked great and I'm SURE it was yummy-yummy!!

    Congrats on your first "professional" cake! May there be more!!!

    Hugs,
    Jenn

  4. Mel, it looks awesome! For 150 people, that is a very reasonable price, especially for a gluten free cake. You ought to email Shary to ask what you should charge for any future concoctions 🙂 By the way, thanks for the sweet card & articles…we also heard yesterday that Amherst won the State championship – Austin is thrilled!
    Sara

  5. I just found your recipe and tried it out today…it was great! I made a dozen cupcakes and 2 personal round cakes with one batch. I've got the 9×13 cake in the oven from a second batch. Loved how brown the top came, looks like a regular cake, and the cake texture is like regular cake too, not the dense mess like most of the gf cakes we've had before. Thank you for sharing! My son will be thrilled to have a new treat just for him!

  6. So glad you enjoyed the cake! Thank you for sharing your success with me. Now I've got one graduating, so maybe I'll have to try this for his party!

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