We have some close friends whose son is allergic to gluten, dairy and a few other foods. He has never had a fancy birthday cake and he never gets to eat the cake at the birthday parties he attends due to his allergies. They asked me to make his birthday cake this year and I was like “yeah, no problem.” No problem, that is, until I was actually making it. I thought it would be smooth sailing, just like making any other cake, but I found that the GF cake is so much different than the cakes I typically work with.

They requested a vanilla cake with strawberry frosting and strawberry jam (delicious combo, by the way!). The GF cake is a little more dense than my non-GF vanilla cake and the frosting/jam didn’t absorb too well into it. On the top tier, it was oozing out the side a little bit (but thankfully, the oozing was occurring in the back and not the front). Anyway, I also had a ton of anxiety thinking people wouldn’t like it because it’s a much different texture than what they’re used to if they don’t eat GF baked goods often. I had issues with the fondant bubbling a little on the bottom tier. I was just a mess!

And for all of my stressing, the cake was a HUGE hit. The birthday boy and his family were so, so appreciative. The kids all ate it and liked it. My kid, in fact, ate her ENTIRE piece, which she never, ever does. She’s a frosting-licker, not a cake eater. Since it all went so well this year, I just may have it in me to try it again next year.

And for all that went wrong, at least this one didn’t fall apart!