At Bay Tree Cakes we are often asked to take into account the needs of allergy sufferers at Weddings and other parties. This, of course, not only affects brides and grooms with allergy issues, but also those with friends and family members who may be affected. We sometimes get people who think that they cannot even have a cake which will cater for allergy sufferers. However with a little bit of planning no one needs to miss out.
The most common allergies we encounter are nuts or peanuts, gluten & wheat, eggs, and dairy products, although we are happy to work to other special diets when asked. We now only use flour and sugar that is produced in nut free environments. We also source cooking fats and icings that are free from most of the common allergens. Read on….
In most cases we can produce a whole cake or tier of a cake that is free from the ingredients that the bride and groom wish to avoid, in such a way that the remaining guests would never notice.
There are however some exceptions, particularly where severe allergen sensitivities exist. The two most common issues that brides must consider, when planning their cake are fruitcake for nut allergy guests (although we can make this nut free, fruitcake is traditionally wrapped in almond marzipan prior to icing) and egg free designs, for those with this allergy.
Of all the allergy issues, eggless cakes are perhaps the trickiest! Cakes made without eggs are more difficult to stack safely – it’s the egg that holds sponges together so they can bear the weight of another cake on top. I regularly see or are asked for stacked eggless wedding cakes. For me, these are either an accident waiting to happen(!) or there is a compromise in the taste and consistency of the cake that will make this possible. Nevertheless, where there’s a will, there is usually a way to achieve the cake that the bride and groom would like.
At Bay Tree Cakes we pride ourselves on the taste of our cakes – and our special diet cakes are no exception.
You can find more information on food allergies and special diets here or do feel free to contact us for more information.
The pictures below are examples of cakes we are made which are either gluten, nut or dairy free.
