Alexandra's choice for her birthday cake was a chocolate 'Hello Kitty' cake. I adapted a recipe from the Gluten-free Cookbook for Kids to make a chocolate orange cake (see below), cut it to shape, covered it with a merangue icing and used Dr Oetker Ready to Roll Regal coloured icing for the details. I was actually quite impressed with it-the cake was nice and moist and not obviously lacking in gluten!The 'theme' that Alex requested was a rainbow party, so we did food to match.
Also in the menu were:
- Sandwiches made from shop bought g-f bread.
- Rainbows of fruit.
- Chocolate rice crispy cakes made from Nature's Path Gluten-free Crispy Rice decorated with Asda chocolate beans.
- Rainbow cupcakes, using the Dove's Farm recipe I've mentioned previously, lemon butter icing and Haribo Rainbow Twists.
- Pom-bear crisps (which are gluten free)
Alex was thrilled that she could have anything without asking and all of her friends were able to have everything that she had too!
Recipe for Chocolate Orange Birthday Cake
150g margarine
450g caster sugar
3 eggs
2 teasp orange essence
60g cocoa powder & enough hot water to make into a paste
200g gluten-free self-raising flour
200g ground almonds
1 1/2 teasp bicarbinate of soda
1 1/2 teasp xanthan gum
large pinch salt
340ml milk
1 1/2 tblsp white wine vinegar.
Method
Cream the marg and caster sugar, beat in the eggs and orange essence and cocoa paste.
Mix the other dry ingredients together in a separate bowl.
Mix the milk and vinegar in a jug.
Alternately fold in the the dry ingredients and milk into the butter mixture a little at a time.
Pour into LARGE greased tin.
Bake at 160 degrees for about 50 mins until knife comes out clean.
Would love to hear about any other gluten-free party ideas!
Jen
