Kokova Magazine

Have you been asked to make a vegan wedding cake and don’t know where to start?

Or would you like to give your child with an allergy the perfect birthday cake?

Perhaps you're baking special treats for a big family gathering and you need to cater for one or more special diet.

Gluten-, Nut-, Egg-, & Dairy-Free Celebration Cakes is the ultimate reference guide to baking and decorating for those with special dietary requirements.

Gemma McFarlane has catered for many allergy sufferers with great success and passes on her valuable knowledge in this unique book.

She includes recipes for dairy-free, wheat-free, gluten-free and vegan celebration cakes and cookies as well as tips on how to successfully decorate cakes with allergen-free icings and coverings such as sugarpaste and chocolate ganache.

Gemma shares with the reader the contents of her own wheat-, gluten- and lactose-free store cupboard, along with useful information about popular sugarcraft products and the allergens they contain.

Divided into sections for different diets, this book features recipes for fillings and modelling pastes, plus 15 beautifully decorated celebration cakes for all occasions.

An essential for cake-makers everywhere, this myth-busting book covers everything you need to know about making and decorating cakes for special diets.

A Peek Inside...

We were lucky enough to review a copy of Gemma's fantastic book and for anyone looking to create great cakes for people with special dietary requirements - we have to say this book is a definite winner!

Not only does it include easy-to-follow recipes (that can be combined and adapted to cater to dietary needs that include more than one intolerance or allergy), it also has a chapter dedicated to everything you will need to know before you start to make special dietary cakes.

It includes detailed information on steps to prevent cross-contamination, understanding food labelling regarding allergens and covers the symptoms of food allergy and intolerance. All of which will give the reader a clear insight into what extra care and attention is needed to create 'safe' cakes for those who need them.

With full-colour, easy to follow instructions and beautiful photography throughout, plus recipes for everything from a glorious Victoria Sponge through to tempting Choux pastry and profiteroles, there really is something for everyone.

Once you have mastered your basic cake you can continue in your creation with the detailed section on favourite fillings. From dairy-free butter cream to chocolate ganache, we challenge any reader to say that they could not find something they want to make - and eat!

As we explored further we were delighted to find a chapter on preparing your finished base-cake for decoration and project ideas, with detailed pictures, for making your own celebration cakes.

On the whole this is a very easy-to-follow, informative book for anyone wishing to bake cakes for those with special dietary requirements - and the whole family too.

Pretty in pink, with glossy pages, this would look good on everyone's book shelf, soon becoming a must-have in the kitchen.

With a section on the store cupboard basics and handy tips throughout we think this is the one to buy for 2013.

After starting out as a hospital commis chef, Gemma McFarlane soon became head cook in a home for children and young adults with severe learning difficulties.

In this time she catered for many people with gluten-free, lactose-free, egg-free and sodium-free diets, adapting regular dishes to suit individual needs.

This job made her determined to be able to offer everyone the same meal choices, and she began researching and experimenting with different ingredients.

While working as a pastry chef, she produced a range of vegan, gluten-free and lactose-free cakes.

She now has a City and Guilds in Sugarcraft and in 2006, Gemma started her own business, Iced Gem Cakes, which makes special diet celebration cakes and supplies to local cafés.

Gluten-, Nut-, Egg- & Dairy-Free Celebration Cakes by Gemma MacFarlane is now available from bookshops and direct from the publisher at www.squires-shop.com

RRP £16.99
Published December 2012
ISBN 978-1-905113-41-5
Hardback; 168pp + cover and jacket; full colour throughout.