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Cakes and Cookies for Children on Restricted Diets
by Susan Swann

Find dairy free, gluten free, wheat free, corn free, egg free, sugar free, reduced sugar, yeast free or soya free recipes

May 3rd 1989 saw the birth of my youngest daughter Gemma. She is the youngest of four. Paula, Sarah-Jane and Peter have mild Asthma but are otherwise healthy. Gemma's' birth had all the joy and excitement of any birth, she was gorgeous. Little did we know the fate that lay before us!

It soon became apparent that Gemma had Multiple Food Allergies and Food Intolerance. By the age of three and a half Gemma was unable to tolerate any food at all and was Naso-Gastrically fed with a chemical substitute for twelve months. At this point in time we started the long slow process of re-introducing solid food. I was unable to use any processed foods at all due to all the additives. After two months Gemma was able to tolerate Rice Crispies, Potatoes, Stewed Apples and Pears. Thus the recipe for Gemma's Cake was developed using these four ingredients.

By using fresh meat and vegetables a main meal diet could be varied enough to encourage Gemma to keep trying new foods. As the foods she was able to tolerate grew, the wider the choice of foods. The one area that I found very difficult to substitute was cakes, biscuits and bread. After searching the library and the book shops to no avail I started to experiment with different flours and ingredients to make cakes and biscuits because these were the foods that Gemma missed the most due to her dietary restrictions. The main aim was to make cakes that were safe for Gemma but also palatable for my three other children so that Gemma did not have to have different foods all the time.

Friends and family suggested that I compile a recipe book to help other children and their parents. Although written with children in mind I am sure adults would enjoy the recipes too.

Food Allergies and Intolerance are only part of Gemma's medical problems but has been a large hurdle to overcome especially as her Allergies / Intolerance's have changed over the years making dietary modifications a regular occurrence.

All the dietary modifications I have under taken with Gemma have been under the strict supervision of an excellent dietician at my local hospital. If you think that your child has Food Allergies/Intolerance's then it is important to seek medical advice before restricting his / her diet.

You will find a mix of recipes. They are coded for easy reference and cross referenced to enable you to find recipes that are useful for you or your child's dietary restrictions.

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Victoria Sponge Recipe

This recipe is dairy free, gluten free, wheat free, corn free, egg free and yeast free.

Ingredients

50g (2oz) dairy free margarine
75g (1oz) caster sugar
25g (1oz) soya flour or tapioca flour
50g (2oz) potato flour
50g (2oz) rice flour
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tbsp golden syrup
5 tbsps soya milk

Method

• Pre-heat the oven to 190°C / 375°F / Gas 5.

• Prepare an 18 cm (7") sponge cake tin.

• Mix the bicarbonate of soda, soya milk and golden syrup together in a litre jug. Leave it to one side for now.

• Beat the margarine and sugar together in a large mixing bowl until creamy and paler in colour.

• Pour the liquid mixture in the jug into the creamed margarine and sugar. Beat well together. It will curdle.

• Add the flours beat well.

• Put the mixture in the cake tin and even out or divide it into 12 paper cases in a bun tin.

• Bake in the centre of the oven for about 25 minutes, 10 - 15 for small cakes.
  

• To test if the cake is cooked gently touch the top of the cake with your finger if it is cooked it will spring back when you remove your finger.

• Leave to cool for 10 minutes and then place the cake onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

• Cut the cake in half and sandwich it together using jam or butter icing (using a dairy free margarine).

• Decorate the top by dusting it with icing sugar.

Makes 1 x 7 inch cake

For further recipes order a copy of the book from www.allergybaking.co.uk

Published 28 September 2006