In these modern times, more and more people are becoming coeliac or intolerant to gluten. If you yourself are not gluten-free, then chances are you have a friend or relative who is. If you enjoy baking and have attempted your favourite recipes by simply swapping wheat flour for a gluten-free blend, then you may have ended up with interesting sandy rocks instead of delicious cakes.
Thankfully I have been practising gluten-free baking since I was a girl and I have some tips to help you adapt your recipes to gluten-free delights.
What goes wrong?
1. Gluten-free flour blends can produce very dry cakes.
To overcome this problem, I usually swap out ¼ of the flour for ground almonds which are oily and retain moisture.
Another thing that helps with moisture is to add 1 tbsp of yoghurt or applesauce to the recipe. Most white gluten-free flour blends absorb a lot of moisture, so the applesauce or yoghurt won’t make the batter too wet. Another reason this helps is that both applesauce and yoghurt are acidic and will react with baking soda and baking powder to help the cakes rise.
As well as ground almonds there are some gluten-free flours that retain moisture such as gram flour (chickpea flour), buckwheat flour, and oat flour. All these flours are wholegrain and will help keep your cakes moist and increase the baked goods’ nutritional value. When adding one of these flour options, I recommend swapping out 1/3 of the gluten-free flour blend for one of the flours listed above.
2. Gluten-free cakes can come out flat and hard.
Gluten-free flour blends don’t have the same elasticity as flour containing gluten so often the cakes don’t rise as much or will sink after rising.
To combat the flat cake problem, I add ½ tsp of bicarbonate of soda to the recipe even when using a self-raising gluten-free flour blend.
Another tip to help achieve a real fluffy cake is to separate your eggs. First, add the egg yolks with your wet ingredients. Then beat the egg whites separately into stiff peaks and fold them into the cake batter at the end.
Whilst these tips are helpful, perfecting gluten-free cakes will take some practice and experimentation. Have fun with it!
Below are two great gluten-free recipes. One that I adapted using the tips above and a gluten-free pastry recipe that I developed through trial and error.
Mary Berry’s chocolate cake … turned gluten-free.
Ingredients
225g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing.
225g coconut sugar plus extra for sprinkling
4 free-range eggs
110g gluten-free self-rising flour
55g gluten-free oat flour
55g ground almonds
1 tsp baking powder
50g cacao powder
For the filling
4 tbsp apricot jam
300ml whipping cream, softly whipped
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Lightly butter two loose-bottomed 20cm/8in sandwich tins and line the bases with baking paper.
- Put the butter, sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder, and cocoa in a large bowl and beat for 2 minutes, or until just blended. (An electric mixer is best for this, but you can also beat by hand using a wooden spoon.)
- Divide the mixture evenly between the tins. Level the surface using a spatula or the back of a spoon.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes. The tops of the cakes should spring back when pressed lightly with a finger. Leave the cakes to cool in the tins for 5 minutes. Run a small palette knife around the edge of the tins, then carefully turn the cakes out onto a wire rack. Peel off the paper and leave it to cool completely.
- Choose the cake with the best top, then put the other cake top-down onto a serving plate. Spread with the jam and whipped cream, put the other cake on top (top upwards) and sprinkle with caster sugar to serve.
Wanda’s gluten-free shortcrust pastry
Ingredients:
200g plain gluten free flour
50g ground almonds
110 grams diced butter
I egg yolk
About 1 tbs of cold water
Method
Mix the butter, flour, almonds, and egg yolk in a food processor until a breadcrumb texture forms, fold in cold water until you have a soft dough.
FAQs
Gluten-free flours often contain fine starches, so they absorb more liquid than conventional flour. To address this, gluten-free recipes usually call for more liquid and produce looser batters. They may also call for a larger quantity of leavening, like baking powder, to help add volume and lighten the texture.
What is the trick to making good gluten-free bread? ›
Tips and Techniques to make better Gluten Free Bread
- Use psyllium husk powder.
- Let the dough rest (not exactly the same as a bulk proof)
- Mix or knead thoroughly.
- Use less yeast.
- Bake in a tin with tall sides.
- Bake for longer, often at a lower temperature.
- Create steam in the oven.
- Use the tangzhong or scalded flour method.
Gluten-free goods tend to brown faster and take longer to cook through. So they need to be baked at a slightly lower temperature, for a slightly longer time. Every recipe is different, but in general, try lowering the temperature by 25 degrees and baking the item for 15 minutes longer.
How to make gluten-free baked goods moist? ›
Add extra liquid: Gluten-free flours tend to absorb more liquid than regular flour, so you may need to add more liquid to your recipes to compensate. This can help to keep your baked goods moist and prevent them from becoming dry and crumbly.
Which gluten-free flour is best for baking? ›
Best Overall: Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
This mix, which has all recognizable ingredients (including sweet white rice flour, which is the main ingredient in mochi, a nice light, powdery, starchy flour that doubles as a binder), worked well in all three of our tests.
What is the hardest thing to make gluten-free? ›
“Properly balancing the starches, proteins and hydrocolloids is essential.” Aaron Reed, senior food technologist, Cargill, echoed that bread is the hardest product to replicate when developing a gluten-free product.
What is the biggest challenge of making gluten-free bread? ›
However, these alternative flours do not have the same properties as wheat flour, which can make baking gluten-free bread a challenge. One of the main challenges in making gluten-free bread is achieving the same texture and rise as traditional wheat bread.
Why add vinegar to gluten-free bread? ›
Apple Cider Vinegar – Superpower your Gluten-Free Kitchen! Apple cider vinegar is often used in baking, but why? It is a great leavening agent, but it also has powerful flavour enhancing properties. I find it adds the perfect amount of depth of flavour, and helps activate baking soda creating a lovely airy texture.
What is the best gluten free flour for yeast bread? ›
If you want to buy just one gluten-free flour, we highly recommend the Pillsbury all-purpose gluten-free flour. Not only is it our favorite gluten-free flour, and easy to use in gluten-free recipes, but it's also one of the few gluten-free flours currently on the market that is recommended for baking with yeast.
What to avoid for gluten free baking? ›
Some baking ingredients that contain gluten (and thus are not suitable for a gluten-free diet) include:
- Wheat.
- Semolina.
- Spelt.
- Durum.
- Emmer.
- Einkorn.
- Rye, sometimes referred to as pumpernickel.
- Barley.
We recommend covering your batters and doughs and letting them rest for at least half an hour.
Does gluten free dough need to rise twice? ›
Your bread is ready when the dough has risen just to the top of your baking tin and not over the top in a dome (assuming you use the correct sized tin in the first place, see below). Using a double proof method as you would for regular bread dough is also not advisable especially with gluten free and vegan bread.
Is there a trick to baking with gluten-free flour? ›
Dissolving leaveners in liquid prior to adding to dough will give a better rise to the product. Gluten-free baking at high altitude requires less liquid and either a higher oven temperature or a longer baking time. Start with omitting 2 tablespoons of liquid and increasing the oven temperature by 25° F.
What does cream of tartar do in gluten-free baking? ›
When combined with baking soda, it becomes a leavening agent (the stuff that makes baked goods puff up in the oven) by producing carbon dioxide gas. If you ever run out of baking powder, you can substitute 1/4 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar for 1 teaspoon baking powder.
What additive is used in gluten-free baking? ›
Xanthan gum: Critical in gluten-free baking, xanthan gum holds ingredients together, providing elasticity and springiness. Like baking soda or baking powder, you need only a little to make a big difference.
What are the challenges of gluten-free baking? ›
One of the challenges is that when gluten-free dough is thickened with additives like starches and gums, it becomes sticky. Some bakers dust sticky dough with flour, but that's problematic with gluten-free formulations.
What do eggs do in gluten-free baking? ›
Eggs can replace many of the functions that gluten provides, such as binding, enhancing texture and helping set the structure of the final product. Besides eggs, which are protein-based, two starch-based products often used to bind and thicken gluten-free baked products are guar gum and xanthan gum.
How do you get gluten free baked goods to rise? ›
2 teaspoons of baking powder per cup of gluten-free flour is necessary to ensure proper leavening. Baking soda and buttermilk can be used to leaven instead of baking powder, but 1-1/8 teaspoon of cream of tartar should be added for each 1/2 teaspoon baking soda used.
