Baking Adventures

In August, after a crazy ambulance ride to the ER, Michael was diagnosed with multiple food allergies.  Unfortunately, it is not only the milk that is the problem.  He has severe allergies to milk, casein (milk protein), egg white, and peanut.  To make things just a little more interesting for me in the kitchen, he also has a mild allergy to gluten.  It has been very difficult to be creative in feeding him.  He is very interested in food and wants to try everything.

Michael's first birthday is next week.  I have been trying several different recipes, determined to figure out how to bake him a birthday cake that won't land him back in the emergency room.  It has been interesting.... and rather expensive....

 After a trip to Lori's Natural Foods, I attempted to make my own gluten free flour mixture to bake some cupcakes.  I was very careful to follow the recipe exactly.  However, the cupcakes still turned out pretty flat.  Oh, well..... 

 

It wasn't a complete failure.  Michael liked them!

Since then, I have tried tweaking the recipe.  The second attempt was better, but still not a success in my book.  While my mom was visiting last week, I tried a different recipe for gluten, casein, egg, and nut-free banana bread.  We were both surprised when the bread actually looked normal when I took it out of the oven.  It tasted a bit different, but it wasn't horrible.  Again, Michael thought it was great. 

Now I just have to decide what to bake this cute little boy for his birthday.  Whatever it is, I'm sure I'll have to bake a cake with all sorts of allergens for the rest of us to eat.