Betty Crocker Gluten Free Cake Mix

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye and barley.   About 1% of the general population suffer from celiac disease.  Gluten damages the small intestines impairing it's ability to absorb nutrients.  As a result a lot of foods that are wheat based should be avoided including breads and other bakery products, many cereals both dry and hot as well snacks containing gluten.  The recommended treatment is a gluten-free diet.  However, about 15% of the general population while not having celiac disease have a gluten sensitivity.  In recent years some have noticed an improvement in their child's autism by following a gluten free diet.  There are only two reliable studies connecting autism to gluten and one of them found no correlation between autism and gluten but both studies involved a small study sample.  At any rate, a gluten-free diet is a must for some and desired by others.  One of the biggest problems faced by those wanting or needing this special diet was the lack of convenience products.  In smaller communities even finding the gluten-free raw ingredients can be a problem.

I am interested in gluten-free products for entertaining purposes.  This past year, a wonderful friend who cannot have gluten joined our monthly parties.  Not only does he have a gluten sensitivity requiring a gluten-free diet, he also has multiple food allergies.  As someone who is lactose intolerant as well having both food sensitivities and allergies, I try to be very cognizant and accommodating of these types of problems when entertaining.   General Mills has introduced two gluten-free cake mixes.  I was ecstatic! 

I had a box of Betty Crocker gluten-free devil's food chocolate and golden cake mix to try.  It is very important for me to do a test run of any product or recipe before serving it too my guests.  I decided to make the gluten-free golden cake mix into cupcakes.

The ingredients in the gluten-free cake mix are:  rice flour, sugar, potato starch, baking soda, xanthan gum, salt, sodium acid pyrophosphate and monocalcium phosphate.  The product may contain soy ingredients.  Ingredients needed to complete the batter are 2/3 c of water, 1/2 c butter, 2 tsp vanilla extract and 3 eggs.  The batter was quite easy to make, similar to any other cake mix.  I used my KitchenAid stand mixer then baked in a silicone muffin tin for 20 minutes at 350ºF.

I did not put any icing on the cupcakes, the reason being I wanted to be able a assess the cupcakes with respect to flavour and texture without icing distracting the taste test.  Oh my gosh, these were really good!  They would make excellent mini cupcakes.  I think a butter cream  or chocolate icing would be quite lovely.  Life Made Delicious has a few more easy recipes using this cake mix but essentially use it just the way you would any cake mix.