10 Things To Ask When Ordering A Special Diet Wedding Cake
Have you made a special-diet cake before?
There are many extra things to consider when making special-diet cakes, so its better if your cake maker has previous experience. They should be used to taking extra precautions to avoid cross contamination and making sure ingredients and materials are safe to use.
What type of cake and cake covering can I have?
The range of free-from ingredients is improving all the time, so there are fewer restrictions when choosing your cake. Gluten-free sponge cakes, nut-free fruit cakes, dairy-free white chocolate ganache, to name a few are all possible now. There will still be limitations, for example you won’t be able to have a marzipan covering for a nut-free cake, but your cake maker should be able to suggest alternatives.
Can I taste a sample first?
Food manufactures are generally becoming more aware of food allergies and intolerances. Many are changing ingredients so that they are suitable for more people or making alternative products for people with allergies or intolerances. Since the range of allergy-friendly cake ingredients is getting better all the time, make sure you’re happy with the taste of the cake before making an order.
How often do you check your ingredients are safe to use?
Ingredients in products change all the time, even from batch to batch, so make sure your cake maker checks the labels every time they buy baking or sugar craft materials and they’re aware of the other names for allergens, for example egg which may also be labelled as albumen.
How do you prevent cross-contamination?
Just a tiny amount of food may make a person with an allergy or food intolerance seriously ill and since not many kitchens are completely free of allergens, the utmost care must be taken to avoid contamination. There are many steps a cake maker can take in the kitchen when preparing, baking, filling and covering a cake to prevent introducing allergens.
Is there any cake decoration which isn’t suitable?
Not all decoration methods are suitable for special diets. Royal icing, for example is a definite NO if you’re having a vegan wedding cake or for anyone with an egg allergy, even if you just need a little royal icing to attach decorations to the cake. Your cake maker will need to use other options instead, such as piping with let-down sugar paste. Make sure any materials, such as flower paste or modelling paste are suitable for decorating your special-diet cake.
Can I have a special-diet cake in a tiered wedding cake?
If a multi-tiered cake contains a special-diet cake tier, then your cake maker should bake, prepare, fill and cover this layer away from the others and use clean utensils. Make sure the special-diet cake is the top tier and place it onto a cake board or card. If you stack a ‘normal’ cake on top of a special-diet cake it could transfer allergies. If this doesn’t provide enough portions you could make an extra cutting cake.
Can I have written confirmation that the cake is suitable?
By law your cake maker is required to provide you with a written form when the cake is delivered, for both your and the venue’s reference, detailing whether the cake contains any of the main 14 allergens and if it is suitable for a special diet. Discuss with them the allergens in their kitchen and the ingredients they will be using to make sure you are completely happy for them to make your cake.
Can you advise the venue?
A good cake maker should inform the venue when the cake is delivered so they know to keep it away from other food and serve it separately. They should make sure the venue staff knows to use a clean knife for cutting the cake and serve it on a labelled tray separate from any other cake.
How would you recommend serving the cake?
Vegan cakes or cakes made without gluten-containing ingredients are crumblier than regular cakes so its a good idea to use a hot, clean knife with each cut for easier portioning. Do not use the same knife to cut through a special diet cake and another cake.
