Gluten Free Mixes: The Pure Pantry Wholegrain Dark Chocolate Cake Mix

Gluten Free Mixes: The Pure Pantry Chocolate Cake Mix

PRODUCT NAME:                    Dark Chocolate Cake Mix

BRAND:                                   The Pure Pantry       

COST:                                      $7.59  

SIZE:                                        21 oz              

COST PER OZ:                         $0.36/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:       NO      

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:        NA

ORGANIC:                                NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:        NA

VEGAN:                                   OPTIONAL

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:         YES

LOCATION OF FACILITY:         Encinitas, CA

SHELF LIFE:                             1 year+

*These statements are based on the information printed on the product packaging.  We cannot verify the accuracy of this information.  For verification of the statements above, please contact the manufacturer.

REVIEW:

Before my days of scouring package labels for traces of gluten in every product I consume, I was a baker working in a whole grain, made from scratch bakery. I prided myself on using only organic wheat flours, cane sugars, and taking the time to meticulously measure out each and every ingredient going into our “made with love products.” The switch from gluten-full to gluten-free was difficult because I have been forced to relearn how to bake and for this reason I am forever thankful for solid products like the Pure Pantry’s cake mixes.

The Pure Pantry has created yet another delicious gluten free baking mix with their Dark Chocolate Cake Mix. Pure Pantry was created by Elizabeth Kaplan, a teacher, trained chef, health nut, and diagnosed celiac. Concerned with the lack of delicious and nutritious gluten free baking alternatives, Elizabeth set out to create her own line of baking mixes, free of not only gluten, but dairy, refined sugar, eggs, soy, and nuts. 

I was initially skeptical about making a cake from a prepared mix for I am used to baking only from scratch.  However, my fears were unrealized when I took a bite of this rich, moist, and chocolaty cake.  In fact, this cake was better in flavor and texture than any wheat based cake mix I tried prior to my celiac diagnosis.  This cake is free of any refined sugars, and instead is made with sucanat and maple sugar, which provide a delicious flavor. Its flour base of sorghum, quinoa and brown rice flours help provide fiber, protein, and anti-oxidants, which makes this cake not only delicious, but also very nutritious.

I followed the directions on the package for a simple chocolate cake, which conveniently called for only a few extra ingredients: eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and hot water. The recipe was simple, quick, and the results were stupendous. To top this succulent cake, I followed the recipe found on the package for Heavenly Cream Cheese Icing, which was nothing short of heavenly. The icing ingredients were traditional with rich and tasty cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla and one extra, interesting ingredient… agave nectar! This unusual addition made the frosting taste like caramel and gave it a beautiful cream color that looked adorable and festive underneath rainbow colored sprinkles.

I trust this company and their products, from their outstanding flavor and texture, spectacular, health conscious ingredients, and personal understanding of the trials and tribulations of living with celiac disease. The only downside to the Pure Pantry’s Dark Chocolate Cake Mix is that the cake was gobbled up and enjoyed within one day.

Taste:  This cake is tasty, chocolaty, and sweet- but not too sweet. Paired with the agave nectar based Heavenly Frosting, this cake is a delicious treat.

Labeling:  The labeling is simple, modern, and minimal. There are four recipes posted on the package: two for different cakes and two for icings. The recipes also have vegan ingredient alternatives if you desire to make your cakes free of animal products.

Packaging:  The cake mix is packaged in a sturdy bag with enough mix to make 12 servings of cake.

Reader’s Reviews: Please share with us your review of this company’s other products + where you purchased the product + how long you have been using this product. Please no review from the family + friends of the company producing the product…

RATING:

Texture:          5         

Taste:              5         

Value:             3

OVERALL:       4.3

Reviewed by Jennie L.

Gluten Free Cake: Jennie's Gluten Free Bakery Pound Cake Mini's - Product Review

Gluten Free Cake: Jennie's Gluten Free Bakery Pound Cake Mini's

PRODUCT NAME:                    Pound Cake Mini’s

BRAND:                                   Jennies Gluten-Free Bakery

COST:                                     $4.78         

SIZE:                                       7 oz. (5 cakes)

COST PER OZ:                        $0.68

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:      YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:       GFCO

ORGANIC:                               NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:       NA

VEGAN:                                   NO

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:        YES

LOCATION OF FACILITY:         Pennsylvania

SHELF LIFE:                            2 Months          

*These statements are based on the information printed on the product packaging.  We cannot verify the accuracy of this information.  For verification of the statements above, please contact the manufacturer.

REVIEW:

This week I am reviewing Jennies Gluten Free Bakery Pound Cake mini’s.  Pound cake is one of those foods where I am never quite sure what it is and I feel like it falls into a wide range of what it could be.  Perhaps that’s just me.  I know that whatever it is, I love it.  It’s moist, sweet, and tasty.  I do a fair amount of gluten free baking myself and I know first hand how it’s tough to recreate anything that is made with regular flour.  Yet, it is possible to get a flavor that is pretty close to the original recipe and sometimes even better.  Event so, I went into this sampling optimistically knowing that whatever happened within my first bite, there was absolutely nothing that drenching in rum, whipped cream and berries couldn’t fix!

Gluten Free muffins can sometimes be a little tricky to make.  The flour is different and can sometimes be tough to work with.  It looks like this challenge has plagued this muffin.  After sampling a few of the muffins, I noticed inconsistency within the box.  All was not lost though, because there is always a remedy.  The first one I sampled was dried out a bit and while it could’ve been saved with a drizzle of honey and whipped cream, it couldn’t have held up on its own at all.  The second one I sampled was perfect.  It was light, spongy, squishy and soft with enough bounce-back when you touched it.  It could’ve easily accompanied an afternoon tea or a morning coffee all on its own.  The third one I opened just to see which one it would be, too hard, just right or is this one going to be more of a momma bear, somewhere in the middle.  And you guessed, it, it was somewhere in the middle.

While I really enjoyed the one that was just right, just what I wanted this little tea-sized pound cake to be, the quality of the other two left me a little wanting.  Still, I think this could easily be amended by adding a bit of flair to these otherwise plain cakes, which is pretty much what pound cake begs for anyway, gluten free or not.  So, my recommendations would range from jam, marmalade, lemon curd, fresh fruit, whipped cream, crème freche, nutella, drizzle of honey (with some crumbled pistachios, almonds, whatever you fancy), splashed with a touch of Gran Marnier or Nivan, then topped with afore-mentioned tastiness or any number of other things you can think to put on top of cake.  All in all, I think this is a decent product and one that if you are in a pinch and need some kind of dessert for guests or a party favor, could be dressed up fancy enough to hide the imperfections of the taste.  I think they would be perfect in trifle and pudding recipes too, where they would soak in the ingredients well and take on the flavors of its surroundings.

Nutrition Facts

Each one of these little cakes, which are roughly the size of two or three fingers put together depending of course how large your fingers are, is 130 calories.  Ouch.  But obviously, let’s keep in mind this is cake, not health food and you would want to eat these every day.  The upside is that it is not only gluten free, but dairy, soy, peanut and casein free so it’ll work for a majority of your food allergy conscious dinner guests. 

Taste:  Depends on each cake: can vary from soft, spongy, perfect cake texture, to more condensed that does not hold up without some kind of topping camouflage

Labeling:  homogenous coloring on package, nothing really jumps out and says, “buy me”

Packaging:  cardboard box with plastic container.  Each cake is individually wrapped in plastic as well.

Reader’s Reviews: Please share with us your review of this company’s other products + where you purchased the product + how long you have been using this product. Please no review from the family + friends of the company producing the product…

RATING:

Texture:                 3                             

Taste:                     2.5                         

Value:                    3             

OVERALL:              2.8         

Reviewed by Krisztina L

Gluten Free Cake: Shabtai Gourmet Swiss Chocolate Roll - Product Review #88

Gluten Free Cake: Shabtai Swiss Chocolate Roll

PRODUCT NAME:                           Swiss Chocolate Roll

BRAND:                                          Shabtai Gourmet

COST:                                            $7.29

SIZE:                                              12oz                      

COST PER OZ:                               $0.61/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:             NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:              N/A

ORGANIC:                                       NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:              N/A

VEGAN:                                          NO

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:               YES

LOCATION OF FACILITY:               New York

*These statements are based on the information printed on the product packaging.  We cannot verify the accuracy of this information.  For verification of the statements above, please contact the manufacturer.   

         

REVIEW:

If you’re a fan of chocolate, you might be a fan of Shabtai Gourmet’s Swiss chocolate roll.  Shabtai sent this gluten free treat to us to try a few weeks back.  It comes sealed in plastic to keep it fresh and is placed in a recyclable plastic bakery container.  Opening it up, we couldn’t help but want to eat it right away with its chocolate goodness. 

Shabtai puts a lot of care and effort into their products.  This one is no exception.  Their Gluten Free Swiss Chocolate Roll is soy free, lactose free, casein free, peanut free, corn free and certified kosher.  To ensure that there is no contamination, they only let gluten free, casein free, lactose free, soy free and dairy free ingredients into their dedicated facility. 

Shabtai describes it as a devils food cake with vanilla crème filling.  Open it up and you will see something familiar.  It looks like a giant Hostess Ho Ho even down to the chocolate outer shell.  Taste it and it is similar too, although it isn’t as sweet probably because the outer chocolate shell is made of dark chocolate.  The texture of the devils food cake is a little powdery and dry which is a characteristic of the lack of gluten.  I would have preferred it to be a little moister because the dryness was making it flake off and break apart.  I’m not sure if it was because I left it out rather than refrigerating it, but the vanilla crème in the cake was very paste-like and grainy.  Overall, I found it to be a little artificial tasting. 

Seeing as how Shabtai Gourmet’s Gluten Free Swiss Chocolate Roll reminded me a lot of a Hostess Ho Ho, I decided to compare the nutrition facts of the two.   Shabtai Gourmet’s Swiss Chocolate Roll has 290 calories, 20 grams of fat, 9 grams of saturated fat, 35 milligrams of cholesterol, 30 milligrams of sodium, and 23 grams of sugar.  Comparing that with Hostess’s 380 calories, 17 grams of fat, 12 grams of saturated fat, 30 mg of cholesterol, 230 milligrams of sodium, and 41 grams of sugar we see that Shabtai’s is much better in some categories and marginally worse in others.  While I’m not a nutritionist, I think I can safely say that neither of these is really good for you.

If you’ve been craving for a gluten free swiss chocolate roll, this is the one for you.  It might not be the best thing for you, but if you’re looking to indulge a little, this will do the trick.  Remember to practice moderation.  For a list of retail locations, go to Shabtai Gourmet’s website: www.shabtai-gourmet.com.      

Taste: This is a swiss chocolate roll that reminds me a lot of a Hostess Ho Ho.  If you’ve been craving one, this is your gluten free equivalent. 

Labeling:  The labeling was very simple, however the font was not very clear and a little small. 

Packaging:  Shrink wrapped roll placed in a plastic bakery container. 

Reader’s Reviews: Please share with us your review of this company’s other products + where you purchased the product + how long you have been using this product. Please no review from the family + friends of the company producing the product…

RATING:

Texture:                2             

Taste:                     3             

Value:                    2

OVERALL:              2.3

Reviewed 030911 by Calvin C.

Gluten Free Cake: Shabtai Gourmet Raspberry Roll - Product Review #86

Gluten Free Cake: Shabtai Gourmet Raspberry Roll

PRODUCT NAME:                         Raspberry Roll

BRAND:                                        Shabtai Gourmet

COST:                                           $7.29

SIZE:                                             12oz                      

COST PER OZ:                              $0.61/oz        

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:            NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:             N/A

ORGANIC:                                     NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:             N/A

VEGAN:                                         NO

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:              YES

LOCATION OF FACILITY:              New York

*These statements are based on the information printed on the product packaging.  We cannot verify the accuracy of this information.  For verification of the statements above, please contact the manufacturer.   

         

REVIEW:
Recently, Shabtai Gourmet sent us some treats to try.  One of them was their Gluten Free Raspberry Roll.  It came freshly baked sealed in plastic to keep it fresh.  Shabtai Gourmet’s Raspberry roll consists of yellow cake with raspberry filling which is then rolled in coconut. 

There is a lot going for this Raspberry roll.  It is gluten free, dairy free, peanut free, soy free, casein free, lactose free, corn free, certified kosher and contains no preservatives.  It’s just about all the things a health conscious person looks for in a product.  Those of you with severe allergies, you will be happy to hear that all the ingredients that enter their facility are gluten free, casein free, lactose free, soy free, and dairy free. 

When I think of a raspberry roll, I imagine a roll that is moist and spongy with a sweet filling.  Shabtai Gourmet did a great job with the filling.  It was sweet and sticky just like I expected it to be.  As for the cake, it wasn’t quite what I was expecting.  It was powdery and flakey and just a tad dry.   

Shabtai has a lot to offer.  They have put a lot of care and effort into their baked goods.  If you have a sweet tooth and you like a healthy product you can count on, this is the product for you.  For a full list of retailers, visit Shabtai Gourmet’s website at: www.shabtai-gourmet.com

Taste: The filling was nice and sweet and the cake was powdery and flakey and just a little dry.  The moisture from the filling helped the overall texture to come together.  The coconut sprinkled over the outer layer was also a nice touch.  

Labeling:  The labeling was very simple however the font was not very clear and a little small. 

Packaging:  Shrink wrapped roll placed in a plastic bakery container. 

Reader’s Reviews: Please share with us your review of this company’s other products + where you purchased the product + how long you have been using this product. Please no review from the family + friends of the company producing the product…

RATING:

Texture:                 2             

Taste:                     3             

Value:                    2

OVERALL:              2.3

Reviewed 030911 by Calvin C.

Gluten Free Mix: Sof'ella Chocolate Cake Mix - Product Review #73

Gluten Free Mix: Sof'ella Chocolate Cake Mix

PRODUCT NAME:                    Sof'ella Chocolate Cake Mix

BRAND:                                   Sof'ella Gourmet Natural Foods

COST:                                     $5.10

SIZE:                                       1lb 1oz

COST PER OZ:                         $0.30/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:       NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:        N/A

ORGANIC:                                NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:        N/A

VEGAN:                                   OPTIONAL

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:         UNKNOWN

LOCATION OF FACILITY:         California

*These statements are based on the information printed on the product packaging. We cannot verify the accuracy of this information. For verification of the statements above, please contact the manufacturer.

REVIEW:
Today, the baking process began with some difficult decisions. Namely, when you have a box of cake batter, do you make cupcakes? A layered 9-inch round? Do rectangles taste as good as circles?

Secondly, what kind of frosting goes best with chocolate cake? Cream cheese? Vanilla? Do I incorporate fruit? At once, I am inspired and overwhelmed with the possibilities this little box of Sof'ella chocolate cake mix offers.

There was a perplexing lack of frosting, or even frosting recommendations on or in the box. They reference you to their Web site for more products and recipes, but don't mention frosting specifically. Luckily, when I checked out the recipes page, the following directions were found to ease my anxiety:

Gluten Free Chocolate Frosting

• 2 c. powdered sugar
• 1/3 c. Dutch (alkalized) cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (NOTE: Vanilla extract sometimes contains gluten so pay attention to the label)
• Pinch of salt
• 2 sticks (or 16 tablespoons) of unsalted, room temperature butter
• 1-2 tablespoons of water (Depending on desired consistency)

"In a medium mixing bowl, cream the butter with an electric mixer. Add the cocoa, vanilla, [sugar] and salt and beat until smooth. Add water until you've reached a desired consistency."

I take this to be a sign and opt for this classic butter cream on a one-layered round.

The actual baking process is a total cinch. Cream the butter for a minute, add the eggs and mix, then pour Sof'ella's mix in along with a bit of warm water. You should have a thick, beautiful, dark batter. It was a bit sticky, so make sure you have your spatula handy for scraping the sides. In order to handle the batter more easily, you can always spread a little butter on your spatula or spoon to make it non-stick. Pour your batter into the preferred pan, and bake for the amount of time specified on the box.

Now, here's where things can get a little tricky. When dealing with gluten free flours and nontraditional thickening agents, the fear is that you'll either under-bake or over-bake and end up with a hockey puck. Because the consistency of this particular cake is so fragile, you can't really depend on the 'ol toothpick in the middle method for ensuring doneness. It might come out clean, even if the cake needs five more minutes. Also, depending on altitude, you may need to add 25°F to the recommended temperature. Check out www.sofellafoods.com for high altitude baking tips.

I happened to under bake mine a tad, fearing the hockey puck scenario, but the final product was still mighty tasty and super moist.

I hate to mention nutritional facts when we're dealing with chocolate cake here, but without frosting, this cake contains almost two sticks of butter, two eggs, and 23 grams of sugar in 1/12 of a piece. With frosting, we're talking another two sticks of butter and two cups of powdered sugar. I'm not messing around when I say this cake is intense. But I like that in a cake.

In terms of overall value, the mix itself is $5.10. Factoring in the nearly two sticks of butter and two eggs in the batter, along with frosting components, I spent an additional $10, making this at least a $15 cake. So, although the process was easy, and as the final product is a fresh, homemade cake, I momentarily question its value against, say, store bought cake. However, there is something to be said about filling the house with the unbeatable smell of baking chocolate – not to mention the love that goes into homemade baked goods.

In which case, I highly recommend this cake. Perhaps top it with a dusting of powdered sugar and some fresh berries for a lighter experience.

Taste: The taste of the cake by itself is extremely rich. I know why a serving size is 1/12 of the cake – that's all it takes. I almost want to say that it didn't need such a sweet, buttery frosting because the cake itself was so moist and rich. One small piece definitely satiated any and all chocolate cravings I had.

Labeling: Labeling is aesthetically pleasing, with an amazing photo of a layered cake and some cupcakes in the background covered in frosting. Huge, easy to read directions cover the back, and nutritional facts take up one entire side.

Packaging: Box with a plastic bag inside to hold the mix. I have personally deemed the box a tad unnecessary, as it seemed they were having a hard time filling up all that real estate with type and photos.

Reader’s Reviews: Please share with us your review of this company’s other products + where you purchased the product + how long you have been using this product. Please no review from the family + friends of the company producing the product…

RATING:
Texture:         4
Taste:             5
Value:            4
OVERALL:      4.3

Reviewed 021411 by Mallory L.