My grandmother was one of the most prolific bakers I have ever known. Her walk-in pantry always contained stacks of ingredients, and the size of her recipe file rivaled any professional chef’s. After being diagnosed with celiac disease, her baking changed, as she tested and perfected her own blends of the various flours and thickeners that could be used instead of wheat. When I heard that there was a gluten free bakery in NYC that had won ‘best cupcake’ awards, and that they’d authored a cookbook… hello! Babycakes is actually vegan, and uses no refined sugar, and is mostly gluten-fee, using spelt flour in some recipes. My grandmama isn’t here anymore, but I think of her every time I bake from this book- it is amazing! Healthy ingredients like coconut oil, agave nectar and flax seed meal somehow work together to create some of the best sweets I’ve ever tasted, and the fact that they’re good for you is even better.
Gluten-free diets are increasing in popularity, even for those without celiac disease. I still love bread waaaaaay to much to live without it, even for experimental purposes (black olive fougasse, i ❤ u), but regardless, these recipes are hands-down delish, gluten or not.
Visit Babycakes’ website, http://www.babycakesnyc.com/ for more info, and even a few recipes. And if you’re in NY or LA, make the pilgrimage and tell me all about it!
belle commune 