Cybele Pascal

I’m baking up a special dessert that one would never imagine could be made Allergy-Free. Boston Cream Pie! That’s right, allergy free, gluten free, vegan Boston Cream Pie!

I’m from Boston, where this dreamy creation is our favorite traditional dessert. Boston Cream Pie is actually a cake; two layers of tasty yellow cake, filled with a fluffy pastry cream, and topped with a luscious chocolate glaze. But it’s usually heavily dependant on such top allergens as wheat, dairy, eggs, and sometimes soy. So as a tribute to all of us out there living with food allergies, I’ve come up with a version of this special treat that is free of all top allergens. Bake it and celebrate how delicious allergen-free can be!

Allergy-Free Boston Cream Pie

Makes 1 9-inch Cake

• 2 cups Authentic Foods GF Classical Blend or my Basic Gluten-Free Flour Mix
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1 teaspoon double-acting baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup rice milk
• 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup dairy-free, soy-free vegetable shortening
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Ener-G egg replacer mixed with 1/4 cup rice milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 recipe Allergy-Free Pastry Cream (recipe follows)
• 1 recipe Rice Milk Chocolate Glaze (recipe follows)

1  Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line with cutout parchment paper, grease again, and dust with a little flour mix.

2. Whisk together the flour mix, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. Combine the rice milk and cider vinegar. Set aside.

4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the shortening, sugar, egg replacer, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Sift in the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the rice milk, and beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary, about 30 seconds.

5.  Divide the batter evenly between the two pans, using an offset spatula to smooth the batter, filling the pan to the edges. Ple

ase note that we are intentionally making thin layers of cake, so don’t worry that it seems short on batter! Smooth the surface.

6. Bake in the center of the oven, 20 minutes until cake is just starting to pull away from the edges of pan, and a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

7.Let cool in the pans on a cooling rack. Once cool, cover the cake pan with a large plate, flip, peel off the parchment paper, and flip the cake back onto your serving platter or cake stand, right side up. Use a frosting spatula to cover top of first layer with Allergy-Free Pastry Cream.

8. Repeat process of flipping other layer of cake out of pan, peeling parchment, and onto top of pastry cream layer. Make sure both layers are lined up.

9. Spoon half the Rice Milk Chocolate Glaze over the cake. Let set about 5 minutes, then spoon rest of glaze over top of cake, for a lovely glossy, even layer. Let set several hours at room temperature. Best served room temp. Store covered.

Allergy-Free Pastry Cream

Makes about 2 1/4 cups

• 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
• 3/4 cup rice milk
• 3/4 cup dairy-free, soy-free vegetable shortening
• 3/4 cup caster sugar (very fine)
• 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1.Whisk together cornstarch and rice milk in a small heavy saucepan, until smooth, being sure to whisk out any lumps.

2.Bring to just below a simmer (a scald) over medium-low heat, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon, until it thickens (this happens very quickly once it starts, in about 1 minute or less). Once it’s the consistency of a thick pudding, remove from the heat and stir vigorously until smooth. Set aside to cool.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the shortening and caster sugar on medium speed for 3 minutes, then add the vanilla. Continue to beat while adding the cooled rice milk mixture, until fully incorporated, about one minute, stopping to scrape down sides as necessary. Beat for 2-3 minutes, or until light and fluffy, making sure you’ve whipped out any lumps. Use at room temperature (it solidifies when chilled).

Rice Milk Chocolate Glaze

Makes enough to Glaze One 9-inch cake

• 3 Enjoy Life Rice Milk Boom Choco Boom bars, or 3/4 cup diary-free, soy-free chocolate chips
• 3 Tablespoons rice milk
• 1 Tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons maple syrup
• Pinch of salt

1. Chop the chocolate bars into small pieces using a serrated knife.

2. Bring the rice milk to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate, stirring till melted. Add maple syrup and salt, and whisk until smooth, about 1 minute. Let cool to room temperature before pouring onto cake.

Allergy-Free Boston Cream Pie, Allergy-Free Pastry Cream, and Rice Milk Chocolate Glaze © 2011 by Cybele Pascal

(Please note that all my recipes are completely free of all top allergens (wheat, dairy, soy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, fish, shellfish, and gluten), so as many people as possible can enjoy them. Additionally, all the ingredients are available at Whole Foods, and online at Amazon.com. If you have trouble finding something, let me know and I’ll help you find it.)

SAFETY NOTE: Because each person’s food sensitivity and reaction is unique, ranging from mild intolerance to life-threatening and severe food allergies, it is up to the consumer to monitor ingredients and manufacturing conditions. If manufacturing conditions, potential cross contact between foods, and ingredient derivatives pose a risk for you, please re-read all food labels and call the manufacturer to confirm potential allergen concerns before consumption. Ingredients and manufacturing practices can change overnight and without warning.

For more allergy-friendly cake recipes you might like, try:

Dairy, Egg, and Nut Free Blueberry Cake from The Food Allergy Mama

Gluten Free Perfectly Fluffy White Cake from Real Sustenance

Banana Walnut Cake with Date Sweetened Chocolate Frosting from Simply Sugar and Gluten Free

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