Cute 'n Gluten-Free: the New Cupcakes
Cupcakes are all the rage right now, but their popularity easily predates the iPhone-toting soccer mom. The first reference to a cupcake can be traced back to 1796, when a recipe for "a cake to be baked in small cups" appeared in American Cookery by Amelia Simms. But it wasn't until the spring of 2005 that the cupcake became en vogue, when a little shop called Sprinkles opened in Southern California. Seen in the hands (and mouths) of celebrities, the Sprinkles cupcake spawned a sweet sensation that to this day continues to sweep the nation.
As people begged for more buttercream, cupcakes hit the reality show circuit, and cupcakeries popped up in every major metropolitan city... and did not disappoint. Unique flavor combinations, crowned with clouds of frosting and adorned with luster dust and edible rhinestones catapulted these mini-cakes from mundane to gourmet and fashionable.
Ironically, that's all been paralleling the rise of the gluten-free movement. So it should come as no surprise that, like the paradox of a hybrid SUV, there are now many gluten-free cupcakes. Many of the cupcake bakeries recognized a growing market, and expanded their business to include gluten-free options.
For example, cupcake bakery owner Amy Brown said she added gluten-free cupcakes to her menu lineup about a year ago after many requests and rumblings.
"We really try to listen to our customers and we want to try things that are unique and fun. But I gotta' be honest, my staff and customers harassed me into the gluten-free world," Brown said. "It wasn't a part of my lifestyle, but one of our pastry chefs said we could do it and promised it would be fabulous."
Brown's bakery, Cupprimo Cupcakery and Coffee Spot in Austin, offers gluten-free cupcakes baked fresh every day, including red velvet.
"Our gluten-free sales are really picking up," she said. Brown also mentioned that she buys some of her ingredients for her gluten-free specialties at her local Sprouts. "Sprouts has a great selection of gluten-free flours and baking needs."
Bakeries in the Dallas area are following suit. The popular Society Bakery's two locations in the area are trying to perfect a gluten-free recipe to add in the coming year.
But the gluten-free cupcake trend is not limited to the Lone Star State. Bakeries across the country are adding special-diet-need cakes as well, including many near Sprouts stores in Arizona, California and Colorado.
Barbara Gardner, owner of Let Them Eat Cake Bakery in Phoenix, offers vanilla and chocolate gluten-free cupcakes by special order. Gardner, whose bakery was featured on The Food Network's hit show Cupcake Wars, decided to add the option to her menu after she herself switched to a gluten-free diet.
"I have clients with family members on gluten-free diets and they don't want them to feel left out," Gardner said. "Right now our gluten-free cupcakes are ordered by the dozen, but if I start getting more feedback from clients wanting gluten-free, I will definitely start baking them to have on hand daily."
Sweet Arleen's in Westlake Village, CA was also featured on Cupcake Wars and offers two gluten-free choices. They are available every Saturday and include red velvet topped with Sweet Arleen's signature cream cheese icing swirl, and a gluten-free chocolate crowned with either chocolate or vanilla buttercream.
As long as gluten-free awareness continues to grow, you can bet that more and more bakeries will start offering wheat-free goodies to their display cases. So if you favorite sweet shop doesn't have them yet, just be sure to let them know you want some. And until then, Sprouts has everything needed for gluten-free baking.
Try out this recipe, courtesy of Cupprimo Cupcakery and Coffee Spot.
Primo Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes
1 1/2 cups Gluten-Free All Purpose Baking Flour (Cupprimo's uses Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Gluten-Free Baking Flour)
1 cup Brown Sugar (light brown sugar)
1/2 cup Cocoa powder, unsweetened
1 tsp. baking soda (Cupprimo's uses Bob's Red Mill baking soda)
1 tsp. Xanthan Gum (yup, Bob's Red Mill has this, too)
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup milk (cow, soy or rice)
1/3 cup butter
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
1. Line muffin tin with pan with cupcake liners, set aside.
2. Place all ingredients in large bowl and blend with electric mixer.
3. Pour into prepared liners and bake for 13-15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Let cool before frosting.
4. Frost as desired and enjoy!
