Due to the massive response to our content around Celiac disease, wheat sensitivities and gluten-free products, we did a little research and found Erin McKenna (pictured, above) and her bakery, BabyCakes in New York City (we’ve actually been following her for some time).
Like many, Erin suffers from wheat and dairy allergies and was constantly finding herself feeling lousy before she knew why. Since diagnosed, she decided she wanted to have her cake and eat it too, but not at the price of her health. She got busy trying to figure out what these alternative flours and sweeteners were all about and how she could work with them to create some of her former favorite bakery items. In 2005, she opened BabyCakes NYC, a bakery on the Lower East Side that specializes in vegan, gluten-free, mostly sugar-free and wheat-free products.
I conducted an interview with Erin which will air shortly on our site. In the meantime, I wanted to share with you more about the bakery so if you are in NYC, you can stop by, even if you have no allergies or dietary restrictions. Her products are delicious and far healthier than the classic versions. If you are a sweets addict, it’s not a bad thing to have a less harmful way to indulge.
How are her products better?
Sweeteners: Erin uses no white sugar, but instead she sometimes uses evaporated cane juice, which is far less processed than regular white sugar. But most of the time, her sweetener of choice is agave nectar, which happens to be something I discovered a year ago and have been using ever since. It’s very sweet, but not overly, and doesn’t give you the sugar highs and lows that you get from normal sugar. So I guess you feel a little better if you are the sort whose inclined to do one of these(I wouldn’t know anything about it):
Dairy: She uses no dairy but instead uses rice milk, soy milk or unsweetened coconut milk.
Grains: Erin does bake with spelt flour, which is not acceptable for people with Celiac but does work for some people who have mild sensitivities to wheat. For those who prefer GF (gluten-free) products, she bakes many items with rice flour, a gluten-free mix made by Bob’s Red Mill, or even better, she uses garbanzo-fava flour (I love it!).
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If you do go in to her bakery and you have dietary concerns, ask one of the helpful staff to make sure you are getting the right products for you. But wouldn’t you love it if you saw these windows in your local bakery:
Biscuits made with spelt flour (not good for Celiacs)
Gluten-Free Brownies-hello?!
The good news is, even if you can’t make it to NYC, you can bake like Erin. She’s got a new book out (see below) that’s literally flying off the shelves (I bought two). Personally, I don’t have any food sensitivities, but I certainly don’t mind the idea of reducing the amount of sugar I put into my body or my kids’ bodies. They tasted the cupcakes yesterday and LOVED them-never noticed a difference.
You can get Erin’s book at amazon.com:
Watch our interview with Erin:
A Visit to Babycakes NYC from rachaelray.com on Vimeo.
07.16.09 @ 8:25 am
when are you coming to the UK?
07.16.09 @ 11:47 am
Just discovered her cookbook days ago. Checked it out at the local library. I’m celiac so I can’t use the spelt flower, but there are tons of great recipes I’m going to try for myself. Wish I lived in New York to enjoy her fresh baked goods. I’ll bet they are yummy.
07.18.09 @ 10:46 pm
If you are trying to learn how to cook and bake gluten-free foods, come to the Gluten Free Cooking Expo this August 15-16 in Chicago. People from around the country will be gathering to learn GF cooking from the pros. http://www.glutenfreeclasses.com.
07.22.09 @ 11:41 am
Rachael,
Thank you once again for your support for those of us who are gluten free. I will keep checking back to see what other info you have for us. As soon as I read your article, I immediately found Baby Cakes on Twitter to follow. I love to follow anyone who supports the gluten free world. I was diagnosed 7 years ago with celiac and the thing I missed most was bread. My sisters were able to take care of this for me they developed a gluten free bread unlike others we have seen on the market. It taste like home made gluten bread, soft, does not break or crumble when it is folded, it can easily wrap around a hot dog and it can be refreshed in the microwave, which makes it look and taste like the day it was made. We are hoping to get our bread mix to the public very soon.
Thank you and Be Blessed,
Nancy– Sisters Three Gluten Free
07.29.09 @ 12:07 pm
hi rachael my names is meriem i a 13 old and i am from algeria.i like your show very much and i like you to,i want to you to do me a faver if you can of cors.if you kan cook somme think whith aout alkhol just for children.that will be cool.thanks
07.29.09 @ 12:11 pm
thnk you so much i will kip riten for you somme times .bye
07.29.09 @ 12:28 pm
dear rachael i am meriem.i live in algeria and am 13 old years.i dont speak english very well but i like your show and i see you every day i think its great i love your guests but i wich if you can have in the studio the jonas brothers i love them very much.i will prechiated if you can cook somme think without alcohol because i am muslim that will be great if you can do this feaver forme plz.i love you and your show and i hope if you can inswer me
bye
07.29.09 @ 5:55 pm
Thank you RR for this posting. My oldest son, now 20 years old suffers with Celiac Sprue Disease. It is always frustrating when the recipes do not taste or have the consistency as they appear in pictures in the cookbooks. I would like to share a website, approved by the Celiac Sprue Foundation, which has the best flours available for purchase. The website is http://www.DomataLivingFlour.com. They also have a seasoned flour great for cooking meats, etc. The recipes also stand up to the pictures on the website. The husband/wife team are excellent contacts about the disease as well. I believe that the husband suffers with Celiac and decided to do something about the choice of flours for cooking. Feel free to share this with your viewers.
Sincerely,
Tammy Duffey
Tifton, Georgia