Converting a recipe to gluten free. Help needed!

[CanoeDoYouThinkYouAre]

I'm making a birthday cake for DH and would like to make it gluten free so DD1 can have some but I'm not sure if the best way to do it!

I've seen gluten free self raising flour in the supermarket, can I just swap the flour in the recipe for this?

It's a specific kind of cake that DH wants which is why I'd prefer to convert my current recipe.

Any advice?

I'd go with straight substitution and consider a little extra liquid. I used to make my own gluten free flour mixes (ie rice flour with a bit of this and that added), then a few years ago the price of rice went up for a bit and rice flour stopped being cheaper than the mixes. I haven't gone back to mixing my own for most purposes.

I have to admit that the last couple of times I tried to make a simple packet cake (not gluten-free), it didn't work so well - have got so used to baking gluten free!

Hope it goes well!

Oh, I meant to say, the person who said they added a teaspoon of xanthum gum to a mix - that sounds an awful lot. I haven't used it much in a while, but would have used perhaps 1/4 teaspoon to a cake mixture at most. Bit more for pastry mixes!

In my experience it just might not rise as much.you can't go far wrong with the doves farm gf flour

I do this all the time and it works really well. As PP have said, always add a bit more liquid, as gf flour absorbs more liquid than other flour, but other than that, it should be fine. (I don't use xanthan gum as I think it makes the cake taste odd, but other people do swear by it.)

Definitely just use a gf sr flour -doves or asda or m and a- and then add a couple of tablespoons of milk, or other liquid- I don't use an extra egg or gum or anything else. It might be a little drier if you aren't used to it, but it is pretty good.

Thank you for all the advice. I'll be making the cake on Saturday so I'll report back with the results!

Hi,i m Sania Ali from Karachi Pakistan my son diagnosed with Celiac last yearr since than I started using Schar Bread Mix B which was really good for all purpose use like I daily made Roti for him also made Pizza, Bread, Cakes etc Life was going in a smooth way but than over Government took decision to put extra duty or tax on Imported items since than it is unavailable in Pakistan coz of high prices so my husband decided to try someoyher brand ND he asked his friend who lives in London to bring some gluten free flour mix ....he Bering Asda plan gluten free flour and Asda gluten free self rising flour....
I feel it's really hard to make soft roti with plain flour also failed in making soft baking items with its rising flour.... I was finding out since many days for help atlast found ur comment so
Kindly help me out or share recipes to make soft pizza or other items with its rising flour.
I would be thankful to u
Waiting for ur reply
U can email me as well at
[email protected]

Use Doves Farm and it will be fine. The best GF flour I’ve ever used is called Poensgen, and it’s German, though widely available in Europe. It’s made from lupin beans and works exactly like ordinary flour in cake recipes.

Sania, I’ve never managed to make decent pizza with GF flour. The dough is too sticky. I’ve made bread which has been OK, but not pizza or anything that needs rolling out.

Hi MrsSchadenfreude,
Dove Flour is not available in Pakistan.Even No Imported Flour is available only the Local ones are Available which I really don't want to use or relay on....!!!
One of My husband s friend Bering ASDA from UK.
Well Thanks to ALLAH ALMIGHTY m succeeded to make Bread and Pizza from ASDA Self Raising Flour.Just added one Egg and some PSYLLIUM HUSK instead of XANTHAN GUM in my Pizza Dough.
Also when I used ASDA Plain Flour for making Roti or Chapati I pore some PSYLLIUM HUSK in it and knead with Lil warm water.
Alhamdulillah I m succeeded in using SCHAR And ASDA GF Flour.