'reduced' wheat cake suggestions please

[redhappy]

Have to make a birthday cake for mil. She doesn't normally eat wheat, although she does eat spelt, and will always make exceptions for birthdays etc.

I haven't really got the time or patience to go for something totally wheat-free- only found out I was making the cake an hour ago, need it for tomorrow afternoon, for 10 people.

So, I'm looking for interesting cake recipes beyond the standard victoria sponge...

I have some dessicated coconut, which I think can be used in some cakes instead of wheat?

You can use ground almond instead of flour (or use 50/50), it wont rise as much as a cake with flour but will taste fab.

Why not just go and buy some spelt flour and use that? Or Dove's Farm plain or self raising wheat-free flour? Should be able to get them in either Waitrose or Holland & Barrett.
Spelt will substitute for wheat flour pretty successfully in most recipes; and if you look up Dove's Farm website, they have recipes for their own flours.

HTH.

A that's what I was thinking of Marne

Good idea thumbwitch I think I'm just panicking because I've just been given a list of the things do has promised I will do for his mother's birthday not that I mind doing nice things for her, but not to have it planned for me!

The inlaws are quite particular about food, they would never just provide standard cake.

sorry, dp has promised

I have an excellent chocolate cake recipe in the MN recipe archives, made with spelt flour - it might not have a score on MN but I can guarantee it is an absolute winner - all my playgroup mums were sighing over it!

Yum that does look good! I've got some green and blacks cocoa so it would be super decadent.

I normally cook my cake in two separate tins, I think for about 25 mins (fan oven). I noticed you do it in one tin for much longer. Do you think it would work the way I normally do it? Or is it likely to burn or something?

I would really do it in one tin, a deep one - it will stay moister that way and I couldn't guarantee the cooking time if you do two separate tins. It's a good cake to cut in half though - nice and firm, despite still being scrummily moist. I slice the domey bit off the top as well before icing and then eat it.

How'd you get on? what cake did you make in the end?

I didn't get to try your recipe this time unfortunately. Ran out of time to get to te supermarket.

However, I used my foolproof victoria sponge recipe, minus the cocoa as dp had used it all and not replaced grrr.

The recipe is the victoria sponge one on netmums, and it is absolutely delicious! Everyone thinks I make fantasic cakes but actually it's just the recipe.

Definitely want to try yours soon though!

You'll be sold on it when you do, I reckon - I am not the best cake-maker in the world but even I couldn't mess this one up! The only mildly risky thing is the timing - much better to go on "when the cake is baked" signs than the absolute time given.

Enjoy! and I hope your MIL was suitably grateful for her cake :)