After visiting the Roald Dahl museum last week, my mind was bursting with wonderful ideas; full of colours, flavours and fireworks. I decided to make a cake that would be worthy of Roald Dahl. It would be weird and wonderful, free from eggs, wheat and nuts so that Jumpy could eat it in spite of her allergies. It would contain “cado”, or “applecado” (avocado), her favourite food in the whole wide world.
The cake would be ‘free from’, but taste moreish enough for all of us to enjoy it. It would be colourful. It would be covered in sweets the children loved. He would be filled with the most scrumptious ganache.
I spent the whole forty minutes of the drive back home imagining what I could come up with for the cake challenge I had spotted earlier in the museum. The museum had really sparked my creativity. It was a big challenge to try and create a cake that would be worthy of Roald Dahl. I wanted to make it tasty (obviously) but also safe for Jumpy, whacky, fun and different.
I decided to make a Whacky Cakey with No Wheaty, Nutties or Eggies (to you and me, it’s a wheat, nut, gluten and egg-free chocolate cake) for a little gathering on Monday. I was so keen that I went to the supermarket to find suitable sweets that would be egg, wheat and nut-free so Jumpy could have any piece of cake she wanted. If you know me, you must be shocked that I willingly went to a supermarket. I know, crazy!
Last Sunday morning, Jumpy and I started working on our cake in the morning. A few weeks ago, my friend Vicki, The Free From Fairy, had made the ultimate ‘free from’ cake for Wriggly’s baptism. We used her recipe as the basis for our cake, but replaced some ingredients, added others and used my own ganache recipe. Jumpy was so happy but she was determined to eat all the dough and was reluctant to let me bake the cake: “I goin eat it all mama!” Check Vicki’s recipe if you are on a dairy-free diet or are trying to reduce your sugar intake.
On a practical note, the cake would look better if you had 15cm cake tins, but I only had 20cm tins so our layers were on the slim side. If you are a real chocoholic, you could double the ganache. We prefer a thin layer of icing, but I know most people would have loads more. Feel free to indulge as much as you want!
In my eyes, Roald Dahl was a genius. Although we are two generations apart, the author managed to turn both my son and I into avid readers. His writing is timeless; his stories moving, whacky and funny. We created this little beauty in his honour.
We really tried to be as open-minded as we could, and make it ‘free from’ so that the café, should they decide to make it, could provide exciting cake for their allergic, Coeliac or intolerant customers. Each portion has a different topping to please everyone.
Do you think Roald Dahl would have liked our Wangle Buzzing Cake?
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Thanks for posting things like this. We have no allergies in our house, but, I think it’s super important to keep reading about ideas which you might need to use one day. I agree with you on Roald Dahl, and you’ve captured this perfectly.
Thanks Eleanor, your feedback means a lot. If you ever have to make a cake for someone with allergies to wheat, eggs or nuts, this little creation was certainly a success at home!
Omg yum yum. Looks amazing. Its now on my to bake list x
Thanks Hayley! Let me know what you think after you’ve made it!
Mel this looks just delicious. I’m bookmarking it to remember for my mum’s birthday! Thank you x
I hope she likes it! x
Oh yum flippin yum!!!!!!
Thanks my lovely! Completely inspired by Wriggly’s Baptism cake! xxx
J’adore la décoration et la recette bien sûre !
Oh Wow! I think Roald Dahl would absolutely approve, it looks incredible. I guessing there were smiles all round when this cake was presented. 🙂
I’m hoping he would! Everyone was really happy to be able to choose their very own slice, different to everyone else’s. x
We’ve no allergies thankfully but my boys would still love this cake. It looks so child friendly 🙂 #FoodYearLinkup
Wow, wow, wow! This looks amazing and brilliant that it’s gluten free too as I’m wheat intollerant. What a fab creative mind you have! #TastyTuesdays
Thanks sweetie. It is rather delicious too if I may say so myself!
This looks delicious and so much fun. I haven’t read any Roald Dahl for years, I’m sure Daniel will enjoy it when he’s a bit older, it’ll suit his slightly daft sense of humour. It’s all Biff, Chip and Kipper in this house at the moment and I’m looking forward to moving onto something with a little more of a storyline!
Thanks for joining #FoodYearLinkup x
Biff, Chip and Kipper will return to this house in September with Beanie. Not looking forward to that… they look like 1989…
I read with some of the children at Daniel’s school on a Monday afternoon. Two and a half solid hours of Biff, Chip and Kipper is enough to send me a little crazy, especially as I’ve now heard them all several times!
I bet!
Just amazing, what a fabulous cake! I’m pinning this, as I do know a few children with allergies, and I like to have a few special ideas on hand x
Sounds like you had a lot of fun making this cake hon. Love that the children got to decorate it with their favourite sweeties xx
It was great from start to finish: from the moment at the museum when I started dreaming up the cake, to adding avocado on Jumpy’s request, then decorating it with the big ones. Eating it with a glass of rosé champagne was the cherry on the top!
This is awesome and definitely Roald Dahl worthy xx
This looks epic! I’ll be trying this with my Sunday afternoon 😀
Thanks Becky! Let me know what you think once you’ve made it.