Somebody at the table cannot eat the cake. It happens at most gatherings now, and the usual outcome is that they get fruit while everyone else gets dessert. That is a bad outcome, and it is avoidable.
We keep a gluten free and vegan range at Springwood so you can cater for the whole table without buying two completely separate desserts. Here is what is actually in it.
First, the honest bit about “gluten free”
There is a real difference between someone avoiding gluten by preference and someone with coeliac disease. For a preference, a gluten free cake is simply a nicer option. For coeliac disease, the question is not just the recipe but the kitchen it was made in.
We are a working bakery that makes conventional cakes, pastry and biscuits every day. If you or your guest has coeliac disease or a serious allergy, please call us on (07) 3209 2771 and talk to us directly before you order. Do not rely on a web page for that decision, ours or anyone else’s. We would far rather have the conversation than have you find out afterwards.
The gluten free range
Most of the gluten free range is supplied frozen, which is deliberate. It means you can buy ahead, keep it in the freezer, and have something ready when a dietary requirement turns up at short notice, which it usually does.
- Gluten Free Carrot Cake — moist and lightly spiced. The one that converts people who say they do not like gluten free cake.
- Gluten Free Banana Cake — comforting and everyday rather than showy.
- Gluten Free Butterscotch & White Chocolate Cake — the richest of the range.
- Gluten Free Pineapple & Coconut Cake — tropical, and something different on a dessert table.
- Gluten Free Cupcakes — individually portioned, which matters more than it sounds. Nobody has to ask for a special slice.
- Gluten Free Vanilla Cheesecake — cheesecake is what we are known for, so it would have been strange not to make one.
The vegan range
Vegan baking has a reputation for being worthy rather than good. That reputation is about a decade out of date, and it mostly comes from cakes that were trying to imitate a dairy version rather than just being a good cake.
- Vegan Chocolate Cake — rich and properly chocolatey. Supplied frozen.
- Vanilla Vegan Cake — lighter, and the more versatile of the two if you are decorating it yourself.
Browse the whole range on the gluten free and vegan page.
Why frozen is a feature, not a compromise
People sometimes read “frozen” as second best. In practice it is the opposite for this range.
A gluten free or vegan cake is usually bought for one specific person at one specific event. Keeping it frozen means the product is made properly, held properly, and thawed on the day you need it, rather than sitting in a cabinet hoping the right customer walks in. It also means you can keep one at home for the next time it comes up.
Catering for a mixed table
A few things we have learned from customers over the years.
Buy individual portions where you can. A gluten free cupcake on the same platter is far less conspicuous than a separate cake with its own serving knife. People with dietary requirements generally do not want a fuss made.
Keep them separate on the table. Once a serving knife has been through a regular cake, it should not go near the gluten free one. Give it its own.
Tell us when you order. If we know the cake is for someone with a requirement rather than a preference, we can be more useful to you.
Birthdays and occasions
Most of this range gets bought for an occasion rather than an ordinary week. If you are planning a birthday, our birthday cakes page covers the full picture, and for christenings, showers and milestones see occasion cakes.
Where to find us
You can order online and collect from our Springwood store, or come in and have a look. Roberto’s Cheesecakes, 3414/3416 Pacific Hwy, Springwood QLD 4127. Phone (07) 3209 2771.