Gluten, Dairy and Egg free Cake with a Strawberry Twist

It was cake baking time again this weekend. Not any old cake though. As you might know it had to be a gluten free, dairy free, egg free and nut free cake!  I didn't have time to find the ingredients for a new recipe, so I made a similar cake to Little Guy's 3rd birthday party cake, and added a little summer strawberry twist to it.

I started off by making two yellow cakes with Betty Crocker Gluten Free cake mix. This time, I substituted Spectrum Organic Shortening (made of palm oil) for the butter, and applesauce for the eggs (1/4 cup of applesauce = 1 egg).

Here are my two golden brown cakes to start!

The next day (so they were nice and cool) I put the cake on my well-used cake transporter, and slid wax paper underneath to catch the icing for decorating purposes.  I had a great helper too!

I lined the bottom layer with frosting to make a "dam". I used Cybele Pascal's vanilla frosting recipe.

Then I added 1/4 cup of strawberry jam. 

I wish I would have added more because it soaked into the cake (despite checking online and someone said it wouldn't!). Next time I'll research how to stop this from happening - maybe put it in between two layers of frosting?

Then I added a layer of frosting by using a small zip lock bag filled with icing. Just cut off a small triangle from the tip of the bag and squeeze the frosting out. It's an easy frosting bag when you can't find your real frosting bag...oops.

I added the top of the cake. Someone seems happy about it :)

Doesn't this looks like a yummy cream-filled cookie?

I let Little Guy lick the frosting spoon - frosting on your nose and lips makes for a fun morning :)

I finally found my Pampered Chef frosting tool, and added a "star" border to the bottom of the cake after icing it.

Here's the finished cake. Not a masterpiece, but it works for a family picnic, right?

I used this cake transporter to take it to the picnic.  SO handy!

I added a few fresh strawberries right before the cake was served.

Although the frosting became a little soft at the bottom of the cake (maybe due to the heat?). The cake was yummy and everyone seemed to love it.  You REALLY can't tell that this cake is gluten free, dairy free, egg free and nut free!

I am not a cake master at ALL and still have lots to learn. If you need more cake baking and decorating tips like I do, here's a great step-by-step guide from Kids with Food Allergies about how to decorate an allergy-friendly cake.

Here are some of my current essentials for cake baking and carrying!