Our family has been living gluten-free due to Celiac Disease for over 6 years. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and very similar to the protein found in outs. This means that any food needs to be made specially – bread, pasta, cake, pizza crust, pretzels, cookies, etc. Finding the Betty Crocker gluten-free mixes was a wonderful surprise!
Over the past 6 years there has been a huge increase in availability of gluten-free products, but most of the GF products have been found in the health food aisle of the grocery store or in a specialty store.
However, gluten-free products are becoming more mainstream as the number of people diagnosed with celiac disease rises, as well as the number of people living gluten-free for other reasons. Last summer, General Mills introduced a new, gluten-free formulation of Rice Chex (they changed the sweetener from barley malt to another sweetener). In addition to becoming more mainstream, gluten-free products are becoming much more commonly available and found in most grocery stores.
One of my friends who is not on a restricted diet (and therefore actually looks at the boxed cake mixes) noticed the Betty Crocker GF mixes while doing her weekly shopping. So, the next time I was shopping, I picked up the Betty Crocker Gluten Free Devil’s Food Cake Mix. The ingredients* are free of gluten, dairy, and eggs, but they have a “may contain soy” warning, which is somewhat disappointing – there are a lot of people who are sensitive to gluten, dairy, and soy. However, the package is labelled gluten free, and the packages have also been labelled as being produced in a GF facility – which means it is unlikely that any gluten flour could end up in the gluten-free mix. The package is also labelled as Kosher pareve (no dairy or meat products per Jewish law)
I made our cake with real eggs (the instructions call for 3 eggs), 1 stick (1/2 cup) dairy-free margarine in place of butter, and water. I followed the directions for a 9″ round cake and ended up with a wonderful and moist cake.
The cake rose well and was moist, fluffy, and delicious. We frosted it with a delicious and fluffy chocolate frosting, and then sprinkled candied violets on top. We brought the cake to my Nana’s 87th birthday lunch, and none of the people there would have guessed it was gluten-free if nothing had been said. Unlike a lot of gluten free flours, the rice flour in the Betty Crocker Gluten Free Devil’s Food Cake Mix is not gritty.
My one criticism is that the folks at General Mills/Betty Crocker chose to use rice four rather than a more nutrient rich flour. However, a cake is a treat, not a dietary mainstay, so that’s a minor complaint. The price is in the $3.50-$4 range, higher than the gluten-containing mixes, but lower than many other gluten-free mixes.
Betty Crocker Gluten Free Devil’s Food Cake Mix Ingredients: sugar, rice flour, potato starch, cocoa processed with alkali, tapioca starch, leavening (baking soda, sodium acid pyrophosphate, monocalcium phosphate), salt, guar gum.
Betty Crocker Gluten Free Yellow Cake Mix Ingredients: sugar, rice flour, potato starch, leavening (baking soda, sodium acid pyrophosphate, monocalcium phosphate), xanthan gum, salt.
We’ll be trying the Betty Crocker Gluten Free Yellow Cake Mix soon, as I picked up a box of that too. General Mills is also selling Betty Crocker Gluten Free Brownie Mix and Betty Crocker Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix
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