Baking Cupcakes & Need Advice On gluten-free/not gluten-free Baking Products

[Esther Sparhawk]

Hi everyone,

 

Kroger has some new imitation flavorings on the market. (I had never seen them in my supermarket before today.) They are imitation almond flavor, imitation coconut flavor, and imitation vanilla butter & nut flavor. I'd like to try these on my daughter's gluten-free cupcakes, so we're not stuck with plain old vanilla for her birthday again. (She has a chocolate allergy, so we're usually stuck in Vanillaville.) However the label on these flavorings says "propylene glycol," which is likely a form of alcohol. If it's a corn-based alcohol, we should be fine. 

 

I've googled the products, and I guess they're so new there's no info on them yet. But I've been told Kroger is a "trusted" company. Still, I'm not sure I should trust them for this upcoming birthday party. My daughter hasn't had a gluten accident in about three years, and we really want to keep her on a winning streak. New products make me nervous.

 

So I'm hoping another celiac has heard news about these imitation flavoring products. Anyone?

 

Another product we'd like to use are the Betty Crocker Decors "Stars," but the label says, "mono- and diglycerides," which can mean gluten (or at least, it used to be a read flag). Does anyone have news about the Betty Crocker Decors "Stars"? Are those gluten-free? I've seen some lists in the forums with the Betty Crocker sprinkles and frostings, but I haven't seen the "Stars" appearing on any of those posts. However the posts are older. Maybe things have changed.

 

We'll probably do our baking on Oct. 10. No point in posting responses after that date.

 

Thanks.

[cyclinglady]

Why use imitation at all? Use the real thing. Add coconut and sub the water with coconut milk. Add nuts to any batter. Add orange juice and some fresh ground peel (grate just the orange part) for orange cupcakes and add the juice into the frosting it stead of water or milk. Add dried fruit, banana, berries, chopped tiny apple, cinnamon.... The list is endless.

I decorate with flowers from the yard or Jelly Bellies.

[mommida]

I am guessing that ingredient is just a type of alcohol, and until you heard from the manufacturer there is no definite answer.

 

I also suggest you "jazz it up" like Cycling Lady suggested.  Even just adding sprinkles, sugars, or small candies can really make cupcakes look fantatic.  Any favorite type of fruit juice can be used to flavor enchance frostings and cakes.  Even adding a flavor pudding to cake mix batters can make a huge difference.

 

Our kiddos birthdays must be really close.  I've been making a lot of "fall" desserts for her birthday for years.  Family really likes to have pumpkin roll and carrot cake as another option at her birthday party.  (P.S. It is a very large family and with a low turnout it is about 30+ guests for family birthday party.  I make at least 3 cakes, 1 birthday, and 2 seasonal.)

[Adalaide]

I've seen these extracts at my local Smith's store. There isn't anything they sell imitation that isn't available as an actual extract. If you have a cooking or baking store locally, check there or order it online. Craft stores sometimes carry these too. There are dozens of flavors of extracts available and the flavor is always better. Additionally, Kroger is really good at answering questions with a quick phone call. Just go during business hours during the day into the store and call from your phone or write all relevant information down if you can't and call on a lunch break. When making extracts, the alcohols used are generally distilled so the origins of it aren't important.

[Esther Sparhawk]

Why use imitation at all? Use the real thing. Add coconut and sub the water with coconut milk. Add nuts to any batter. Add orange juice and some fresh ground peel (grate just the orange part) for orange cupcakes and add the juice into the frosting it stead of water or milk

 

 

One of my kids is allergic to orange juice (and oranges) and grape juice. The other is allergic to nuts and chocolate. Imitation is the only option.

 

I am guessing that ingredient is just a type of alcohol, and until you heard from the manufacturer there is no definite answer.

 

 Yep, that's my problem in a nutshell.

 

There isn't anything they sell imitation that isn't available as an actual extract. If you have a cooking or baking store locally, check there or order it online. 

 

I live in a very small farm town in Idaho. And I'm out of time to order it online.

 

 

Just go during business hours during the day into the store and call from your phone or write all relevant information down if you can't and call on a lunch break.

 

I work from 7AM to 5PM Mountain time, Monday through Friday. I suppose I could have called on my lunch break, but I didn't think of that. Today's her birthday. It's Saturday, so it's impossible to call Kroger now. I guess we'll just have plain ol' Pamela's vanilla cake again. 

 

I liked the idea of the pudding, but our small town grocery store doesn't usually carry any other puddings besides vanilla and chocolate. They carry quite a few jell-os, but I don't think that will be the same. I have to drive 100 miles to get to a larger grocery store. 

 

One year we tried to add fresh raspberries and put jam between layers. It turned out awful! (I'm a working mom, and not a very good cook.) This year I bought two vanilla cake mixes, just in case I ruin one of them. That's our usual routine. 

 

Of course candy sprinkles are nice. We use those every year. We were hoping to use the candy stars this year, but it looks like that's out too. I can't find any confirmation on that product either. We've had gluten-free birthdays for ten years. That's a lot of vanilla cakes. Candy sprinkles are nice, but as she is entering her teen years, we were really hoping to try a new flavor. We did pumpkin cake last year.

 

I'll take the Kroger extracts to work with me on Monday, call Kroger on my lunch break, and post the answer myself. That way the next person to search these forums will have an answer to the question.

 

Furthermore, I'd really appreciate it if the three of you who commented would give me a positive rating. Over a year ago, I posted a statement that some handi-wipes contain gluten (a statement which I believed to be true, having called the company). Someone had discovered contrary information and a bunch of people slammed me with negative ratings. 

 

I would really like my ratings to come back up, if possible. 

[mommida]

OK abut the rating, I'll bump you.

 

If you find Wilton brand candy decorations, I trust reading their labels. 

[lpellegr]

Mono- and di-glycerides are gluten-free, as is propylene glycol.  Here's one source of the info: Open Original Shared Link  , and here's another from this website: https://www.celiac.com/articles/181/1/Safe-Gluten-Free-Food-List-Safe-Ingredients/Page1.html

[Esther Sparhawk]

Here's what Kroger said about their imitation extracts and food colorings:

 

"Thank you for your patience with the response for your inquiry.  None of the extracts contain gluten ingredients.  The food colorings need to be further researched."

 

I haven't had a chance to call about the star-shaped sprinkles. Hopefully I'll have time tomorrow.