Having Your Cake and Eating It Too

Dairy and Soy Free chocolate cupcakes for Graham's third birthday party.  His mama is also dairy and soy free while nursing Graham's new baby brother so she enjoyed these as well!  Happy family!

As I nursed my daughter tonight, my thoughts turned once again to the breastfeeding journey we have been on over the last year.  Becoming a family of four has been wonderful and special, but it has also been extremely trying.  For me, breastfeeding Liz has been difficult, due to her food intolerances. My experience living on a restricted diet makes baking allergen free cakes very personal for me.  Over the last few months, I have made gluten free, dairy free, soy free, egg free, nut free, vegan, and sugar free cakes and cupcakes for people all around my area, and it has been an extremely rewarding and emotional experience. 

Both of my children suffered from intolerances as infants.  My son Sully was dairy and soy intolerant, and I cut these elements out of my own diet for the ten months I was nursing him.  My daughter was a little more complicated.  After several different issues during her first few weeks of life, including a meningitis scare, she was diagnosed with dairy, soy, egg, nut, and wheat intolerance, but I was determined to breastfeed her.  Although my first reason was the benefits breast milk gives, I also wanted to nurse because I knew she would be my last baby, and therefore my last chance to experience this part of motherhood.  I cut all these elements out of my diet which was, to say the least, difficult.  My wonderful husband was able to cook delicious meals for me and somehow we got through it.  Looking back, I’m not sure what I ate during those times.  Although Lizzy is now over a year and I’m still nursing, I have been able to work all these allergens back into our diets.  Miraculously, neither of my children have so far exhibited lasting allergies - I am definitely grateful.

I have heard a lot of debate concerning why so many children have allergies.  For me, when I cut out allergens from my diet, my babies were happier, so I was happy.  And now, I’m a baker and I’m in the business of making other people happy.

I think it is a great privilege to make allergen free cakes for special occasions.  When I deliver a birthday cake or cupcakes for a child with allergies, I do so with a great awareness of how he or she feels.  I am all too aware of what it’s like to be deprived of delicious food at most parties and when out at restaurants: although you feel like you've explained your restrictions a hundred times, people continue to offer you foods you can't have.  Then there's the explaining the restrictions to servers who often are rude and condescending.  Then of course there's the individuals who want to spark a debate about the validity of food sensitivities in children.  I can’t imagine going through this as a child.  To go to a friend’s birthday party and see a fantastic cake, and feel that you can’t have the same for your birthday.  I love the idea of giving these children that fabulous cake, and proving that it can not only look great, but taste great as well!  When I’m up late making a special birthday cake and I start to get tired, I think about that little guy the next day who hasn’t had a piece of cake at his friends’ parties, and I get my second wind.

When I was nursing my first baby, on Valentines Day my husband came home with a dozen cupcakes from a specialty baker located about 20 miles from our house.  They were dairy and soy free.  It had been months since I had had cake, or any dessert at all, which for me is an eternity.  Those cupcakes were the most delicious things I had EVER tasted, and I think will ever taste.  That gift was one of the best gifts I have ever received.  The experience gave me the idea of starting a business on the north shore specializing in baking for nursing moms and children with allergies.  Eating food together is a special part of being a family, and sharing a birthday cake is a very special part of being a kid.  I love being a part of making that possible for everyone!

Let them {all} eat {good} cake!

~Sugar Dish