So I'm a ways out(18 months till wedding) before I have to order a cake but its already weighing heavy on me. Here's the back story I the bride have celiac disease, as does my mother, my maid of honor, and the 4th bridesmaid. This means hello gluten free wedding! My fiance and I have discussed this and he is 100% agreement that this is a necessity to avoid making the 4 of us sick.
Food can easily be modified and I'm not worried about this we're just going to avoid breads and crackers. Cake however maybe a little trickier. I have 2 vendors lined up, and possibly a 3rd to set up tastings at the end of this summer. All three are completely gluten free bakeries, they are coming in much cheaper than a standard bakery making a gf cake. Im nervous particularly because I really cant tell you anymore what a real cake is like its been 8+ years for me so my tastes have likely changed. I worry that I'll choose a cake and people will immediatly know something is up with my cake, I do not want people outside our close circle to know that the cake is gluten free. So here are my questions:
1. Certain flavors of gf cakes come off as not gf a lot easier such as nut cakes. The reason for this is nut flour cakes typically have less flour anyway, so anyone who has eaten an actual almond cake is unlikely to know the difference in the trace flour. How worried do I have to be about my guests preferences in the cake flavors? I'd really like to do atleast one layer of almond, hazelnut, or pistachio cake, but not everyone likes nuts. I'd also really like fillings like apricot, and raspberry.
2. The 3 places I'm talking to are quoting me about 6-10 a slice with homemade fondant since most premade has gluten. The one I'm leaning towards is $7 a slice with fondant and has the most flavor options. I am realistic a gluten free cake will be more expensive than a standard one after eating gf for so long the price doesnt really shock me, but am I being ripped off? Or is this comparable on some levels to a real cake? I really cant tell anymore just like taste and texture prices of food are completly off kilter for me at this point. I'm just triyng to make sure I save as much as possible in this proccess is all.
3. How many people is it appropriate for me to take to a tasting? My fiance is not a big cake eater, my maid of honor and mom are gluten free. I'd like to bring possibly 1 groomsman and another female with us as well to the tasting that are not glutenfree. I'd be willing to pay at this point, but I need some feedback from people who eat real food. As stated I dont want the look of this cake is funny at my wedding, and I dont know why but I hate it.
4. Would you be offended by being offered a gluten free cake if you found out after the fact or knew going in? Or would you be ok with this knowing that out of 100+ people 4 including the bride had celiac? I have no doubts it will get out at the wedding after the fact that its gluten free, especially after family and close friends see my mom and I eating it and its the same cake cut for everyone else. I just dont want to offend people is all.
