Whether you’ve got a minor gluten intolerance or are one of the 1% of the population that has celiac disease, you should never (nor do you have to) go without incredible, high-quality desserts.
Ottawa has many bakeries who go gluten-free upon request, making cakes, cupcakes, pies, and desserts so delicious that you could never tell the difference (some even offer you a discount on your next purchase if you can).
Here are 3 bakeries in Ottawa that are the best at going gluten-free, and who specialize in gluten free cakes and gluten free cupcakes in Ottawa.
ThimbleCakes
An industry expert, ThimbleCakes specializes in gorgeous, understated, elegant tiered wedding cakes in Ottawa.
If you’re looking for a show-stopping piece for your big day, ThimbleCakes is a perfect choice. Not only do they do delivery and set-up, they can provide large pedestals and tiers as needed for that incredible cake display of your dreams.
ThimbleCakes doesn’t do in house consultations. Instead, they send you a box of mini cupcakes of all different flavours to let you sample and discuss as you choose. What a great way to turn an evening in into a cake-planning party with your hubby-to-be or bridesmaids.
ThimbleCakes offers an incredible selection of flavours, which can be mixed & matched from layer to layer.
Cake flavour choices are vanilla bean, rich chocolate, marbled vanilla and chocolate, chocolate chip or lemon. Filling choices are housemade fudge, housemade lemon curd, raspberry puree, cookie dough or simply vanilla bean frosting.
They specialize in gorgeous gluten-free custom cakes, and offer a gift card guarantee that you can’t taste the difference between their gluten-free and gluten cakes.
More info and photos of their creations can be found on their website.
Strawberry Blonde Bakery
The team at Strawberry Blonde Bakery in Kanata/ Ottawa’s West End are incredibly creative and passionate about delivering deliciousness to those with dietary restrictions. At the heart of their business is the mandate that no one should have to compromise on taste and quality because of an allergy or food sensitivity – and they are living proof that this can be true. They are Ottawa’s 100% gluten-free, vegan, nut free, kosher bakery in Ottawa.
Ottawa’s Strawberry Blonde Bakery offers custom cakes, cupcakes, pies, and other desserts, all available in a gluten free form that is just as delicious as its glutenous counterpart.
Strawberry Blonde works with every client to inspire and bring to life the creative custom cake they desire. They can accommodate speedy orders, too – and only require about three day’s notice for rush orders.
Strawberry Blonde Bakery has 2 locations – one in Westboro and one in Kanata. You can view their store hours on their website, and a gallery of their work on their instagram page.
The Joy of Gluten Free
This list would not be complete without a mention of Westboro’s The Joy of Gluten Free, a dreamy bakery/ cake shop on Greenbank Road. This is a one-stop-shop for gluten free baking in Ottawa; the bakery creates over 90+ products from scratch every single day.
The shop works with over 22 different types of flours to curate the best in gluten-free desserts.
Their custom cakes are made with heavenly flavours, including Confetti, Buttermilk, Chocolate Cherry, Red Velvet, Guilt-Free Brownie, and more. Like this Cloud Cake:
Buttermilk Chocolate Cake with Dulce de leche in the middle with meringue icing on top drizzled with out homemade chocolate sauce. Add: a cookie dipped in chocolate glaze with writing on it.
Again, all gluten-free.
More info can be found on their website.
Custom Gluten Free Cake Costs
How much should you expect to pay for a custom gluten-free cake in Ottawa? It depends on how big and elaborate you want it to be. You should expect to pay anywhere from $30 (for a one-layer, one colour cake with regular icing) to $300 (for a multi-tier, elaborate cake with fondant and details). Extravagant multi-tiered cakes can cost up to $1,000!
Things To Decide
Before ordering your cake, here’s some things you should know:
- How many people you’re looking to serve. This will determine the size of the cake.
- The Shape Of The Cake You Want. Typically, bakeries offer square or round tiers, and wedding cakes are usually round. You can create custom shapes upon request.
- Any other allergies or dietary requirements from your guest list.
- Cake flavour and colour. The bakery will have a list of gluten-free flavours for inside the cake, for the cake filling, and the cake icing. They can do most colours, but many custom cake designers don’t work with dark colours or jewel tones, so check with your designer beforehand if you’re looking for a unique colour.
- Icing Flavour. Do you know if you want a gluten free fondant icing or regular icing on the outside? Some cake designers in Ottawa don’t work with fondant. Before selecting your decorator, make sure to decide if you’d like a cake with fondant or icing.
- Photos Help. There are a plethora of photos on the internet to get inspiration from for your custom wedding cake, and this can help bakeries to understand what you’re looking for and exceed your expectations. If you can have photos of cakes you like when ordering, this will make the process that much easier (and the cake that much better).
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