Full disclosure: For the first time in the history of Cake Of The Week, I did not make the cake in the accompanying photo. It looks really yummy though, right? Would it surprise you to learn that it’s gluten-free?

Gluten seems to be this generation’s equivalent of 1990s cholesterol. In those days, fat and cholesterol were maligned and shunned, and products on every store shelf trumpeted their lack of them. And while you can still find those fat-free items today, gluten has most definitely taken the lead as public enemy Number One.

What’s so terrible about gluten? According to some people, a lot. In addition to celiac sufferers, many people believe that gluten is the cause of their intestinal troubles. And not only that. They link gluten consumption with depression, dementia, and the outbreak of rashes and blisters. Yikes.

I suppose then that it was inevitable that sooner or later I’d be called upon to make a gluten-free cake. That day is almost here. Some people wait until just before their event to place their cake order. I know you’d think that this item of monumental importance would be taken care of first – definitely before a dress or flowers or the photographer. Sadly this is frequently not the case. However, this time I have a full three months to work on perfecting a magnificent bat mitzvah cake. And no ordinary bat mitzvah cake either. A gluten-free one.

Always happy for a new challenge, but slightly lazy to experiment with many new recipes, I immediately called a friend whose lips have not touched gluten in years. She generously sent me her best chocolate cake recipe made with brown rice flour, sorghum flour, tapioca flour and xanthan gum(!). So far I’ve made it once. I slightly underbaked it and I think next time I’ll add a little more sugar but I’d have to rate it a qualified success. A whole new world is opening to me!

So while the cake in the photo didn’t come out of my oven, it could have. I just wasn’t speedy enough with the camera before the entire thing disappeared. Stay tuned for the spectacular two-tiered ABBA-themed confection coming this July.