Sticky gluten free ginger cake recipe - The Gluten Free Blogger (2024)

FAQs

Why is my gluten free cake sticky? ›

The water-binding agents in gluten-free flour are more sensitive. If the dough is worked too hard, they will tear and release the water. This water can no longer be bound properly and will lead to a dough that is sticky - because unprocessed cold starch does not bind water.

Moisture – for some reason gluten-free cakes tend to get a little dry. Any gluten-free cake will dry out super-fast and get hard on the outside if it's not properly refrigerated and covered. I swear by always using buttermilk and adding a little more fat into the batter to compensate for the dryness.

If you still get a too-dense cake or one which sinks or has a rubbery layer at the bottom, adjust the flour or liquid in your recipe so you have slightly less liquid or slightly more flour.

2 teaspoons of baking powder per cup of gluten-free flour is necessary to ensure proper leavening. Baking soda and buttermilk can be used to leaven instead of baking powder, but 1-1/8 teaspoon of cream of tartar should be added for each 1/2 teaspoon baking soda used.

The gluten in traditional flour is what gives dough its stickiness. Without it, gluten-free products can be dry and crumbly. There is a way to compensate for this however — use xanthan gum. Some bakers also use gelatin or agar.

Gluten-free baked goods can stick to baking pans more easily than regular baked goods. Using a non-stick baking spray or parchment paper to line your tins can help to prevent your baked goods from sticking. Spray or paper will also make it much easier to remove items from the pans once they're baked.

Add some gum

Adding xantham or guar gum can be a great way to replace the structure lost by omitting gluten. The exact amount of gum needed for each recipe is worth experimenting with, but generally we add ½ teaspoon per cup of flour blend.

We recommend covering your batters and doughs and letting them rest for at least half an hour.

Sorghum flour: great for cakes

Because sorghum is often processed on shared equipment with wheat products, you need to be careful about finding a product that is certified gluten free. Sorghum flour is a great option for cookies and cakes, but it is best combined with other gluten free flours because it is so heavy.

Too much raising agent would cause the cake to rise up a lot then shrink back on cooling, giving a rubbery texture. If the surface of the cake is wrinkled or has bubbles, then this is a sign that there is too much raising agent.

Why did my gluten free cake come out gummy? ›

These ingredients take longer to set than regular gluten-containing flour, meaning they may remain slightly “gummy” or sticky until they have cooled. That's why when you test your gluten-free cakes with a toothpick, even if it looks done, your toothpick might not come out completely clean!

Gluten-free baked goods often benefit from extra liquid to hydrate the flour blends, eliminate grittiness, and achieve a less dense or dry texture. However, it's very important to drive off this extra moisture during baking, or you'll wind up with a gummy texture. The best way to do this? Longer baking times.

Using xanthan gum helps provide some of the stickiness that gluten free goods lack, replacing some elasticity. Xanthan gum mimics some of gluten's most essential properties by sticking to flour and its moisture. This helps create moist goods that hold their shape after being baked.

The primary tenderizing ingredients are sugar (which draws water away from the flour, so less gluten can form) and fat (which interferes with gluten development).

These ingredients take longer to set than regular gluten-containing flour, meaning they may remain slightly “gummy” or sticky until they have cooled. That's why when you test your gluten-free cakes with a toothpick, even if it looks done, your toothpick might not come out completely clean!

Sticky cake and cupcake tops are from a reaction with sugar and water. Sugars are hygroscopic, meaning they attract water. Within baked goods, sugars help maintain a moist and tender crumb. Sugar on the exposed tops, however, will grab water from humid air, creating a wet or sticky top.

Why does my cake have a gummy streak in the center? Developing too much of the flour's gluten can make the cake rise beautifully in the oven, but sink as soon as you pull it out. The sinking part is what makes the dense and gluey streaks. This can be result of over-creaming the eggs, butter and sugar.

If you notice your gluten free bread dough is too sticky, it usually means you have too much liquid in the dough. The best way to fix sticky dough is to add more gluten free flour. Some gluten free flour blends are very starchy, and you need to use more flour with these blends than other blends.