Namaste Foods Chocolate Cake Mix

It’s been a while since I reviewed a packaged baking mix, having chosen over the holidays to focus on my own recipes, but I know that many food allergy moms just don’t have time to bake from scratch – and many of those gluten-free mixes can easily be made allergen-free.

This time it was the Chocolate Cake mix from Namaste Foods. I love the baking flour and the muffin mix from the same brand, so this one was an obvious choice to try.

Making this allergen-free was a simple adaptation. I followed the package directions to add oil and water, and substituted ¾ cup of flax seed goop for the three eggs. (If you haven’t tried making flax seed goop, it’s time you did – this is really easy once you get the hang of it.) I also added ½ cup of chopped cranberries (I still had some leftover from the holidays). I used a standard vanilla frosting, and for a bit of a surprise I sprinkled a few Enjoy Life chocolate chips in between the layers. These tiny chips are perfect for doing that!

On the plus side, the mix is made in a dedicate facility, free of the most common allergens AND corn (but it does contain xantham gum). I also think it’s great that this mix makes two layers – so you only need one package.

The cake was very spongy and dense. I think I might lighten it up next time by using only ½ cup of flax seed goop. All in all, a great treat!