Cake dilema

We have a birthday in the setting tomorrow. I normally get everyone to make a cake and we have it for pudding or snack.

However, I have a mindee now booked in for tomorrow who is dairy free and gluten free- parents choice, and they don't want child having the replacement butter that I buy for my other mindee who has a genuine allergy. This little one is also not allowed sugar, again parents choice. So, without buying special ingredients, I'm stuck aren't I? I'm absolutely not going to buy special ingredients either, as it is all parental choice and I just know that if I go down that route, it will be a very slippery slope.

I looked after a child who had a very limited diet and on her birthday I just used to put a candle in whatever it was she was eating at the time!

I agree with you, I wouldn't be attempting to make a cake with all the limitations parents have put in place. It would actually be a good opportunity to reinforce to parents that they are going to have to be responsible for their child's diet. I would tell them that you normally get the children to bake a cake on their birthday, but obviously that's not possible with the dietary requests they've put in place, so if they'd like their child to share a cake with their friends, they need to provide it (or the ingredients if you are happy to make one).

oh tricky Maza.

Is it the dairy/gluten/sugar free child who has the birthday, or another mindee?

I would, like Mouse, tell the parents that they need to provide either the makings of the birthday treat, or actually, the birthday cake or whatever if it is their child's birthday ( because ... I've tried to make cakes with the 'no this/that/the other' in, and they are time consuming ( and not always that tasty! ) and also ask them to provide a 'treat' that the child can have at your house when it IS someone else's birthday. In fact, I would be sending them a message NOW, asking them to provide a treat for their child, as 'we will be celebrating Xs birthday tomorrow with cake, and i don't want your child to miss out'.

It feels horrible when everyone else has something, and a particular child can't, but sometimes that is the way it has to be, It is not fair for ALL the setting to jump to the tune of one parent. (totally understandable if it is a MEDICAL issue, but still difficult) We have children at school who are allergic/intolerant to random things, and they have their own box of 'goodies' if there is a birthday etc.


Dairy free 'butter' and self raising gluten free flour, whilst they don't make a wonderful 'big' cake, do make reasonable cupcakes! never tried replacement/low sugar!

Having re-read your post, is it that child's birthday or another child's birthday?

I would do what Loocyloo suggests and message mum asking her to send a treat for her child so they can join in the birthday celebrations.

It's a bit of a shame, but sometimes children do have to miss out on what other children are having. It's not actually a bad thing - it shows them from an early age that they have to be careful what they eat and can't just have the same as everyone else.

One of my minded children could only eat food that mum sent, so they did miss out on what the other children were having. To be honest, they didn't even notice because they were so used to having their own thing.

Hope you got this sorted Maza, cake or no cake ?