Review: Together We Cook

Here’s a fantastic idea that fills a gap in the cake market. Together We Cook is an online cake business that specialises in novelty and occasion cake kits, delivering them to your door.

I’ve been thinking about this post for a little while now, considering how best to describe TWC’s product. A cake mix for people who don’t like cake mixes, perhaps? … Except that when I received my gluten-free choc hazelnut cake kit, I realised it’s not a cake mix at all. It’s a kit containing quality ingredients such as real chocolate, Heilala vanilla extract and hazelnut meal.

This is a kit for people who love to cook, who value quality ingredients, but who are time poor. It’s a kit that saves you running to the supermarket and then to the specialist confectioner and then to the cake decorating shop. It’s a kit that saves you digging out ingredients from your pantry and then weighing and measuring each one. That convenience, combined with easy-to-follow instructions and a disposable cake mould, makes TWC a great option for baking an occasion cake when time is not on your side.

The gluten-free choc hazelnut cake  and the lemon delicious cake currently are the only gluten-free products available. The choc hazelnut cake is quick and easy to make and the combination of hazelnuts and real chocolate give it a sweet, nutty richness that is irresistible.

I generally avoid cooking with chocolate. I know my culinary limits and have had enough chocolate baking disasters to know that I just don’t have the right touch. That said, when I served this cake for Mother’s Day, there were compliments all round as my guests tucked in. I’d say it was a success. (Please note the chocolate freckles in the top picture are not included in the gluten-free choc hazelnut cake kit).

Getting a good texture can be a huge challenge when making a gluten-free cake. Ingredients that add moisture are key. So using real chocolate and hazelnut meal is a fantastic choice. The result was a wonderfully moist cake that had a surprisingly light texture, even though I expected the hazelnut meal to give the cake a denser quality.

Although the instructions recommend checking the cake after it’s cooked for an hour, consider checking it after about 45 minutes, as gluten-free cakes are so easy to burn. And before serving this cake (to children in particular), make sure you are aware of any nut allergies.

I can’t wait to see what future gluten-free delights TWC adds to its product menu!