Testing Nothing Bundt Cakes Gluten-Free Bundtlets for Hidden Gluten

Nothing Bundt Cakes just launched a brand new gluten-free bundtlet flavor. This personal-sized bundt cake is available for a limited time only. Do you want to know how this latest pop-up flavor tastes and if it’s really gluten-free? I tested it for hidden gluten, and I share the results below.

Nothing Bundt Cakes is known for its delicious and moist bundt cakes, and it’s been a favorite of sweet tooth aficionados since 1997.

The boutique-like bakery chain recently launched a new product: Gluten-Free Lemon Raspberry Bundtlet. This personal-sized bundt cake is available for two weeks only – January 22 through February 4, 2024 – while supplies last.

The company says its new Gluten-Free Lemon Raspberry is a zesty lemon-tinged raspberry cake topped with raspberry puree and its signature cream cheese frosting.

Claire Jessen, vice president of culinary at Nothing Bundt Cakes, says, “Lemon Raspberry has consistently been a top featured flavor for the brand, inspiring us to diversify our gluten-free offerings with this citrus fruit flavor profile and giving guests a taste of summer during these cold winter months.”

If you have celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivities, or gluten intolerance, you may be wondering if it’s safe to consume the new Gluten-Free Lemon Raspberry bundtlet or the bakery’s other gluten-free cake, the Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie bundtlet, which has been offered year-round since 2018.

I researched and independently tested the gluten-free mini bundt cakes to determine whether they’re really free from gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley, and if they’re safely prepared free from cross-contamination. Below, I share what I discovered in my research and independent testing.

Nothing Bundt Cakes Is Not a Dedicated Gluten-Free Bakery

It’s important to note that Nothing Bundt Cakes’ bakeries primarily make and sell products made with wheat flour. While its gluten-free cakes are made with only gluten-free ingredients, they are prepared and baked with shared equipment and in a shared bakery setting. The presence of gluten is always possible, as is always the case in any shared kitchen.

However, the company says it takes many precautions during the baking process to ensure its gluten-free cakes stay gluten-free during the baking process.

The staff stores gluten-free ingredients separate from wheat-based ingredients. When I visited, the woman working at Nothing Bundt Cakes told me they bake the gluten-free cakes before the regular cakes to ensure they’re baked in a cleaned and sanitized kitchen. They do this to minimize the risk of cross-contamination, which they keenly understand. Of course, every location is different, so it’s important to inquire within.

Nothing Bundt Cakes’ Gluten-Free Lemon Raspberry Bundt Cakes are made with gluten-free ingredients. However, the products are baked with equipment that also processes gluten-containing products. While we take many precautions during the baking process, gluten-free products may still contain traces of gluten.

-Nothing Bundt Cakes in a press release.

I realize that everyone’s level of gluten-free is different. Some people won’t eat at restaurants with shared kitchens, while others will do so with caution. I’m one of the latter mindset.

I eat at restaurants with shared kitchens once I know they have satisfactory protocols to minimize cross-contamination between dishes. I try not to restrict myself to the point of hypervigilance, which is a growing issue in the gluten-free community and can lead to disordered eating. I’ve discussed this topic in detail in my article, Can You Be Too Gluten-Free? How to Balance Dietary Vigilance Without Losing Your Mind.

Because Nothing Bundt Cakes takes precautions to minimize the risk of cross-contamination, I personally felt comfortable eating the gluten-free bundtlets.

Nima-Testing Nothing Bundt Cakes

I took my precaution to the next level by testing the new Gluten-Free Lemon Raspberry bundt cake for hidden gluten with my Nima Sensor, a portable gluten-detecting device. You can learn more about Nima in my article, What You Need to Know About Nima Sensor Before You Buy – Perspective from a Celiac & Nutrition Professional.

While Nima will only test a small pea-sized portion of the cake for cross-contamination, I took that small piece of cake and rubbed it all over other parts of the cake to catch potential “hot spots” of gluten cross-contamination.

Please note that Nima is controversial, mainly because organizations think the gluten-free community isn’t smart enough to use it correctly; it’s highly accurate for testing for gluten above 20 parts per million (ppm). It’s even criticized for being “too accurate” since it can detect gluten at levels below the FDA’s set threshold of 20 ppm.

As you can see, Nima displayed a smiley face, which means it didn’t find any gluten. Hooray!

The beautiful cake is super moist, and I could definitely taste the citrus notes and raspberry flavors. Although my cake didn’t have a lot of raspberry puree, the generous dollop of cream cheese made up for it. The frosting is smooth and creamy and offers just the right amount of sweetness. I highly recommend it to anyone who is (or isn’t) gluten-free. It’s that good!

In 2017, I tested the Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Bundtlet Live on Facebook, the only gluten-free cake flavor at the time. As you can see, Nima didn’t find any gluten then, either. Below is a screenshot of that test; it was sunny, which affected the device’s visibility through my camera lens, but I assure you Nima displayed a smiley face.

Is Nothing Bundt Cakes Gluten-Free?

The bottom line is that you can safely find gluten-free items at Nothing Bundt Cakes, even though the bakery items aren’t prepared in a dedicated gluten-free environment. The company appears to take satisfactory precautions to minimize gluten cross-contamination, and based on my Nima tests, which I conducted seven years apart, Nima hasn’t found any hidden gluten to date.

Of course, if you’re uncomfortable eating food prepared in a shared kitchen, you should avoid eating items from Nothing Bundt Cakes. The choice is yours.

As a side note, I hope Nothing Bundt Cakes will make the Gluten-Free Lemon Raspberry Bundt a permanent fixture and continue to release new gluten-free bundt flavors. It makes us feel inclusive, and it looks like Nothing Bundt Cakes is doing gluten-free right when it comes to delivering top-notch sweet treats.

Call your local Nothing Bundt Cakes before visiting a bakery to ensure they carry the gluten-free cakes and have them in stock.

Additional Reading

Want to learn more about Nima Sensor? Read What You Need to Know About Nima Sensor Before You Buy – Perspective from a Celiac & Nutrition Professional.

Another gluten-testing device, the Allergy Amulet, is set to launch in 2024. You can learn more about it in my article, The Allergy Amulet Gluten Detecting Device.

For more Nima tests and articles, visit my Nima Sensor archives.