**UPDATE**

Starbucks will no longer be selling the Valencia Orange Cake.

The announcmment came via a Starbucks tweet on July 15 – “We heard that it was too much of a treat, and not a nutritious snack.  The @KindSnacks bar is replacing it.”

While I really like Kind Snack Bars, I’m certainly not going to Starbucks just to get one. 

*What follows is my original review of the cake*

Starbucks’ Gluten-Free Cake with the weekend paper

Most of you probably already know that Starbucks has responded to its customers’ requests and has begun offering a gluten-free cake.   I must admit, I’ve never really been a Starbucks fan.  It’s not that they have bad coffee – I would just never go out of my way for their coffee.   I’m just as happy drinking the free stuff at work.

However, I would go out of my way for this little cake!  I discovered it the other weekend when I woke up with no power and nothing to eat that wouldn’t have required cooking.  And also with no power, I had no way to make tea or coffee at home.  Starbucks is close by, and I remembered reading about their new gluten-free cake.  I wasn’t sure if our local store would have it, but it was worth a try.  I was hungry and I needed caffeine.   Sure enough, they had these little gems stacked up in the case (individually wrapped to preserve their gluten-freeness.)  They actually aren’t any more expensive than any of their other cakes, or at least not noticeably more.  I think it was about $2. 

I took my coffee and cake home and sat out on the back deck with my newspaper.  It was a lovely morning.  (Aside from not having any power in the house.)  The cake was excellent.  The orange flavor was strong but not overwhelming.  Not too sweet.  Not to tart.  Most impressive though was the texture of the cake.  We all know how challenging it can be to perfect the texture of a gluten-free anything.  The cake was very moist and not crumbly at all.  If I were to have a complaint, it would be that it was too moist – or at least “sticky.”  But really, I’m not complaining.

I’ve since been back when I need a quick breakfast to grab on my way to work.   Okay, so not the most healthy of breakfast choices, but that happens.  It really is so nice to have a place like Starbucks, which is located almost on every street corner, it seems, that has something safe and tasty to eat.

So maybe I’m becoming a Starbucks’ convert after all.   

I received an email from Kelly at Triumph Dining. Triumph wants to raise awareness for celiac disease and the gluten-free diet while raising money for awareness at the same time.

Now through the end of August, Triumph is giving away free American Cuisine dining cards. (You can opt to either pay $.70 for shipping or send in a self-addressed stamped envelope.)  If 15,000 people sign up for these cards, then Triumph will give $10,000 to a national celiac awareness campaign (and they will let the gf public choose the campaign).

When you take their card to a restaurant, you are helping to raise awareness. Mulitply that by 15,000 cards, and we’ve got a lot of awareness. Go to http://www.triumphdining.com/freediningcard.aspx in order to get your free card, and check their blog to see the progress.