Product Reviewed
Lékué Cake Portion Mold
Before I begin, I need to come clean: this isn’t my first experience with Lékué products. They have beautiful design, and in addition to looking good, their products are functional.
When I first saw the Lékué Cake Portion Mold, I smiled at the bright red color and the nifty idea behind it. Forget crumbs in your icing as you cut the cake; each person gets their own slice that can be decorated uniquely and mess-free. But there’s more. You no longer have to decide: Chocolate or vanilla? You can do both! Or chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, or vanilla cake with vanilla frosting, or chocolate with vanilla. Everyone can be happy. If you have kids, I can imagine each child getting to pick their mix-ins, frosting and toppings.
I’m sure this could even be used to cook separate batters that contain nuts from those that don’t (for those with a preference or those with a mild allergy), or to cook vegan batters at the same time as those with eggs or dairy products. It could even help with portion control by reducing leftover cake. And though I used the mold to make sweet recipes, I’m sure it would be great for individual tofu quiches, savory bread pudding or stuffing, and various egg dishes.
I have a few other silicone tools in my kitchen, and am fond of their lightness and ease of use, cleaning and storage. This baking mold has all these benefits, and since it is so flexible, the individual portions easily slipped out as I lightly squeezed the bottom. I don’t think this would be so easy or even possible in a standard pan.
A few things to note about the Lékué Cake Portion Mold:
- If you’re putting different recipes to bake at the same time, make sure that the baking temperature and times are very close. If you have something that needs to bake at 325°F for 15 minutes and other that needs 450°F for 30 minutes, you will have a problem.
- Let the finished product cool for 10 minutes. I tried to remove the pieces after just 5 minutes and had two portions that were too warm and started to break. After 10 minutes, it was a quick and easy release.
- Being silicone, this mold does not need greasing. I was able to bake two different batters and both came out without problem.
- For those with true gluten intolerance, I would not try to use the mold for both gluten-free and conventional baked goods. It should be dedicated to one or the other.
Here’s a recipe I made in the Lékué Cake Portion Mold:
Gluten-Free, Vegan Pumpkin Cornbread
Recipe by Michael Ballmann, MS, RD, CLT
Ingredients
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk beverage
1 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 cup fine/medium cornmeal
1/2 cup oat flour
1/2 cup chickpea flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup corn kernels (optional)
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
Toasted pumpkin seeds, for sprinkling
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Mix the vinegar with the milk and set aside.
- Combine dry ingredients — cornmeal, oat flour, chickpea flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda — and mix well.
- In a separate bowl, combine the oil, maple syrup, pumpkin puree, corn kernels (if using), and curdled milk.
- Pour the wet into the dry and mix just until combined. Pour into the Lekue Cake Portion Mold. Top with pumpkin seeds and bake for 20-25 minutes.
- Cool for about 10 minutes in the mold before removing each piece to a cooling rack.
Pretty, practical, problem-free. The Lékué Cake Portion Mold is my new inspiration in the kitchen!
