When Jessica Pourciau was diagnosed with celiac disease, she could hardly find any gluten-free options for baked goods. And none that were as tasty as the real thing. So she took matters into her own hands—and kitchen.

Growing up, Pourciau’s mother and grandmother owned a bakery together in Brusly. Now, Pourciau is continuing the tradition with her own twist through her allergen-conscious baking business, Cake Pour Tous, which she launched in 2022.

Fully self-taught and operating the cottage bakery out of her personal kitchen, Pourciau has perfected the taste of her cakes over the last two years, offering wheat-free, dairy-free, egg-free and dye-free options that are indistinguishable from typical cakes. But it’s not just what’s on the inside that counts. Pourciau has also worked on the artistic side of baking, fine-tuning icing techniques and keeping up with budding trends.

“I have spent lots of time in research mode,” she says with a laugh, recalling many late nights spent on YouTube and TikTok. She reads through countless recipes in an attempt to crack the code, always searching for the highest quality, cleanest ingredients and substitutes to transform perfected family recipes into allergy-friendly sweets everyone can enjoy.

As demand continues to grow, Pourciau is juggling the baking business with her career as a respiratory therapist in the NICU at Woman’s Hospital, as well as homeschooling her children. However, for her, Cake Pour Tous is a passion project worthy of squeezing into her busy schedule.

Through her work, Pourciau is helping kids—and adults—with food allergies feel included in celebrations while also allowing them to eat delicious sweets they weren’t previously able to indulge in.

“My favorite part is seeing kids at their birthday parties, finally being able to enjoy a slice of cake,” she says. “When customers send pictures of happy kids eating their safe and delicious cakes along with their friends and family, it just melts my heart and makes it all worthwhile.”

Pourciau’s cakes and sweet treats are true crowdpleasers. Those with allergies and those without can appreciate the same tasty, beautiful dessert. And after plenty of research and learning through trial and error, she now offers macarons, cookies, king cakes, cookie cakes and much more, in addition to a growing menu of cake flavors.

“I have a whole list of repeat customers, and to me, that speaks volumes,” Pourciau says. “I feel so blessed to have fantastic customers who truly appreciate all of the hard work and love that goes into every single order.”

Pourciau’s Allergy-Friendly Advice

1. Read all ingredient labels.

Gluten often hides in ingredients like thickeners and anti-caking agents. Always check labels on seasonings and spices, as well as main ingredients.

2. Be mindful of cross-contamination.

For someone with celiac disease, it would not be safe to eat from a bakery that uses traditional wheat flour or barley and rye. Tiny particles of those flours can temporarily remain suspended in the air, making it almost impossible to clean every speck and avoid cross-contamination with gluten. A dedicated cooking space and dedicated gluten-free equipment are needed at a minimum.

3. Be aware of alternate names for allergens.

For example, “malt” is typically made from barley, which is a gluten-containing grain to avoid if you are eating or cooking gluten-free.

4. Use certified gluten-free ingredients when possible.

While oats are a naturally gluten-free grain, oats grown in fields that crop rotate with wheat can be cross-contaminated at harvest, in shipping containers or at processing facilities. Certified gluten-free oats have undergone testing to verify that they are safe.

5. Get familiar with the requirements for listing allergens.

Major food allergens like milk, wheat and peanuts will be listed in bold per FDA food labeling guidelines. But since barley and rye are not top allergens, food production companies are not required to list them or their alternative names in bold. This can be confusing because it’s possible that an item is not gluten-free even though it does not contain wheat.