Starbucks in my area have recently started offering a gluten-free Valencia Orange cake along with their other baked goods, and being as I am a fan of sugar and a fan of baked goods that don't get my kitchen all messy, I picked one up.
Based on the ingredients, the cake seems to be based on almond cakes that are popular throughout the Mediterranean. It's a wise move -- it's always easier to successfully make a dish that's naturally free of the allergens you're trying to avoid than to use "better living through chemistry" to create a taste or texture you otherwise couldn't. As far as other major allergens, the cake includes almonds, eggs, and citrus and mentions peanuts and other tree nuts in a cross-contamination warning on the package. The ingredients include no dairy or soy, though there is no mention of cross-contamination one way or the other for these allergens. And the cakes come pre-wrapped, so there's no chance of cross-contamination in the bakery rack.
I split the cake four ways -- among myself, two non-celiacs, and a non-celiac child who will generally eat anything if it has a sufficient amount of sugar. The verdict? Unanimously positive. The orange flavor could perhaps be a bit stronger, but the texture and moisture level are spot-on.
Allergy-friendliness is a constant request at My Starbucks Idea. Peanut and tree nut-free pastries, dairy-free pastries, or other such cakes and cookies baked in dedicated facilities and packaged to avoid contamination would be great additions to this experiment.
Delicious yes, but ironically it tastes horrible with coffee. Good thing it washes off the tongue easily.