In addition to the Red Velvet cake, a friend has asked for a low carb option.  I’m sort of at a loss; I can’t imagine any dessert worth eating being low in carbs.  She suggested a cheesecake, and then maybe using Splenda for part of the sugar.  I’ve heard nothing good about baking with sugar substitutes.  Any positive experiences here?

Well, you could do a fresh fruit plate. That would fit the low-carb bill.

I would not take a chance with a synthetic sugar substitute in cheesecake. You risk ruining the structure of the cake, and having the chemical after-taste, which will then ruin your reputation as a baker who makes delicious things. On the other hand, stevia might work. Stevia is a natural sweetener derived from the leaves of a stevia plant. It is hundreds of times sweeter than sugar. In too high of a dose, it is cloying and has a funny, long-lasting after-taste, sort of herbal (some people describe it as woody). I have never used it in baking, and I don’t plan to, but maybe it would work if you’re feeling experimental. It is not approved as a food additive by the FDA, so you have to look in the dietary section (where the vitamins and bee pollen are kept) of a store like Whole Foods.

People are funny. Asking for a low-sugar dessert is sort of like asking for a low-protein steak dinner.

The good thing about cheesecake is that it is easier to experiment with small batches. You can increase the apparent sweetness by using corn syrup which has the same calories but tastes sweeter so you wouldn’t have to use as much. You can also cheat by bumping starch to make it taste sweeter.

Desserts don’t get much better than some in-season fruit and a hunk of really good cheese. Pears and brie de meaux? Berries and Humboldt Fog?

Would your friend go for a reduced carb option?  You could make one of the cakes that uses nut flour instead of flour (or instead of most of the flour)—in the flourless cake section.  I’ve also found, in lots of experimenting, that you can pretty successfully reduce sugar by about 1/3.  It changes the texture slightly, but not really negatively, just differently.  You can also add 1/2 the sugar weight in as liquid if you worry about it being moist (i.e, if you take out 5 oz sugar, add 2.5 oz liquid).  It will take a little longer to bake.  Then you could spread a very thin layer of a dark ganache (less sugar) on the top of it and use that to “stick on” chopped toasted macadamia nuts (which are pretty sweet in themselves) or toasted pecans (ditto).

It would be both beautiful and delicious, I think. You could compare it’s carbs to a “real” frosted cake to your friend, and I think the difference would be tremendous.

I am sorry to sound harsh, but the best solution would be to eat half size servings, that is a whopping 50 percent reduction of carbs!  My take is that artificial substitutes slow down your methabolism or have other unnatural digestion side effects, thus the little carbs you reduce to eat will take much longer and work to digest!

I made a cheesecake with splenda.  Everyone liked it.  (I was able to detect a slight aftertaste)...but I found this to be a reasonable low carb option.

good to know, but i have to agree with Hector, eat half and make it good!!! i made the banana cheese cake, with strawberry home made jam, it was delicious!!!!

I’m with Hector, also. Chemicals in cakes. Nooooo. In many recipes, sugar can be significantly reduced, since most American recipes are too sweet, anyway. Vanilla helps enhance sweetness, so be sure to use it in a low—sugar recipe.

I have had great success substituting splenda for sugar in cheese cakes.  Substitute equal amounts of splenda for the sugar.  The cheesecake won’t get as dark on top as one with sugar.  I usually cheat and use sugar in the crust or sponge base, it is only a small amount. 

Substituting in other baked goods is not so easy.  In most cakes and things, the flour is the issue but you can find cakes and baked goods that call for ground nuts and nut flours.  Splenda and chocolate are not compatible, so if using chocolate don’t use splenda.  I am planning on doing some experiments using Truvia (stevia) in a chocolate brownie recipe but haven’t had time.

CharlesT - 24 June 2010 09:11 PM

In addition to the Red Velvet cake, a friend has asked for a low carb option.  I’m sort of at a loss; I can’t imagine any dessert worth eating being low in carbs.  She suggested a cheesecake, and then maybe using Splenda for part of the sugar.  I’ve heard nothing good about baking with sugar substitutes.  Any positive experiences here?

I think a cake with fruit is a lower-carb option because the fiber will slow the spike in blood sugar level.  Using whole wheat flour would also help.

As for Splenda..Have a smaller piece of cake instead. Personally, I rather have sugar than artificial ingredients.  Agave is a better option but it is still a sweetener

hectorwong - 25 June 2010 08:32 AM

I am sorry to sound harsh, but the best solution would be to eat half size servings, that is a whopping 50 percent reduction of carbs!  My take is that artificial substitutes slow down your methabolism or have other unnatural digestion side effects, thus the little carbs you reduce to eat will take much longer and work to digest!

I absolutely agree with you!!!