Jump to content
This site uses cookies. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. More Info... ×
  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.




  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):



    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):


  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Where Your Contribution Counts!
    eNewsletter
    Support Us!
  • Carol Fenster, Ph.D.
    Carol Fenster, Ph.D.

    Sweet Surrender: The Skinny on Having Your Cake and Eating It, Too!

    Reviewed and edited by a celiac disease expert.

    Next time you’re tempted to reduce or omit the sugar in baked goods, follow these tips.

    Sweet Surrender: The Skinny on Having Your Cake and Eating It, Too! -

    This article originally appeared in the Summer 2004 edition of Celiac.com's Journal of Gluten-Sensitivity.

    Celiac.com 10/13/2014 - Sugar—the very word brought the lively conversation at my dinner party to a screeching halt.  As my guests savored their cake, I could feel ten pairs of ears eavesdropping as I discussed this emotionally laden word with the woman seated next to me.

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A12):
    Photo: CC--timlewisnm“My friend made a chocolate cake,” she was saying, “and wanted to cut back on sugar in her diet, so she made a few adjustments to the recipe.  Instead of semisweet chocolate, she used unsweetened chocolate.  In place of the sugar, she used a few tablespoons of Splenda.”  But, my guest continued with a look of puzzlement on her face, “the cake didn’t taste like cake at all and it was hard and chewy and kind of rough-looking.  My friend had to throw it away.”

    In these days of low-sugar diets, many of us—like my guest’s friend—are tempted to skip the sugar in baking, or at least reduce it somewhat.  Much maligned and often relegated to the back of the pantry, most of us regard sugar as a source of calories and are unaware of its other roles.

    Now, before I go any further let’s set the record straight.  I think we eat far too much sugar.  I look for ways to reduce it in my diet whenever I can.  I avoid sugary soft drinks, only eat desserts on special occasions, and watch for hidden sugar in commercial foods.

    Nonetheless, after over 10 years of developing gluten-free recipes, I have a healthy respect for the role of sugar in baking.  It is particularly important for us gluten-free bakers, because we already have to alter the flavor of our foods by removing wheat flour.  If you thinking about omitting sugar in your baking, here’s what you should know:

    1. First, the obvious.  Sugar makes things taste sweet.  You can replace sugar with a substitute sweetener but the cake may taste different because we associate “sweetness” with the distinct flavor of sugar (even though you may think of sugar as “neutral” because it’s white).
    2. Sugar accentuates the flavor of food.  A chocolate cake tastes downright strange without sugar, but delicious with the right amount.  Try this experiment: Drink unsweetened tea and then add a little sugar to it and notice how much stronger the flavor is.
    3. Sugar tenderizes the crumb and makes it finer and moister.  In contrast, substitutes like Splenda tend to produce a crumb that is larger, tougher, and somewhat drier.
    4. Sugar encourages the browning process on the crust of baked goods.  It’s this browning that we often use as an indicator that a cake is “done,” and, it’s that tendency to brown that relates to its next benefit.
    5. Sugar produces a slightly crispy, shiny exterior on baked goods that makes them more attractive.  It’s the sucrose in sugar that does this and, since sucrose is missing in Splenda, it can’t promote the same level of browning.  

    Next time you’re tempted to reduce or omit the sugar in baked goods, follow these tips:

    1. Instead of using all Splenda, use half sugar and half Splenda.  You will lower the calorie content, but your cake will be more tender, brown more attractively, and have a finer crumb than if you use all Splenda.  A cake may bake a little faster, so check it about five minutes before the recommended cooking time.  It may also have a little less volume and not rise as high.
    2. Add a couple tablespoons of honey to the batter.  Honey is a natural humectant and encourages the cake to retain moisture so it won’t dry out as quickly.  Of course, honey has its own flavor which you may detect if you use a lot of it.
    3. Increase the amount of fat in the recipe by 25%, but be sure to use healthier fats.  Canola oil and (light) olive oil are good in baking and are good for you.  Of course, this will increase the fat content and calorie content (a tablespoon of these oils is roughly 100 calories), but your baked goods will taste better and look better because fat is a flavor carrier and also tenderizes the crumb.
    4. Use a topping to conceal the rough crust found in low-sugar baked goods.  For example, a streusel topping on muffins will partially conceal their rough tops.
    5. Rather than drastically reducing the amount of sugar at the beginning of your sugar-reduced diet, gradually cut back on the sugar a little more each time you bake.  Your palate will adjust and eventually you won’t want “ultra-sweet” foods as much.
    6. Try an alternative sweetener such as agave nectar.  Even though it has calories, it has a low glycemic level (the rate at which it raises your blood sugar levels).
    7. Finally, (and this is the tough one) just try eating less of those sugary baked foods to reduce your sugar intake.  Maybe half a muffin, or a smaller slice of cake, or only one small cookie instead of a large one.  Our portion sizes have crept up over the past couple of decades to the point where our muffins are anywhere from 3-5 times larger than a standard USDA serving.

    Oh, you’re probably wondering about that dessert my guests were eating.  It was a flourless chocolate cake from my book Gluten-Free 101 made with one-third sugar, one-third Splenda, and one-third agave nectar.  It was topped with whipped cream (sweetened with agave nectar) lightly dusted with Dutch cocoa, and garnished with a bright red strawberry and a few chocolate-covered espresso beans.  The slices were reasonably-sized—not the massive servings we often find in restaurants.  My guests were relieved to learn that this dessert was a sweet, yet sensible ending to the meal…and, they ate every last crumb!



    User Feedback

    Recommended Comments

    Guest Barbara

    Posted

    Love it! Everyone eats gluten free in my house and don't even notice ...most of the time that is!

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Guest Bon

    I wouldn't consume Splenda or Agave Nectar, or suggest that anyone else consume them either. Agave is NOT a healthy sweetener, it has more fructose in it then HFCS and may actually increase insulin resistance for both diabetics and non-diabetics.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites


    Create an account or sign in to comment

    You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

    Create an account

    Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

    Register a new account

    Sign in

    Already have an account? Sign in here.

    Sign In Now

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Help Celiac.com:
    Donate
  • About Me

    Carol Fenster, Ph.D.

    Carol Fenster, Ph.D. has published many award-winning gluten-free books which are widely available at bookstores, health food stores, and Amazon.com.  Her Web site is: www.SavoryPalate.com.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):





    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):




  • Related Articles

    Scott Adams
    ¾ teaspoon of xanthan gum per cup of flour & one teaspoon of methylcellulose per cup of flour. Clear Gel in place of methylcellulose has the advantage of being much cheaper and more readily available than methylcellulose.
    If flour is the only ingredient that contains gluten, then you can convert it to a gluten-free recipe. Just replace the flour with Bette Hagmans gluten-free flour mix:
    2 parts white rice flour
    2/3 part potato starch flour
    1/3 part tapioca flour and a teaspoon of xanthan gum
    Beware of spices which contain wheat flour! Many manufacturers use wheat flour to keep spices from clumping.


    Scott Adams
    Xanthan gum can be substituted for guar gum. Rice bran can be substituted for rice polish. Sweet rice is a rice that is low (10 to 18 percent) in the starch compound called amylose. White rice can NOT be substituted for sweet rice (it is not sticky enough ). Tapioca flour works roughly the as tapioca starch. gluten-free breads should be beaten by hand with a wooden spoon or spatula. A whisk doesnt work - the batter should be a bit too thick for this. The mix master over-beats them and they get too fine a texture and tend to fall. I believe this is what happens in bread machines. If you put 1 ½ tsp. of Cream of Tartar and 1 tsp. of baking soda in for two loaves, they do not interfere with the yeast but help the bread to rise and keep it up during baking. Limit ...


    Scott Adams
    This recipe comes to us from Lori Nies.
    (Dose: 1-2 tablespoons per day for adults)
    1 pound prunes
    1 pound raisins or pitted dates
    1 pound figs
    4 ounces Senna tea leaves (found at health food stores)
    1 cup gluten-free brown sugar
    1 cup lemon juice
    Boil 4 cups of water, add to the tea leaves and steep for five minutes. Strain the tea and pour two cups of the tea liquid into a large pot, discard the rest. Add the fruit (except lemon) to this pot and boil for five minutes.
    Remove from heat; add the sugar and lemon juice and mix. Allow the mixture to cool.
    Use mixer, blender or food processor to turn the fruit mixture into a smooth paste. Spoon it into jars or freezer containers and store in the freezer.
    Note: This fruit paste does not freeze...


    Chris Bekermeier
    Celiac.com 07/19/2013 - Those diagnosed with celiac disease or gluten intolerance need to give their kitchens a thorough inspection and take some precautions to ensure that they will not be exposed to gluten in their homes. Even if you are just cutting gluten out of your diet because of personal preference, reconsidering your food preparation environment is essential if you really want to keep gluten out of your food and avoid allergic reactions or celiac disease symptoms.
    Learning what goes into a gluten-free kitchen takes a bit of research. Since you might overlook certain precautions, consider the following list of ways to ensure your kitchen is gluten-free.
    Thorough cleanings – When you first decide to make your kitchen gluten-free, give your kitchen a good cleaning and s...


  • Recent Activity

    1. - Braver101 posted a topic in Coping with Celiac Disease
      0

      Constant sweating with celiac disease

    2. - Tlbaked13 replied to djmu's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      10

      Peripheral Neuropathy

    3. - trents replied to djmu's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      10

      Peripheral Neuropathy

    4. - Tlbaked13 replied to djmu's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      10

      Peripheral Neuropathy


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      120,483
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    Sweet Potato
    Newest Member
    Sweet Potato
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      120.2k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Popular Now

    • JustGemi
    • Linedancegal
    • Hannah24
      9
    • jessiemariecar
    • Rhonda H
  • Popular Articles

    • Scott Adams
    • Scott Adams
    • Scott Adams
    • Scott Adams
    • Scott Adams
  • Upcoming Events

×
×
  • Create New...