Variation: Healthy Oven Sugar-Free White Cake
At the request of many bakers, I developed this Lower-in-Carb / Sugar Free Chocolate Cake Recipe. It was not easy to do! I not only had to develop a brand new recipe, but also mixing techniques to handle the sugar replacer, Splenda® Brand, in the recipe. Once traditional ingredients are substituted, mixing and baking techniques change so the cake will bake.
The cake will not brown on top as traditional ones do because of my using 100% Splenda® rather than sugar. Watch the baking time carefully as cakes made with this sugar substitute may bake more quickly than those made with sugar. If you use the Splenda/Sugar Blend product, you will find more browning because of the presence of sugar. Serve with the Sugar Free Whipped Pudding Topping Recipe.
CAKE RECIPE HELP / LOW / REDUCED-FAT RECIPE HELP
INGREDIENTS
1 1/4 cups bleached cake flour, not self-rising; spoon into measuring cup and level to top
1/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 cup 100% Splenda® sugar substitute or Splenda/Sugar blend
2 tablespoons instant nonfat dry milk powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup 2% milk
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract, optional
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature; cut into small evenly sized pieces
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Prepare the oven and pan: Position oven rack to the center of the oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease one, 8 x 2 – inch pan with melted butter, sprayed on vegetable oil, or line greased pan lined with greased parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, sift the cocoa powder together with the flour, after measuring. Then, add the Splenda®, milk powder, baking powder and salt, and combine. Set aside.
In a small mixing bowl, combine milk, egg and vanilla, and optionally the almond extract. Set aside.
3. Cut butter into the flour mixture until it resembles cornmeal: Toss fat in the flour mixture with a fork until fat pieces are well-covered in flour. Rub-in the butter and flour in between your fingertips and thumb. The mixture becomes light yellow in color as it becomes cut-in with butter.
4. Add milk mixture to the flour/butter mixture. While tossing the mixture with a fork, slowly add the milk mixture to the flour/butter mixture until it is well moistened. Then, add the rest of the milk at once. When the milk has been added, beat mixtures together with a hand held mixer on medium speed for 6 to 10 seconds. The mixture will look watery with tiny specs of butter throughout; DO NOT try and mix until homogenous because the batter will not become smooth. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.
5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Watch closely after 20 minutes. The cake will be firm on top when pressed lightly and will have small cracks. Cool cake in pan on a wire cake rack for 10 minutes. Unmold onto the rack, turn right side up and cool completely.
STORAGE
Cover with plastic wrap or store under a cake dome. Keeps for 2 to 3 days.
VARIATIONS:
Healthy Oven Sugar-Free White Cake
