Sugar and Fat in Cakes

[t2contra]

I have been baking with reduced sugar. I wonder is it the right thing to reduce the fat also since the total weight has already been reduced.

 

I appreciate all advice.

[Tri2Cook]

If you start reducing everything proportional to the sugar reduction, eventually you're just making a smaller version of the original. If you're ultimate goal is a lower calorie cake while still using sugar and butter (or whatever fat you're using), your best bet is to just eat smaller portions. If you just prefer your desserts less sweet, there's no reason to alter the fat with the sugar reduction.

[Lisa Shock]

What's your goal here?

Sugar amounts will affect the texture a bit, you'll have to run tests and see if you like the flavor and texture with reduced sugar.

If you're trying to make something lower calorie, you really are better off just eating less cake but make it really good and satisfying cake and keep the recipe the same.

If you are trying to make a cake more diabetic friendly, remember that the white flour is almost as bad as the sugar is on the glycemic index. And, the fat in the cake helps slow digestion, making it more diabetic friendly. Overall, cake is not a diabetic food, but, the fat is not the culprit here. (with modern medications, diabetics can make more choices and small slice of cake may be fine for certain individuals, when in doubt, ask the individual!)

[JoNorvelleWalker]

To make cakes less sweet I replace a portion of the sucrose with trehalose.  Same for ice cream.

[t2contra]

Never seen trehalose in supermarkets of ingredient stores. As Lisa Shock wrote, texture would be affected. I found that adding about 6 grams of cornstarch for every 100 gram reduction in sugar compensates for the benefit of the structure. From the standard cake recipes, I cut down by half; for jocondes or meringue, even more. I bake once a week and eat almost every day, so I am happy with the healthier taste.

 

I will stay to Tri2Cook's advice not to reduce the fat, which is not a problem since my only alteration is to swap the butter with a combination of butter and oil while maintaining the same amount of fat.

[Lisa Shock]

Using butter and oil instead of just butter is a smart move, you generally get moister cakes and longer shelf life with oil.

[andiesenji]

I have often reduced the amount of sugar in certain baked goods.  One does have to do some experiments to determine what works well.

I have been substituting some "alternate" flours in my baking - coconut flour,  milo flour (made from sorghum - use less sugar because it is sweet)

oat flour requires a tad more liquid but keeps baked goods moist when the sugar is reduced. 

There are numerous web sites, blogs and etc., with advice on how to use the alternative flours.  This is one.

 

 

I remember the war years (WWII) when there were many recipes for eggless, butterless cakes and many were made with alternative sweeteners, molasses, honey, etc.

[Thanks for the Crepes]

I reduce the sugar in cookie, cake, pie, cornbread, muffin, etc. recipes all the time, and don't alter anything else.

 

I haven't had an unacceptable or even undesirable result yet. (Fingers crossed) 

 

Most, as written, are just too sweet and cloying to my matured palate.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Never seen trehalose in supermarkets of ingredient stores. As Lisa Shock wrote, texture would be affected. I found that adding about 6 grams of cornstarch for every 100 gram reduction in sugar compensates for the benefit of the structure. From the standard cake recipes, I cut down by half; for jocondes or meringue, even more. I bake once a week and eat almost every day, so I am happy with the healthier taste.

 

I will stay to Tri2Cook's advice not to reduce the fat, which is not a problem since my only alteration is to swap the butter with a combination of butter and oil while maintaining the same amount of fat.

 

Substituting trehalose for a portion of the sucrose does not affect the texture of the cake.  I don't see where Lisa Shock said that it would, but I assure you it does not.  Crust browning may be slightly affected as trehalose is not a reducing sugar.  However I can't say I have seen a difference.

Edited January 2, 2015 by JoNorvelleWalker (log)

[CatPoet]

I know you can change fat for apple sauce, but I dont remember how, it been about 20 years since I did it last.

[andiesenji]

I know you can change fat for apple sauce, but I dont remember how, it been about 20 years since I did it last.

Equal measures when subbing applesauce for fat, oil or butter.  For each egg, 1/4 cup of applesauce for one or two eggs.  If your recipe calls for more than two, you need to add something like a few drops of liquid lecithin or the texture will be coarse and uneven.

Use unsweetened if possible.  If all you have is sweetened, reduce the sugar by 1/3.

[t2contra]

Using butter and oil instead of just butter is a smart move, you generally get moister cakes and longer shelf life with oil.

I use 55 grams of butter and 36 grams of canola oil in place of 100 grams of butter. The fat amount is still the same and the monounsaturated fat is slightly higher than the saturated fat. I prefer the less butter taste as I did not grow up eating lots of butter.

 

 

 

I have often reduced the amount of sugar in certain baked goods.  One does have to do some experiments to determine what works well.

I have been substituting some "alternate" flours in my baking - coconut flour,  milo flour (made from sorghum - use less sugar because it is sweet)

oat flour requires a tad more liquid but keeps baked goods moist when the sugar is reduced. 

There are numerous web sites, blogs and etc., with advice on how to use the alternative flours.  This is one.

 

 

I remember the war years (WWII) when there were many recipes for eggless, butterless cakes and many were made with alternative sweeteners, molasses, honey, etc.

My substitute for cake flour is 51 grams oat flour

                                                50 grams whole wheat flour

                                                17 grams cornstarch

                                                  7 grams gluten

 

and all-purpose flour is            51 grams oat flour

                                                 50 grams whole wheat flour

                                                 11 grams cornstarch

                                                 13 grams gluten

 

I have no problem with gluten.

 

 

I reduce the sugar in cookie, cake, pie, cornbread, muffin, etc. recipes all the time, and don't alter anything else.

 

I haven't had an unacceptable or even undesirable result yet. (Fingers crossed) 

 

Most, as written, are just too sweet and cloying to my matured palate.

Yes, the amount of sugar in normal recipes is ridiculous, especially in frosting. And my teeth and gum are not in the pink of health. The following is from a health site.

 

The average American consumes 19.5 teaspoons (78 grams) of sugar a day, substantially more than the amount recommended by the American Heart Association. The association sets these limits: 6 teaspoons (24 grams) for women, 9 teaspoons (36 grams) for men, and 3-6 teaspoons (12-24 grams) for children, depending on age. Just one 12-ounce soda contains 8 to 9 teaspoons (32-36 grams) of sugar.

 

 

 

Substituting trehalose for a portion of the sucrose does not affect the texture of the cake.  I don't see where Lisa Shock said that it would, but I assure you it does not.  Crust browning may be slightly affected as trehalose is not a reducing sugar.  However I can't say I have seen a difference.

The problem with artificial sugars is that some like Splenda do not help with diabetes control and prevention. They worsen. I don't know if trehalose is the same genre as Splenda, so I would rather cut down on the sugar and not have to pay a lot more. I find that my teeth problem helps me to accept substantially less sweet tasting food.

 

I know you can change fat for apple sauce, but I dont remember how, it been about 20 years since I did it last.

Fat is not a problem for me because I substitute healthy oil for some of the butter rather than compromising the cake structure further from the reduction in sugar. Also, lately the news is that fat is not the culprit that older research had made them out to be. Sugar is the bogey man.

Edited January 3, 2015 by t2contra (log)

[JoNorvelleWalker]

I use 55 grams of butter and 36 grams of canola oil in place of 100 grams of butter. The fat amount is still the same and the monounsaturated fat is slightly higher than the saturated fat. I prefer the less butter taste as I did not grow up eating lots of butter.

 

 

 

My substitute for cake flour is 51 grams oat flour

                                                50 grams whole wheat flour

                                                17 grams cornstarch

                                                  7 grams gluten

 

and all-purpose flour is            51 grams oat flour

                                                 50 grams whole wheat flour

                                                 11 grams cornstarch

                                                 13 grams gluten

 

I have no problem with gluten.

 

 

Yes, the amount of sugar in normal recipes is ridiculous, especially in frosting. And my teeth and gum are not in the pink of health. The following is from a health site.

 

 

 

The problem with artificial sugars is that some like Splenda do not help with diabetes control and prevention. They worsen. I don't know if trehalose is the same genre as Splenda, so I would rather cut down on the sugar and not have to pay a lot more. I find that my teeth problem helps me to accept substantially less sweet tasting food.

 

Fat is not a problem for me because I substitute healthy oil for some of the butter rather than compromising the cake structure further from the reduction in sugar. Also, lately the news is that fat is not the culprit that older research had made them out to be. Sugar is the bogey man.

 

Trehalose is not an artificial sugar, it is a quite natural sugar, being the main energy source of insects and fungi.  Humans have evolved the enzymes to process trehalose so it cannot be said that trehalose is foreign to the human diet.  I said nothing about diabetes or tooth problems.

 

Putting on my biochemist hat I said only that trehalose makes food less sweet while maintaining the proper structure of cake and ice cream.  I note however that trehalose is said to be tooth friendly and favored by some diabetics.  I can't speak to this.  If you have tooth problems or diabetes consult your dentist or your doctor.

[CatPoet]

If the butter is melted then you can change straight of for oil, butter 100 gram butter  = 100 ml oil.

[t2contra]

Trehalose is not an artificial sugar, it is a quite natural sugar, being the main energy source of insects and fungi.  Humans have evolved the enzymes to process trehalose so it cannot be said that trehalose is foreign to the human diet.

Good tip. It will definitely be in my mind if I go for alternative sugars. It's probably not cheap, considering it is not available on supermarket shelves and the container that I see of web images look like prescription type.

 

 

If the butter is melted then you can change straight of for oil, butter 100 gram butter  = 100 ml oil.

Genoise cakes spring to mind. Even better, chiffon cakes. But taste and texture need to be considered, whether they appeal to you.

[CatPoet]

Butter gives the softest moistest cakes,  oil and margarine  are about the same.

[Tri2Cook]

Also, lately the news is that fat is not the culprit that older research had made them out to be. Sugar is the bogey man.

Give it a little time, the bad guy changes on a somewhat regular basis. Though not as frequently as the media buzzword fear of the year: cholesterol, gluten, sodium, high fructose corn syrup and my most loathed of all... "ingredients I can actually pronounce" (as if literacy and ingredient safety are interconnected), for example.