Ema2002 When it comes to baking, most of us probably think of flour, sugar, or eggs or other ingredients, thanks to which often tasty, but unhealthy desserts are created. However, it also goes the other way. Try baking without sugar.
It is important to remember that sugar in cakes does not only play a role in sweetening. It affects the resulting structure, texture, taste, adds the desired elasticity and ensures a nice browning of the cake. Therefore, its replacement during baking can sometimes be difficult.
- Cane/Coconut sugar
- Stevia
- Agave syrup
- Honey
Cane sugar
If you want to bake a cake according to a proven recipe and are looking for a substitute for refined white sugar, you can reach for cane sugar. However, it is also refined, so it is not the healthiest solution. But it is already a step forward, cane sugar does not take the body as much as white sugar.
Just use it in the recipe in the same amount as white sugar would be used. The quality of the cake and its taste remain unchanged. However, I would personally prefer brown coconut sugar. Although it is a bit more expensive than cane, it is produced in a natural way, i.e. j. it is not filtered, refined and does not contain preservatives. In addition, it contains fiber, minerals and antioxidants. However, it can slightly alter the taste of the dessert, as it leaves a stronger caramel taste, especially in baked desserts. However, it works great as a sugar substitute in terms of the resulting texture of the dessert, giving it a beautiful brown color after baking just like white sugar.
When baking, use the same amount of coconut or cane sugar instead of white.
Stevia
Stevia is an herb that is 300 times sweeter than white refined sugar. It contains no calories or carbohydrates. But don’t be fooled by stevia. The fresh leaves are sweet when you chew them, but you won’t sweeten tea or dessert with them. If you want to use stevia in baking, I recommend buying its extracts. In Slovakia, you can buy many stevia products, such as syrups, granules, powder, lozenges… Powder or granules are best for baking.
You have to be careful with the dosage because, as I already mentioned, the sweetness of stevia is much higher than that of white sugar. Therefore, definitely use a smaller amount.
Stevia is not to everyone’s taste; its leaves have a slight aftertaste of licorice. Before you pour a cup of stevia powder into a cake, taste it, for example, in tea. Sweetening with stevia slightly changes the resulting structure and taste of the cake. However, to keep the structure of the cake similar to the sugar version, I recommend supplementing the recipe with another dry ingredient. You can use, for example, grated coconut or add some almond powder (especially for cakes or cookies).
Since stevia leaves a slightly bitter aftertaste in the mouth, it is recommended to add, for example, cinnamon or vanilla to the recipe to soften it. Stevia is especially suitable for puddings, unbaked desserts and hot or cold drinks.
Agave syrup
Agave syrup is a natural sweetener and is one of the most widely used substitutes for white sugar. It is obtained from a cactus that grows freely in Mexico. This cactus is cut and the liquid that comes out of it is made into a thick syrup. Agave syrup is sweeter than regular refined sugar and does not need to be chemically modified, so it is gentler on the body. However, it has a high fructose content, which can cause problems if consumed very often. However, it is still a better choice than white sugar. This syrup is ideal for baking.
Because of its strong sweetness, you don’t need a lot of it (a cup of sugar is enough to replace 1/2 cup of agave syrup), the resulting dessert will not affect the taste at all and will give it the desired moisture. You will especially appreciate it when baking without eggs.
However, you must be careful if you also use starch in baking. Too much syrup combined with starch can lead to a “rubbery” result. Agave syrup is an excellent substitute for white sugar in drinks. If you like smoothies or fruit juices that you like to sweeten, this syrup is a great choice.
Honey
We all know honey. It is a gift from nature, no chemistry. That is, if you have it directly from the beekeeper. The one you buy in the supermarket may not have much to do with honey. So, if you have decided to sweeten with honey, only reach for the highest quality products. Unlike sugar, in addition to fructose and glucose, which are responsible for its sweetness, honey also contains a proportion of vitamins and minerals. Therefore, it is a healthier alternative than sugar.
When baking, replace 1 cup of sugar with 1/2 – 2/3 cup of honey. Honey is suitable for cakes that require a “moist” result. Cakes sweetened with honey are not dry and crumbly, but the taste changes slightly. If you don’t like honey as such, you won’t like this cake either.
