Can I mention cakes and shape in the same sentence? Yes, I can.
Cakes are bliss. I haven’t met anyone who doesn’t love cakes.
Mealtimes, birthdays and parties are not the same without them. And a bite is never enough.
Due to the richness and nature of the ingredients in cakes, they are avoided by people on diets and weight loss regimes.
But do you know you can eat cakes and still not worry about your shape?
The taste, texture and flavor can be like the cakes you’ve always known and love. But you have nothing to lose except those calories.
You might be skeptical about the cakes out there so I guess it’s time to have fun making your cakes exactly how you like it.
Choose a recipe, grab the ingredients I am about to show you and bake your way to weight loss. If you wish to decorate your cake to suit your mood or the occasion, then go ahead and get your cake decorating nozzles ready too.
How to reduce the calories your cake can contain:
The main ingredients of cake are flour, butter or margarine, sugar, eggs, baking powder/soda and flavor. The calories in cakes are largely from the flour, butter, sugar and maybe eggs.
Other sources of high calories in cakes are additives like chocolates, frostings, sprinkles, toppings, syrups, icings and other things like that.
The sure way to reducing the calories in your cake is by replacing the high calorie ingredients with low-calorie alternatives.
You can make a low-carb cake by partially substituting some quantities of these ingredients with a ‘healthier’ alternative.
You can try these alternatives:
- Flour: It binds all the ingredients used in baking together. Flour does that by forming protein chains called gluten when heated in water.
The carbohydrate content of baking flours also known as carbs contributes to the high calorie of cake servings.
You can reduce it by replacing wheat flour, corn flour, rice flour or other grain-based flour with nut- and seed-based flour.
Examples are almond flour, coconut flour, hazelnut flour, flaxseed flour.
Be sure to use flours, not meals, in order to get the desired cake texture.
- Butter: The function of butter in the baking process is shortening. This means that butter shortens the gluten chains formed by the flour. This makes the cake less chewy and more tender.
It adds buoyancy and flavor too, especially the salted type. So, what other product could perform most of these functions without adding much calorie to the cake?
These alternatives can quite fit in. You can substitute some quantities of butter with Greek yoghurt, olive oil, avocado, nut butter, applesauce, coconut oil and black beans.
You can go all in and remove butter from the picture. The characteristic flavor of the substitute might be felt in the end-product though.
- Sugar: Apart from adding sweetness, it helps in the texture and leavening. It also helps the cake to last longer before it goes bad.
However, sugar is among the biggest concern when you are keen on losing those unwanted pounds.
Even though there are numerous sweeteners approved by food regulation authorities, it’s better to stick to the natural sugar-free sweeteners.
- Frostings: There are a lot of frosting varieties to choose from that contain no sugar, butter, egg or even milk.
From avocado to coconut butter and cashew nut frostings, you have a lot to choose from.
Having considered those alternatives to the main cake ingredients, you can also try out other low-sugar and sugar-free sprinkles and syrups. Chocolates can be replaced in chocolate cakes with cocoa powder.
How to eat cake and lose weight
How would you feel if you find out that a bite on a piece cake is helping you lose weight?
Weight gain and consumption of fatty foods expose you to bloating. This is when air is trapped in the stomach for a long time.
Bloating makes the stomach appear swollen and out of shape.
Some foods contain a lot of vitamins and minerals that help to reduce bloating. Some have high fibre content that gives the feeling of fullness for a long time.
This will help in weight loss by reducing the frequency and quantity of meals.
Some of these foods that help in weight loss can be used to bake cakes. You can eat these cakes, reduce those waist numbers and see the numbers on the scale go down.
Using these substitutes in baking cakes would reduce the calories, increase the nutritional value and help to reduce bloating:
Almond, which can be converted to flour and used in baking, is rich in monosaturated fats and fibre.
Pumpkins, which can be pureed and used as butter substitute, is a great source of potassium and fibre. Potassium helps to counter the effects of sodium salts which cause fluid retention in the body.
Berries, which can be added in the cake batter or for decorating the cake, are full of fibre and antioxidants
Olive oil, which a butter substitute in baking cakes creates a feeling of fullness and helps you stay longer before another meal.
Beans, which can be used in place of butter in baking cakes, contains minerals, fibre and proteins to help build lean muscles.
Avocado, which is also a butter substitute, contains healthy fat, gives a feeling of fullness and protects the heart
Banana, which can be added to the cake batter or frostings, is rich in potassium and magnesium and helps get rid of bloats
Citrus fruits, which add distinctive flavour to cakes, are rich in potassium and reduce belly fat storage
Chickpea flour, which a good flour substitute in baking cakes contains a lot of antioxidants and reduces bloating
Greek yoghurt, which is a butter substitute in baking, helps in fighting bloating and growth of healthy gut bacteria.
Peanut butter contains amino acids that reduce fluid retention.
Eating cakes can now make you lose weight.
Incorporating low calorie cakes into your diet will help take care of your sweet tooth and other sugar cravings.
No need to feel guilty anymore; you are doing yourself a whole lot of good.
Blog by: Ominyi Chinazor
