Swerve (erythritol, oligosaccharides, and natural flavors), claims zero net calories. Truvia (erythritol, cane sugar, and stevia leaf extract) notes it has “75% fewer calories per serving than sugar.” Could either or both of these sugar replacements be the answer to my lower-calorie baking dreams? I’ve also been excited by developing recipes that are a bit more Diabetes-friendly.(Truvia® natural sweetener has no effect on the glycemic index, but keep in mind that Truvia® Baking Blend is a blend of that plus some sugar.)I get lots of requests from readers who would like to convert my recipes for just that. I’m always looking for ways to help you guys get your bake on, so win-win, I think! Looking for a low sugar carrot cake recipe? Well, look no further. We've used the Truvia for Baking range, it measures spoon-for-spoon like sugar and has the same sugar like crunch. So you really can have your cake and eat it.

Be careful not to overbake as this can dry the edges of the cake out – as soon as it is well risen, and a skewer comes out clean take the cake out of the oven. Wölnerhanssen BK, Meyer-Gerspach AC, Beglinger C, Islam MS. Metabolic effects of the natural sweeteners xylitol and erythritol: A comprehensive review. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2020;60(12):1986-1998. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2019.1623757

Truvia Sweet Complete Granulated Monk Fruit Sweetener

While the recipe calls for this moist, tender cake to be baked in a Bundt pan, it’s equally good made into layers. Ultra-flavorful Lemon Bliss is a reader favorite, and our 2017 Recipe of the Year. Cake: Made with granulated sugar Ashwell M. Stevia, nature's zero-calorie sustainable sweetener: A new player in the fight against obesity Nutr Today. 2015;50(3):129-134. doi:10.1097/NT.0000000000000094

Mäkinen KK. Gastrointestinal disturbances associated with the consumption of sugar alcohols with special consideration of xylitol: Scientific review and instructions for dentists and other health-care professionals. Int J Dent. 2016;2016:5967907. doi:10.1155/2016/5967907 Flavor: Aside from the odd aftertaste, acceptable, though not quite sweet enough Cake: Made with Truvia Cane Sugar Blend

Where to Buy

Interested in baking with honey and other liquid alternatives? See this post: Baking with liquid sweeteners.

Flavor: Not quite sweet enough; odd “cool” mouthfeel, like mint without the mint flavor Brownies: Made with Truvia Cane Sugar Blend Old Orchard Brands becomes one of the first beverage companies to find success by using Truvia calorie-free sweetener as an alternative to sugar. Cargill press release. Flavor: Aggressively citrus-y thanks to its lemon “soaker” glaze; wonderfully tart with perfectly balanced sweetness Cake: Made with Swerve Flavor: Somewhat bitter, as though the sugar couldn’t quite overcome the flavor of the unsweetened cocoa Alternative-sugar brownies: ConclusionNever baked with sweetener before? Here’s a couple of baking tips to make the most delicious carrot cake: Low sugar carrot cake baking tips: Flavor: The scone itself is mildly buttery; its main flavor comes from apple and chips Scones: Made with Swerve As soon as the cake is cool, wrap well or pop it in an airtight container to avoid it drying out. If you don’t want to eat the cake, you can always freeze until you ready to eat. Just make sure you defrost thoroughly before icing. When making the frosting, be careful not to overbeat or the cream cheese may split and become runny. You can make the frosting whilst the cake is baking but just keep it chilled until ready to serve. The sugar replacements yielded cake with acceptable flavor, almost identical to the granulated sugar cake. But the Swerve and Truvia cakes’ texture — dense, hard, somewhat dry, unpleasantly rubbery — was a far cry from what we expect in a typical delicious cake.