Really Need Help! Sugar Free?

Decorating By KellyJo3 Updated 5 Jun 2011 , 9:03pm by Marci620

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KellyJo3 Posted 5 Jun 2011 , 5:14pm
post #1 of 10

Well this is a first and by all means I am not venting. I would love to do this request, but I need to know if it is even possible. I had a lady just inquire about a 30th birthday cake for her best friend. She wants an 8" cake with a high heel shoe placed on top. She also requested the 8" cake be covered in fondant and she really wants it to be "Bling Bling", basically just over the top.
That's all fine and dandy, but at the end she wanted to know if I could make it all sugar free because her friend just had bypass surgery. I explained to her that I was not familiar with making a cake sugar free, but that I would defintley look into it for her and I even went as far as letting her know that I would send her the recipes for her to approve if I was able to find them. I recommended her not use the fondant, as that is pretty much all sugar even if you use marshmellows. She did say it could have some sugar in it, just the least amount I could get away with. I was hoping someone might be familiar with a strawberry cake recipe and buttercream recipe that had very little sugar in it, yet it still tasted good. Also if anyone has advice on how to make a sugar free shoe as well.
She is fully understanding that this will be a first for me and that I may not be able to do it, but that I am looking into it for her. I don't want to say I can do soemthing if I am not sure I can. TIA!

9 replies
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pettmybunny Posted 5 Jun 2011 , 5:29pm
post #2 of 10

I sell cuppies at a local farmers market (and yes, Michigan has a cottage food law, and I have a DBA, etc (before people jump on the legalities))...

Anyways, I've had lots of people asking about sugar free lately, and I've been researching recipes online. I haven't made any yet, but if you do a search for sugar free cakes, or diabetic cake recipes and lots will pop up. I haven't really found a frosting yet, the ones I saw had something like a cool whip base, and that won't work for me at the market in the heat... HTH

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KellyJo3 Posted 5 Jun 2011 , 6:14pm
post #3 of 10

thank you very much!

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lorimarie Posted 5 Jun 2011 , 6:44pm
post #4 of 10

I wonder if you could make ganache with sugar free chocolate??? But be careful-eating more than just a little bit of the artificial sweeteners can give you an upset stomach.

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KellyJo3 Posted 5 Jun 2011 , 7:14pm
post #5 of 10

That's what I was thinking about the tummy ache. I just contacted her and let her know that it is too out of my element, as I don't want to waste her time when she can shop around for someone who knows what they're doing when it comes to this situation. Thanks for everyones help though!

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lorimarie Posted 5 Jun 2011 , 7:22pm
post #6 of 10

I was just clipping coupons and found pilsbury has sugar free cake mix and frosting in a can. I dont care for canned frosting but in this case maybe would try it.

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jason_kraft Posted 5 Jun 2011 , 7:53pm
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We investigated doing sugar-free cakes (our focus is on allergy-friendly baked goods) and spent a good month or so on R&D. We eventually came to the conclusion that at this point it's not possible to make a good sugar-free cake that will make someone want to buy another cake from you. Sugar alternatives like xylitol have some nasty GI side effects, and diabetics will still have issues from the other ingredients high on the glycemic index (i.e. flour, natural sugars from fruit-based sweeteners).

IMO the best solution for people who have trouble with sugar is to have a tiny slice of a regular cake that tastes good as opposed to a large slice of sugar-free cake that doesn't.

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KellyJo3 Posted 5 Jun 2011 , 8:46pm
post #8 of 10

thanks for the heads up lorimarie and jason_kraft that's what I figured. I even told her, um I'm not sure how good the cake will taste without any sugar and I didn't want to put out something that would not tase good. I wish I could've helped her though. I hate turning down customers : (

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sweettreat101 Posted 5 Jun 2011 , 8:58pm
post #9 of 10

If you insist on a scratch cake you can use Splenda in place of the sugar. I have a neighbor who is diabetic so I did some research and even called a dietician at my doctors office. She told me that diabetics can have cake that it's the frosting that they cannot handle. She told me to use a non dairy whipped frosting. You could use Pillsbury's sugar free cake mix and what I do for a filling is make a sugar free mousse out of two cups whipping cream and one box of instant sugar free vanilla pudding whip until peaks start to form. For the frosting I use Frostin Pride. I have also used the mousse recipe and folded in sugar free cool whip to make a sugar free frosting but you do have to refrigerate the cake. As for the shoe a gumpaste shoe would be fine because they are not going to eat it anyways.

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Marci620 Posted 5 Jun 2011 , 9:03pm
post #10 of 10

Speaking as somein who just had bypass 7 weeks ago, it isnt just he sugar, but the fat also. My birthday is aroun th corner and imho, let them all eat the pretty cake they want! I will stick to my meal plan an enjoy he company. Not really helpful with your question I know, sorry.

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