Part 2: Sugar-free Strawberry Cake
I’m a big fan of naked cakes because
1. The cake to frosting ratio is better.
AND
2. I’m a terrible decorator!
Naked cakes are a great option for those of us who lack decorating ability beyond placing some fruit on top. It’s been my go-to for many occasions, and you know what? It always looks beautiful, and people are so impressed with my minimal effort!
This cake had to be a sugar-free cake because there are many diabetics in my family and I wanted them to enjoy dessert without panicking about their blood sugar levels.
I had most of the ingredients already on hand, but I had to go hunting for a few things.
Here is a list of the substitute ingredients that made this cake sugar-free and low carb.
1. Sugar alternative: Lakanto Monkfruit Sweetener with Erythritol.
Monkfruit sweetener was the sugar alternative most recommended by the internet. Other alternatives were said to have had a “bitter aftertaste.” Plus, this was readily available at my local grocery store.
This monkfruit sweetener has a glycemic index of 0, meaning it doesn’t raise blood sugar levels, and is generally safe for diabetics to consume.
2. Butter alternative: Coconut Oil
This recipe calls for melted coconut oil instead of butter. I used Amazon Fresh Coconut Oil because it was the cheapest one available to me.
3. Flour alternative: Almond flour or ground almonds
This one I already had! I use the Kirkland brand from Costco. I’ve found 1-pound bags of almond flour for $10 - $18, so it’s much cheaper to buy it in bulk from Costco.
I baked this cake in two 6-inch round cake tins and then stacked them and filled them with fresh strawberries and sugar-free cream cheese frosting. I topped it with fresh strawberries and blueberries for an extra pop of color.
It was delicious and I definitely recommend trying it out!
Sugar-Free Strawberry Cake with Sugar-free Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
For the cake
2 cups of almond flour
1 tsp of baking powder
½ cup of Lakanto Monkfruit Sweetener (or preferred sugar substitute)
4 eggs
2 Tbsp of melted coconut oil
1 tsp of vanilla
1 ½ cups of chopped strawberries
For the Sugar-Free Cream Cheese Frosting
8 oz of cream cheese, softened (1 package)
4 Tbsp of unsalted butter, softened
1 ½ cups of Lakanto Monkfruit Powdered Sweetener
1 tsp of vanilla
1-3 Tbsp of milk
Pinch of salt
1 cup of chopped strawberries (between the cake layers)
1 cup of fresh blueberries (for top of cake)
6-10 whole strawberries (for top of cake)
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 320 degrees F.
2. Combine almond flour and baking powder. Set aside.
3. In a larger bowl, mix monkfruit sugar and eggs.
4. Add vanilla and melted coconut oil.
5. Add dry ingredients until incorporated.
6. Fold in chopped strawberries.
7. Divide the batter into two 6-inch cake tins. I used parchment paper, but you could grease the tins as well.
8. Bake at 320 degrees F for about 30 minutes.
9. Let cool completely before frosting.
For the Sugar-free Cream Cheese Frosting
1. In a stand mixer, use a paddle attachment to whip the softened cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. About 5- 7 minutes.
2. Slowly add in the powdered monkfruit sugar.
3. Add vanilla and a pinch of salt.
4. If the frosting is too stiff, add milk, one tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached.
To decorate
1. Place a dollop of frosting on the cake board so that the bottom layer sticks.
2. Frost the bottom layer, creating a taller frosting border around the edges of the cake. This is where the chopped strawberries will sit.
3. Add chopped strawberries and fill in with frosting where needed.
4. Place second cake layer on top and evenly coat entire cake with frosting. Remember, this is a naked cake, so you should be able to see the cake layers.
5. For the cake top, leave half of the strawberries whole, slicing the other half. Alternate whole and halved strawberry around the top of the cake.
6. Finish with blueberries in the center and your preferred cake topper.
Happy baking!