This week I decided to make something sweet as I had some gorgeous Granny Smith Apples that I bought from my friendly Veggies on Wheels supplier, so I made a Spicy Apple Cake which more than satisfied my sweet tooth!
However, I was interested in reading up about which would be the healthier sugar substitute, and concluded that it really is better to use them sparingly as they all are either high in fructose or are chemical extracts.
Here are the pros and cons of sugar substitutes according to the web page Runtastic.com, and I quote:
- Birch sugar doesn’t cause your blood sugar to rise much, but it does have 240 cal per 100 g.
- Honey has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. However, it is loaded with calories: it has 310 calories per 100 g. (Of course honey is not Vegan)
- Stevia has no calories, but the sweetener is added to food as a chemical extract (E 960).
- Agave nectar contains a lot of vitamins and minerals. If you eat too much of it for a longer period, though, it can elevate your blood fat level.
- Coconut sugar contains magnesium, iron, and zinc – on the other hand, it is high in fructose. It is also rather expensive and considered a luxury good.
- Maple syrup is a natural alternative and contains many antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. But it is 60 to 70% less sweet than sugar, which means you need more sugar to achieve the same sweetness.
I decided to use Xylitol because it is not hard to find in our stores, and does not leave a bitter aftertaste as some of the other sweeteners do.
Spiced Apple Cake
- 1 cup Self-Raising Stone-ground Cake Wheat Flour
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/2 cup Xylitol or other sugar substitute
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 4 Tbsp Grape Seed Oil
- 2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 3/4 cup unsweetened Almond Milk
- 1 Vanilla Pod, seeds scraped out
- 2-3 Granny Smith Apples, sliced
- Extra 1/2 cup Xylitol mixed with 1/2 tsp Cinnamon to sprinkle on base of pan
Method
Sift dry ingredients together.
Beat liquids plus Vanilla seeds together, slowly add dry ingredients and mix till smooth.
Line and spray a spring form cake pan, sprinkle xylitol & cinnamon on base.
Arrange apple slices on base.
Spoon cake batter over top.
Bake at 170C fan oven for about 30-40 min, till a skewer comes out clean.
Leave to cool slightly before inverting onto a wire cake rack.
Serve lukewarm as a teatime treat or a dessert.
Nice and spicy and sweet but also chock-a-block full of Apples.
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