Baking has always worked like a magic wand for the soul as well as the taste buds. One piece of the creamy, crumbly cake and voila, our day gets saved!
It’s always a joyful sight when there is a cake in the oven. As a child there would be no count of the pieces of cake we’d devour but as an adult the portions get smaller every year. Sadly, we can’t keep munching on cookies and cakes without worrying about the subsequent weight gain and the effect on our health. There has to be a silver lining for those of us who have sweet-tooths. And there is!
If you have a sweet spot for baked treats, you can always find alternatives and enjoy the same desserts with healthier options. Want to know how? Add these basic alternatives to your list and satisfy all your sweet cravings just like you did before!
Sugar? No Please!
Can’t do without sugar? Yes, you can! There are plenty of alternatives to the popularly used white sugar like honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar, unsweetened applesauce. Pick any and you are good to go. These are not only rich in minerals and vitamins but also help to manage your shifts in energy levels.
Greek yogurt to the rescue
Greek yogurt can be used as an alternative to sour cream, saving you from extra fat and adding proteins to your plate. It also brings along a light and fluffy texture to your dish while maintaining the moistness.
Let's go bananas!
Did you know that Bananas help to put you in a better mood? What could be better than mixing it with your favourite dessert. This will not only reduce the fat content but also increase the amount of Potassium, Folate, Vitamin C, and Vitamin A in your batter. Try using one cup of mashed bananas instead of a cup of oil or butter to manage the consistency. The results won’t disappoint you.
Whole wheat flour V/S all purpose
Replacing the all purpose flour completely won’t be such a good idea but the 50-50 ratio can do wonders. This will give you a slightly darker shade but the taste will be almost the same. The whole wheat flour has more fibre, higher protein content (almost 15%), more nutrients and a better flavour which makes it the perfect alternative to the self rising flour.
Make something berry special
Blue, red, purple or yellow, be it any colour you pick, there are always plenty of reasons to add berries to your dessert. Berries are loaded with antioxidants and also helps improve blood sugar. You can mix a cup of your favourite berries to your batter instead of choco chips, this will not only act as a sweetener but also give it a wonderful, fruity taste.
Now that you’ve seen the different alternatives you can experiment with, you can make interesting changes in your recipes and enjoy your favourite goodies without overthinking about the calorie intake afterward! While we’re leaving you with wonderful alternative options for your next baking experiment, here is one pro tip – Try working on the portion intakes i.e the mini versions.
Not convinced enough, try our eggless baking course and delve into the world of healthy baking!
