over 37 million people There are three major types of diabetes in the United States type of diabetes: Type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes (GDM). For all three types, the main problem is high blood sugar levels. However, there are some key differences.
In people with type 1 diabetes, the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas stop working, so insulin must be injected or pumped into the body to survive. Insulin is a hormone that helps our bodies obtain energy from glucose, or “sugar.”Glucose comes from the foods we eat, mainly carbohydrate food. We need the energy in glucose to function in our daily life.
In people with type 2 diabetes, there is a problem with insulin resistance, which means the body cannot use insulin properly. Women with gestational diabetes also develop insulin resistance, but this is only first detected during pregnancy and usually goes away after the baby is born.
In addition to the millions of people with diabetes, 96 million people have diabetes prediabetes, a precursor condition of type 2 diabetes. This means that more than 40% of people in the United States have some form of diabetes!
Having diabetes can be exhausting for many reasons. An important one is that you have to think about everything you eat every day…even on your birthday. Diabetics want to enjoy their birthdays like everyone else, and that means eating delicious birthday cakes!Because managing diet is manage diabetesdiabetics can greatly benefit from birthday cake substitutes.
Tips for Choosing a Delicious Sugar-Free Birthday Cake
There are many birthday cake alternatives for people with diabetes that are delicious without raising blood sugar.
So how do you know if birthday cake substitutes aren’t causing blood sugar spikes? This can be hard to predict, but it basically boils down to a few key factors:
#1: Find recipes that include nutritional information.
How do you know how many carbs and sugars are in your birthday cake substitute if you don’t have the nutrition facts?
#2: Know your portion sizes.
The recipe will sometimes give you the exact serving size (for example, 1 cupcake), but in some cases it will only give you the serving size or the number of servings the recipe makes (for example, 24 cupcakes). Remember, the Nutrition Facts information is based on serving size, not yield.
#3: Check that recipes meet your carb goals.
Carbohydrate goals can vary from person to person. However, in most cases, diabetes-friendly desserts should contain less than 30 grams of carbohydrates per serving.
#4: Make sure the recipe contains almost no added sugar.
The most harmful types of carbohydrates are added sugars because they raise blood sugar levels but provide no nutritional benefit. So it’s best to add as much sugar as possible to your birthday cake substitute.
#5: Make sure you are covered.
If you are taking insulin and using Insulin to Carbohydrate Ratio, you can match mealtime insulin with the amount of carbohydrates in the birthday cake substitute to prevent a post-meal blood sugar spike. If you are unsure about this, please discuss it with your healthcare provider.
Our Best Birthday Cake Alternatives for Diabetics
Sugar Free Sugar Free Birthday Cake
- Confetti Birthday Cake – Nothing screams birthday like a confetti cake. The great thing about this cake is that it has no added sugar because it’s made with zero-calorie Splenda® granulated sweetener.
- chocolate cake – A traditional chocolate cake never disappoints. This recipe uses zero-calorie Splenda stevia sweetener and stevia sweetened chocolate chips, so it’s completely sugar-free.
- white cake – Like the chocolate cake above, this traditional white cake is made with Splenda Stevia Sweetener, so no added sugar.
- Lemonade Raspberry Yogurt Cake – If you’re looking for a less traditional birthday cake with no added sugar, try this Raspberry Yogurt Cake with Splenda Granulated Sweetener. The exciting lemon glaze is a great flavor combination!
- red velvet cake – After trying these decadent red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, your birthday party guests will be surprised to learn that they contain no added sugar—they’re made with Splenda granulated sweetener.
Sugar Reduction Birthday Cake
- Classic Yellow Cake – You can’t go wrong with a classic yellow cake, and this one is half sugar because it’s made with Splenda Sugar Blend.
- Classic Carrot Cake – For all you carrot cake lovers out there, this recipe will make the birthday cake of your dreams but with half the sugar because it’s made with Splenda Sugar Blend.
- old fashioned fridge cake – This freezer cake is a great way to cool off on a hot summer birthday. It’s made with Splenda Brown Sugar Blend, so it has half the sugar!
- chocolate cake – This rich chocolate Bundt cake made with Splenda Brown Sugar Blend will be a great breakfast or brunch birthday celebration.
- Chocolate Cupcakes – Who doesn’t love a delicious chocolate cake, especially one with half the sugar? Just like the Chocolate Bundt Cakes, these are made with Splenda Brown Sugar Blend.
Keto Birthday Cake
- Keto Vanilla Cupcakes -Think of these as classic yellow cupcakes, but keto friendly! They’re made with zero-calorie Splenda Monk Fruit Sweetener, so they contain only 3 grams of net carbs.
- Tomato Cherry Cupcakes – These Keto Cherry Cupcakes not only look cute, but they taste delicious too! Fresh cherries and Splenda Monk Fruit Sweetener give them sweetness, but they contain only 5 grams of net carbs.
- Keto Chocolate Cake – Like the cupcakes above, these Keto Chocolate Cupcakes are made with Splenda Monk Fruit Sweetener and contain only 4 grams of net carbs.
non-cake options
- No Bake Berry Cheesecake Bars – If you’re looking for an easy birthday dessert, try these no-bake cheesecakes made with Splenda granulated sweetener.
- Super Fudge Brownies – Chocolate lovers must try these fudge brownies made with zero-calorie Splenda Magic Baker™ sweetener.
- Triple Chocolate Meringue Pie – Combine your nutrition and birthday dessert with this delicious protein pie – it’s made with smooth Splenda Milk Chocolate Diabetes Care Shakes.
- Peanut Butter Swirl Cream and Chocolate Drizzle – The base of this “delicious ice cream” is frozen bananas, which are lower in fat and more nutritious than regular ice cream.
Sugar Substitutes for Diabetic-Friendly Birthday Cakes
If using your own birthday cake recipe, you can use the following substitutes in place of sugar. Not only do these sugar substitutes broaden birthday cake options for diabetics, they can also be used in a variety of birthday party recipes such as appetizers and sweetened beverages.
- Sucralose In Splenda Original Sweeteners – it tastes and sweetens like sugar. Sucralose is a useful tool for people with diabetes because it has no effect on blood sugar. The ratio of Splenda granulated sweetener to sugar is 1:1.
- stevia is a 100% natural zero-calorie sweetener made from the leaves of the Stevia plant. Just like sucralose, it has no effect on blood sugar. Splenda Stevia Sweetener Jar Blend has a 2:1 ratio of sugar.
- Monk fruit Similar to stevia, but made from monk fruit. It’s 100% natural, contains zero calories, and doesn’t raise blood sugar. The ratio of Splenda Monk Fruit Sweetener to sugar is 1:1.
- Zero Calorie Baking Mix Like Splenda Magic Baker™ Sweetener, contains erythritol, psicose, and stevia, making it an ideal sugar substitute that bakes and tastes like sugar in a 1:1 ratio to sugar: 1.
- Zero Calorie Liquid Sweetener Liquid sweeteners like Splenda, including sucralose, stevia, and mangosteen, are ideal for sweetening the perfect birthday cake frosting!
As you can see, birthday cake alternatives for diabetics are endless. Let everyone know that diabetics can eat cake!
Written by Holly Moran, MS, RDN, LD, CDCES and Splenda medical team members.
