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Converting to healthier ingredients with little compromise on the taste!

Chocolate Eclair Snack Cake is one of those recipes that does beautifully with some of these tweaks!

Lately I have been delving into the world of refined sugar free bakes

I’ve decided that Monk Fruit Sugar is the best alternative for me, but I have looked at several of the most popular alternatives in a recent video experiment.

Check out my article, recipe and video for How to Replace Sugar in Baking and decide which one is best for you!

All three components of this Chocolate Eclair Snack Cake are reduced oil and sugar free!

My famous bakery style yellow cake just went on a diet and no one would ever know because it is still soft and spongy and fluffy and delicious!

Creamy Custard made with monk fruit is an easy transformation!

Even the ganache icing is a sugar free recipe!

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For those who prefer the original recipes without the sugar substitute

Simply use granulated sugar in place of the amounts listed below for the substitutes
And replace the applesauce with melted vegan butter or more oil

My original vegan ganache recipe can also be used easily for the icing!

Notes for Success & Substitutions:

If you did not read or watch my in depth article / video for the sugar free conversions
The takeaway is that the recipe works great with all sugar substitutes *some with a few tweaks!
However I will only replace half the oil with the applesauce in the cake recipe since for me that is the maximum threshold for maintaining the soft, fluffy texture of the cake.

As you see here I am using zero calorie sweeteners rather than refined sugar free sweeteners
So you must understand that Zero Calorie is very different from refined sugar free
Whilst both types of sugar alternatives will work in these recipes it is a good thing to know how they act differently

Additionally I have gone back to using half sugar substitute and half granulated sugar for the best texture and taste
Although you can certainly use whatever ratio you like the most

Watch the full YouTube tutorial for how to Substitute Sugar in Baking for more in depth information

Vanilla custard recipe can adapt to any sugar substitute you prefer including liquid sugars like agave or maple syrup. *see video linked below for more!

Chocolate glaze is essentially ganache icing that is made with unsweetened chocolate with an addition of Stevia 1:1 blend for baking
While I do not prefer Stevia, as a matter of fact I can’t stand it! I did give it a try here with good results
Use any sugar substitute you like best added to the soy milk in the ganache recipe

I have made this recipe with gluten free flour and monk fruit sugar including the applesauce oil reduction with okay results.

Soy milk is my preference for plant milk in all my baking as it is the only plant milk that will thicken like buttermilk but you can use whatever plant milk you prefer

WATCH THE VIDEO TUTORIAL FOR HOW TO MAKE THIS CAKE

Chocolate Eclair Snack Cake

Converting to healthier ingredients with little compromise on the taste! This is one of those recipes that does beautifully with some of these tweaks!

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Prep Time 2

Cook Time 18

Total Time 2 18

Servings

Ingredients

For the Yellow Cake

¾ cup Plant Milk (177ml)
1 teaspoon White Vinegar
¼ cup Vegetable oil (60ml)
¼ cup Unsweetened Applesauce (62g)
⅓ cup Monk Fruit Sugar (70g) *see notes
⅓ cup Granulated Sugar (66g)
¼ teaspoon Salt
1½ teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1½ cups All Purpose Flour (187g)
1 teaspoon Baking Soda (4g)

For the Custard

2¼ cups Plant Milk (533ml)
10 Tbs Monk Fruit Sugar (140g)
5 Tbs Cornstarch *see notes (40g)

For the Chocolate Icing

4 ounces Unsweetened Chocolate (113g)
8 Tbs Stevia or Monk Fruit Sugar
10 ounces Plant Milk 10 fl oz (295ml)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F & prepare an 8" x 8" cake pan with pan spray & parchment paper so that there is excess parchment hanging over the sides for easy removal of the entire finished cake later.
Combine the vinegar with the plant milk then add the vanilla extract & reserve
Combine the flour, baking soda, salt & sugar of your choice in a large mixing bowl & whisk or sift together
Add the thickened plant milk, applesauce & oil & whisk to develop the batter~ about 30 strokes.
Pour into your prepared pan & bake for about 18 minutes or until done. If you gently press the center it will spring back, or do the toothpick test for moist crumbs.
Cool the cake in the pan, then prepare the custard by combining the sugar with the cornstarch in a medium sauce pot then add the plant milk
Bring to a boil over medium high heat whisking constantly
Let it bubble for about 5 seconds then remove from the heat & add the vanilla extract
Pour the hot custard over the cake in the pan then refrigerate to set
Next combine the unsweetened chocolate, sugar substitute & plant milk in a medium sauce pot over medium heat whisking constantly to dissolve the sugar & melt the chocoalte. It will come together to a silky homogeneous ganache
Spread this chocolate icing over the cold & fully set custard in the cake pan & refrigerate until everything is firmly set

Video

Notes

If you did not read or watch my in depth article / video for the sugar free conversions
The takeaway is that the recipe works great with all sugar substitutes *some with a few tweaks! However I will only replace half the oil with the applesauce in the cake recipe since for me that is the maximum threshold for maintaining the soft, fluffy texture of the cake.

Additionally I have gone back to using half sugar substitute and half granulated sugar for the best texture and taste Although you can certainly use whatever ratio you like the most