Does anyone bake using sweeteners instead of sugar?

[CheeryCherry]

Just wondering...I love baking and love eating buns/cakes etc but have been diagnosed diabetic and realise I must cut down on sugary foods. But can I still bake using other ingedients? And with what instead? Thanks.

I used to use something called Sionon(which you could only get abroad or online), but was weighed the same way as sugar and gave an equivalent result (although like all fake sugars it has.. um... explosive effects if you consume too much of it!).

However, it became quite difficult to get hold of and nowadays when I do low-carb baking I use PerfectSweet, which is pure Xylitol, a sugar alchohol in powdered form and available in most supermarkets, although it's expensive. Again watch out for laxative effects with overconsumption!

Splenda can be used as a sugar substitute but personally I find it has an aftertaste when baked (it's fine in non-baked dishes) - though many people don't find this. Also it's not weight for weight but is volume for volume, so you either have to use one of those old-fashioned Tala measures, American cup measures, or else do some complicated algorithm to convert it into grams/ounces!

Hth :)

Lovecat that is interesting. I spotted Canderell in the shops too - have you ever tried that? I would have to experiment with the amounts. Don't fancy the after effects of the other sweeteners!!! That would be a nightmare if all three kids had some too - can you imagine how much loo roll we would need?!!?

Never used Canderell, I didn't know you could bake with it (check the labelling carefully, quite often it says they're not suitable for baking with)

If you're making cupcakes or muffins and just having the one, you should be fine with the other sugar substitutes - I only ever experienced blow-out if I got greedy...

We bake cakes for diabetic relatives using half sugar, half Canderel & they come out fine. Instructions on the jar say that if the recipe asks for 100g sugar you use 10g Canderel.

I've tried baking with splenda and it's not been very successful at all, it has as unpleasant aftertaste and affects the rising and texures of doughs and batters. I swear by it as a sugar substitute in cold desserts.

Lovecat - ROFL at 'blow-out'!
Rafi - think I will try that, half and half. Will be a start anyway. Thanks all.

Well, made some scones today using Splenda, and they seem fine - no aftertaste, and not as sweet as my usual scones, but they were nicely plump and tall. Will try a cake at the weekend, that will make up my mind.

Have in the past made cakes with fructose which is much sweeter, so you use less and followed instructions on the pack.