Any such things as a healthy cake?

[NorkyButNice]

DH has just been diagnosed with high cholesterol, high blood sugar and high BP, as well as being slightly overweight (about a stone).

Baking is a fun part of our weekend family life and I'm wondering if there's anything I can make that he'll still be able to eat (and not just a tiny slice of!).

Any recipes would be gratefully received!

molly cake. It tastes a little like bread pudding, but without the bread, but my kids love it and I dont mind them having an extra slice

Why not try baking lovely home made bread instead?

Or, scones aren't too bad if you don't add much sugar, banana bread is ok if you add very ripe bananas you don't need to add much/any sugar, and you could use olive oil instead of butter or marg.

carrot cake. use veg oil instead of butter, very little sugar, and carrots.

delia does a plum and oat bar thing which doesn't have much sugar in it, just relies on tasty mix of fruity plums and lightly sweetened oaty mix. It's a sort of sandwich thing. sorry that's not very clear but I'm sure it's on her website.

Dan Lepard did a cake called the 'alchemist's cake' for the Guardian's Saturday edition a few weeks ago - here.

It's not absolutely fabulous or anything, and would undoubtedly be improved by lashings of proper buttery chocolatey icing, but Mr Inferior (who also has high cholesterol) claimed he liked it. And it has virtually no fat at all.

I have always told myself that carrot cake is incredibly healthy. It is isn't it?!

Er no, Gordon, that would be a no. Especially once you've done the cream cheese icing.

What about things like banana bread/cake or fruit loaf? I do those in the breadmaker (which doesnt fit with your idea of family baking) but they have very little sugar or fat.

Unless you cover them with butter and honey of course.

Oh bugger.

my granny gave me a cake book recipe thing with a whole section on heathy cakes. can't remember who it's by. (too much wine o'clock celebrating) will just check.

ok it's mary berry's ultimate cake book and pp282 - 297 are healthy cakes and biscuits incl lemon yoghurt cake which i just found. I cd give you isbn number?

Thanks everyone for the ideas - I'll try and find the Mary Berry book on Amazon so thanks for the recommendation!

DH is already miserable at the healthy food I've been making him eat the last few days so a nice cake will hopefully cheer him up

ISBN for Mary Berry is: 0-563-48751-8
Marmalade cake is fab

There are some cake and muffin recipes in Rick Gallup's GI diet recipe books. Good for keeping blood sugar down.