Can you help re: baking for a diabetic?

[Bogeyface]

I am making cakes for a special occasion and one of the guests is diabetic. I am not sure what type, but he injects insulin and says he can eat some sweet things as long as he plans for it. I suspect type 1 but cant be sure.

But the cakes are surprise so he wont be able to plan for it, so I found a really nice sounding sugar free chocolate cake recipe. The thing is, I was looking at the ingredients and then at the sugar subsitute shelf in Tesco and I am confused!

Are all sugar substitutes the same? Are they all suitable for diabetics (some say on the pack they are, others dont despite having the same ingredients), the nutritional info confused me even more! The own label ones are half the price of the branded ones but are they ok to use?, then there are the natural ones (truvia?) but I cant tell whether you can cook with those.... its a minefield!

He is a lovely man and I know he misses treats like this because people dont make any for him, so help please!

Do you know that he uses sugar substitutes? As a diabetic on insulin I prefer to take extra insulin and have normal cake! Just make something without icing if you want to keep sugar content down. Something with an optional sauce or jam would give more flexibility.

Would that be ok? I got the impression that he upped his insulin in anticipation of sugar rather than retrospectively as he had problems before.

I'm T1, I would prefer a cake made with normal sugar.

If you wanted to be really helpful, you could keep a list of what ingredients go into each cake and work out the total carbs for him? An app like eg myfitnesspal will let you do it, or you can work it out yourself by using the food tables on the packets.

I normally just peel icing off, too (or eat it and live with the consequences :o )

If he's taking bolus injections (short acting insulin to deal with the carbs in food) he should be able to cope, most short acting insulins are injected 20 mins before food or immediately after eating the food.

I make this Nigella's clementine cake for my Mum who is diabetic. I use half of the quantity of sugar, and it is still gorgeous.

Oh blimey, I dont know what to do for the best now!

He is a friend but not a good enough friend that I know the details of what he takes and how he manages his diabetes.

I think I may have to say "dont tell the others but.." so he can tell me which he would prefer and be prepared in advance if he chooses the sugary version.

Thanks for the advice, I think I will tell him. He is very discreet, I know he wont tell anyone else :)

just wanted to acknowledge how considerate you are, Bogeyface.
If others took this much effort to try and help others and cater for differing needs, this world would be a nicer place.