Just as we were getting our “shelter-in-place/quarantine orders,” columns on delicious cakes and frostings I had already written and emailed to my editor and friend yielded a flow of readers’ responses. As “staying at home” became a reality, I suppose readers felt they could enjoy themselves more if they had some scrumptious desserts on hand. None of us knew that our “time-out” would be extended quite so long. As a result, many of my relatives and friend put on the proverbial “few pounds.” So many folks are watching their weight these days. Believe it or not, with two recipes shared with me by Pat Cook years ago, you can “indulge without developing or increasing a bulge.” Try these fantastic recipes I promise that they are truly flavorful, yet they are low in fat content. If you have time and an appetite for something enjoyable, please try one or all three of these recipes.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. “Grease” a 13×9-inch pan with salted or unsalted butter. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the egg substitute and granulated sugar together. In a separate bowl, mix the flour and baking soda together and beat into the egg mixture. Add the pineapple, juice and all, and continue to mix until blended. Stir in the vanilla and the nuts (again, optional). Pour and scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 40 minutes.
While the cake is baking, make the frosting. In a medium bowl, stir the cream cheese with a wire whisk, not with a mixer (fat-free cream cheese gets thin if beaten with an electric mixer). Gradually whip in the confectioners’ sugar, and then stir in the vanilla. Cool the cake about 10 minutes and frost. If the frosting is thin, add a little more confectioners’ sugar. You may choose to sprinkle additional finely chopped nuts on top.
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Coat a 12-cup bundt pan with salted or unsalted butter and sprinkle it with flour, shaking the flour around to coat the pan. Tap the excess flour into a trash can. In a large mixing bowl, beat the cake mix and the next five ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer for four minutes. Spoon the batter into the pan.
Bake the cake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan; cool completely on a wire rack. For a festive holiday look and flavor, serve the cake with raspberry sauce and garnish, if desired. This recipe yields approximately 16 slices.
Process both ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour the mixture through a wire-mesh strainer, discarding the seeds. Refrigerate for at least one hour. This recipe yields 3 cups of very nutritious, delicious sauce.
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