Looking for a lower-carb way to have dessert using those beautiful, seasonal strawberries? My strawberry shortcake recipe has no added sugar and no refined grains! Mini angel food cakes have been topped with juicy strawberries and a swirl of real whipped cream. Using Swerve instead of table sugar cuts carbs but not flavor. Enjoy this lower-calorie version of this popular summertime treat!
I’ve said this before, but I’m not really a fan of “better for you” versions of baked goods. I’d rather just have the occasional treat (using sugar, white flour, etc.) and thoroughly enjoy versus trying to satisfy the craving with a lackluster substitution.
There are a lot of talented bakers online sharing their tips and tricks. If you want a beautiful holiday dessert, I’d follow their advice versus that of a dietitian. I’m more about the nutrient-rich everyday meal ideas (with the occasional slow food recipe thrown in for fun).
All of that said, I get that some people want desserts that “fit” better into their daily meal plan. Since I had Swerve leftover from my adventure in making Dalgona coffee, I thought I’d try making strawberry shortcake. I knew I wanted to have strawberry shortcake on Mother’s Day, so why not?
I decided to substitute whole grain spelt flour for white flour and the sugar substitute Swerve for white sugar in the cake. If the experiment was a flop, I had sugar and white flour on hand to make classic strawberry shortcakes.
To be honest, the angel food cakes were a bit denser using spelt versus white flour. However, the family consensus was that the difference did not negatively impact the deliciousness overall. Since these passed the family taste test, I’m sharing them here.
What you need to make strawberry shortcake with no added sugar
Strawberry shortcake typically has three components:
- Angel food cake (or biscuits or another type of cake)
- Strawberries
- Whipped cream
Angel food cake is a lower-calorie cake option since it is heavy on the egg whites and light on the flour. I used to use slabs of angel food cake for shortcake. Using mini bundt pans (“bundtlettes”) is a better way to control portion size, and you can fill the well with the strawberries.
I think that using the mini bundt pans makes for a nicer presentation too. Since angel food cake is so low in fat and relatively high in sugar, it sticks to pans very easily. You need to either butter/oil your pans well or get yourself some silicone mini bundt pans.
As mentioned in the cloud bread recipe, unpasteurized egg whites are the way to go when you want your egg whites to form peaks. Pasteurized egg whites (from a carton) do not whip up as well in my experience. Save your yolks for omelets or another recipe; please don’t throw them out!
I prefer the juicy, soft texture of frozen strawberries for this dessert. Fresh strawberries can be substituted if you would prefer.
Finally, everything gets topped with real whipped cream. I piped it on to be fancy, but feel free to spoon it on. It tastes great either way.
And now for the disclaimer…
All recipes on this website may or may not be appropriate for you, depending on your medical needs and personal preferences. Consult with a registered dietitian or your physician if you need help determining the dietary pattern that may be best for you.
The calorie information is an estimate provided as a courtesy. It will differ depending on the specific brands and ingredients that you use. Calorie information on food labels may be wildly inaccurate, so please don’t sweat the numbers too much.
For more information on how the three recipe levels may help with a weight management goal, refer to this post. Let’s get cooking!
Strawberry Shortcake with No Added Sugar
Ingredients
For the whipped cream:
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons Swerve (Confectioners is best here but use granular Swerve if that is what you have)
For the strawberries:
- 2½ cup frozen strawberries, partially thawed and sliced
- 1 tablespoon Swerve (I used granular Swerve)
For the angel food cake:
- 1 cup unpasteurized egg whites (from approximately 6 large eggs)
- 1 pinch salt
- ¾ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 10 tablespoons Swerve (granular; 10 tablespoons equals ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons)
- ½ cup spelt flour
- cooking oil spray of choice
Instructions
To make the whipped cream:
- With an electric hand mixer, whip the heavy whipping cream and Swerve until thick and thoroughly combined, 2-3 minutes. Refrigerate until serving time.
To make the strwberries:
- Heat the strawberries and Swerve in a small pan on the stovetop until the strawberries warm and release some juice and the Swerve is fully incorporated. Chill until serving time.
To make the angel food cakes:
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Mist four mini bundt pans very well with the cooking spray. (Using silicone mini bundt pans is a great move to help prevent sticking.)
- Put the egg whites in a medium-sized bowl. Beat them with an electric hand mixer until they become foamy. It will only take a few minutes.
- Add the salt, cream of tartar, and vanilla to the bowl and continue beating the egg whites until they form soft peaks.
- Gradually add the Swerve and spelt flour to the egg white mixture. Ensure they are thoroughly incorporated into the egg whites.
- Distribute the batter evenly between your four mini bundt pans.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes in your heated oven. When they are finished, a toothpick inserted into one of the cakes should come out clean.
- Allow your angel food cakes to come to room temperature before attempting to remove from the pans.
To assemble your strawberry shortcakes:
- Plate the angel food cakes. Fill each evenly with the strawberries and their juice (some will dribble over the sides; this is ok).
- Pipe or spoon the whipped cream on top. So yummy!
Notes
This is a level 3 recipe (weight maintenance and active lifestyles). Strawberry shortcake made with angel food cake is a pretty light option compared to other desserts involving cake. If the spelt flour here isn’t cutting it for you, using white flour won’t make a big difference calorie-wise. (You will lose out on a little bit of fiber though.) I used more of a low-fat approach during my weight loss journey. Substituting fat-free whipped topping for the whipped cream here will save you almost 100 calories per serving (and a lot of saturated fat). Though they helped me as a steppingstone, low-calorie whipped toppings definitely count as ultra-processed food. Whether products like that (or the Swerve in this recipe) are helpful to your health journey is ultimately up to you.
Nutrition
What type of cake (or biscuit) do you typically use in strawberry shortcake? By the way, if you’ve had enough of strawberries this week, don’t miss my next post! I’ve got a savory dish to share that you are not going to want to miss.
Brian Hardin says
Great post about a classic with some inventive and healthy twists! And you’re right about eating the real deal once in a while instead of going for the “good for you” alternative. Thanks for posting!
Summer Yule says
Yes! Sometimes I think it's ok to just enjoy dessert and not try to come up with a healthier version. This one worked out pretty well though 😀
Terrified Amateur says
Big-time kudos to you, Summer! Not just for recognizing strawberries' present and still-flowering excellence, but for making everything from scratch. In your typical smart and engaging way, you've shown us all not only how easy it is to eat well, but to make the experience memorable.
When I first spotted the angel food, I figured you might have pulled something from the supermarket shelf, and cut it to size. Nope. You're all about hacks and secrets, but this wasn't one of them. So worth the effort!
What impresses me most, though, is your making whipped cream. The stuff in the red can is alright, in a pinch, though it really doesn't come close to homemade, The unparalleled creaminess and the contentment it brings!
One small trick I use is to put the mixing bowl and the whisks in the freezer for half an hour before whipping, until they're thoroughly frosted. Consequently, the cream is quicker to take shape and to hold it. Also, using iced utensils really does preserve, perhaps, a touch more of the milky essence.
Summer Yule says
Ooooh, great tip regarding the whipped cream! I'll have to try that next time. All of our birthdays here are during the summer months so I have quite a few excuses to make more whipped cream.
I remember I had an instructor who had a stainless steel dispenser just for homemade whipped cream. I guess you can get them at restaurant supply stores. It's a bit easier than fussing with piping it as I did.
Terrified Amateur says
Easier, yes, but for people like you and me, Summer, who only partake occasionally, is it really worth the expense? Sure, it'd be nifty to have one of those gadgets, but the piping bag also does the job, and thus, it stays.
Now, an instructor, making a living demonstrating culinary techniques, probably makes whipped cream a hundred times as frequently as we mortals do. In that case, not using the device would be an obnoxious waste of time.
Or, it's just possible the instructor was obsessed. "You know what would go well with this turkey sandwich? Whipped cream."
Summer Yule says
Haha, hopefully they were refraining from turkey and whipped cream sandwiches! I think dietitians (in general) just have a wider array of kitchen gadgets than is typical. I've met quite a few who have convection ovens as well. We can use our career choice as an excuse but only a portion of us work in food service or as instructors. I'm running out of room for more in my small-ish kitchen, so I do need to restrain myself a bit.
Oddly enough, your message suddenly reappeared on my website! I was on the phone with Bluehost the other day and the IT person remarked how much behind-the-scenes work goes into running a self-hosted website. Indeed! Hahahaha
Brian Hardin says
The freezer tip comes in quite handy and guarantees perfect whipped cream!
Terrified Amateur says
Honestly, Brian, the first time at it, I was skeptical. When everything checked out, though, it surprised the...heck out of me.
Even a blind squirrel, an acorn and such, I suppose!
Summer Yule says
I'm definitely planning on trying it!