Diabetes Recipes: Chocolate Berry Cake

As far as diabetes recipes for desserts go, this one couldn’t be simpler. In just ten steps you’ll have a decadent chocolate cake topped with strawberries. And best of all? It’s completely diabetes-friendly.

If you have diabetes, you know the rules: limit your intake of carbohydrates and sugars, and keep an eye on your glucose. What makes this chocolate berry cake such a great dessert is that it’s low-glycemic and still brimming with flavor.

The reason? This dessert is loaded with fresh strawberries, a natural complement to the light but decadent chocolate cake. That makes it a particularly tasty treat during the summer when strawberries are in peak season, and a simple year-round dessert to make any night of the week.

With only 141 calories and less than 20 carbs per serving, this low-glycemic chocolate berry cake will satisfy your sweet tooth without making you scramble for your blood glucose meter. As always, remember to discuss any changes to your diet with your healthcare professional.

• 1 egg
• 1 egg white
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ cup fat free milk
• ¼ cup boiling water
• 6 tbsp light margarine
• 2 lbs fresh strawberries
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup oat bran
• ½ cup self-rising flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 4 tbsp cocoa

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
2. Wash and quarter half of the strawberries and place them in a saucepan on low heat. Add brown sugar, water and vanilla extract and simmer gently while making the cake batter.
3. Cream margarine and sugar.
4. Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt into a separate bowl. Add the oat bran and lift up a few times with a spoon to incorporate air.
5. Add the egg and egg white to the margarine mixture individually, alternating with one or two spoonfulls of dry ingredients. Use an electric mixer to blend well.
6. Fold remaining dry ingredients, strawberry mixture and milk into batter.
7. Lightly grease a 3 x 8 in. loaf pan using non-stick cooking spray and spoon in the batter.
8. Place in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until done.
9. When ready to serve, decorate with remaining fresh strawberries.

Disclaimer: This content is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice. Any dietary changes should be discussed with a physician or a dietician.  

Need more recipes? Check out our Hearty Oatmeal Recipe!

1. Recipe and picture taken from the low GI, low fat recipe book by registered dietitians Gabi Steenkamp and Liesbet Delport, Eating for Sustained Energy 3 (Tafelberg).