Cake is a traditional food served during a celebration as it is something that brings people closer together. Cakes, especially chocolate cakes, make celebrations a little sweeter. However, it’s essential to know that they are high in sugar and fat. These sugary treats should not be a regular addition to your diet. Eating foods with processed sugars and unhealthy fats, such as cakes, may lead to different diseases. So, how much sugar is in a slice of chocolate cake?
Calorie Counts
- Cake mix
- Mini cupcake liners
- Mini cupcake pan
- Ice cream scoop or 1-ounce disher
- Cooling racks
- Potholders
- Plastic wrap
Things You’ll Need
Here’s a simple breakdown of the calorie counts of cakes so you can keep your health goals on track. It will also show how much sugar is in a slice of chocolate cake. As you can see, different types of cakes have a different range of calorie counts. If possible, try to stick with those that are lower in calories and sugar.
- Calories – One serving of yellowcake contains 245 calories without frosting. If you top it with two tablespoons of chocolate frosting, then you’re adding another 163 calories. You can save a lot of calories by choosing an angel food cake, which contains only 72 calories per 1-ounce slice.
- Fat – The same slice of yellowcake also contains 9.9 grams of fat, including 2.7 grams of saturated fat. Adding chocolate frosting gives another 7.2 grams of fat and 2.3 grams of saturated fat. If you opt for a slice of plain angel food cake instead, it will drastically reduce the fat you consume to 0.2 grams, so this is one of the healthier options when it comes to cake.
- Sugar – So how much sugar is in a slice of chocolate cake? Just two tablespoons of frosting contain almost the entire day’s allowance for added sugar for women, that’s 23.7 of the 25-gram limit for sugar intake. The recommended limit for men, on the other hand, is 37.5 grams. If you eat a cake that goes with the frosting, then you already consumed an unhealthy amount of added sugar.
- Sodium – Healthy people should limit their sodium intake to no more than 2,300 milligrams per day. Excessive amounts of sodium can lead to high blood pressure and increase the risk of heart disease. A slice of yellow cake contains 233 milligrams of sodium while adding chocolate frosting adds another 75 milligrams, which totals to 308 milligrams, or 13 percent of the recommended limit. On the other hand, a slice of angel food cake is a better option, with just 210 milligrams of sodium.
Making Cakes Healthier
Learning how much sugar is in a slice of chocolate cake can help you be more conscious of your sugar intake—finding healthy substitutes or alternatives when baking can make your cake a little less unhealthy. You can use whole-wheat pastry flour or white whole-wheat flour to enhance the fiber and micronutrients of your cake. You can also add cinnamon or vanilla in order to decrease sugar usage. Purees can be a great way to lessen the amount of fat while adding more vitamins to your cake. Skip frosting and top it with a sprinkle of chopped nuts, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, or coconut instead.
Using Sugar Alternatives
If you have a sweet tooth and would really go for the sweet and decadent taste of a cake, then you can opt to use natural sugar alternatives, instead of the processed ones. Here are some options you can give a try:
- Agave Nectar or Agave Syrup
For every cup of sugar, try to use 2/3 cup of agave instead. You’ll also need to reduce the liquids in your recipe by four tablespoons and reduce oven temp by 25 percent. Agave nectar tends to be a bit sticky, so do use some parchment paper, and make sure to combine all the liquids before incorporating your dry ingredients. - Coconut sugar
Coconut sugar requires 1-for-1 substitution. It is a flavorful option for recipes requiring both white and brown sugar. - Honey
Honey is one of the best organic sweeteners. There’s something about locally sourced honey that produces such a rich flavor to any cake recipe. For every cup of white sugar, use ¾ cup of honey. It’s equally sweet, with a bit of an extra flavor. - Fruit Purees
Decrease the amount of liquid in your recipe by three tablespoons and use ¾ cup of fruit concentrate or puree for every cup of sugar. This alternative is better suited for recipes with fruity flavor. - Maple Syrup
Maple syrup is also an excellent natural sweetener, but since it’s liquid, you will have to reduce the amount of liquid in your recipe by three tablespoons. For every cup of white sugar, use ¾ cup of maple syrup. - Molasses
Molasses is a by-product of the production of refined sugar. You can use 1 1/3 cup of molasses for every 1 cup of sugar and lessen your liquids by five tablespoons.
Conclusion
Eating a mouth-watering chocolate cake can be such a heavenly experience. However, we cannot deny the fact that it’s not the healthiest food to consume. So knowing how much sugar is in a slice of chocolate cake is important in order to minimize possible health problems. There are a lot of alternatives you can consider to make every bite a bit healthier. So nothing is stopping you from taking that slice of yummy goodness. Find out more about cakes.