Making cakes with less sugar

Asked on 11 May 2018 by Quercus

What happens if I reduce the sugar in a cake recipe.
I am baking for some small children (2 x 2 + 1 x 5) but I find the sugar content far too sweet, could I reduce it by half and if so what will happen to the cake?
Many thanks

Lindsey, Food Editor replied

Hello,

Apart from the desired reduction of sweetness, reducing the amount sugar will also reduce the moisture and the stickiness, but how much sugar you can remove before it becomes particularly noticeable will vary from recipe to recipe.

If you have the time and inclination to try reducing sugar in cake recipes I would start with trying 20 - 25% less and see if you’re happy with the results.

An easier (and probably less wasteful / more satisfactory) option is to find recipes that have already been tried and tested for you.

Kind regards

Lindsey