Spring is in the air here in Oz and the warm air and blossoming fruit trees in my garden have inspired me to create another diabetic-friendly treat – my Pear and Raspberry Loaf!
This recipe has become one of my favourites and between me, my husband and my kids (who mind you don’t have diabetes), it doesn’t last long, because everyone loves it!
The texture and flavour of this cake is hard to describe, other than to say it is literally like Spring on a plate. I call it my Spring Cake.
The lemon zest, fresh raspberries and coconut, give this cake an amazing burst of flavour!
And raspberries are such a great fruit if you have diabetes.
At only about 12g of carbs per 100g, raspberries are a really great way to enjoy fruit without the need to load up on lots of insulin. Raspberries, like most other berries, also have a low Glycemic Index, at only 26.
A Glycemic Index is the rating given to foods according to their carbohydrate and impact on Blood Glucose Levels (BGL). Low GI foods are rated at 55 or lower. High GI foods are rated at 70 or higher.
Foods with a low GI rating are more likely to keep your BGL stable, without making your bloods spike rapidly. This is great news for reducing highs and dangerous lows.
To find out more about GI visit the GI Foundation website.
To read more about the benefits of berries if you have diabetes, visit Very Well Health and Very Well Fit .
This cake also has a satisfyingly delicious buttery flavour, which is weird as I don’t use any butter in the recipe. Instead I like to add smooth ricotta to create a rich texture.
Something also possessed me to add a touch of semolina to the mix when I made this the first time.
I had a packet of it in my cupboard which I had bought hoping that my kids would eat it, but as legend would have it, that backfired and they didn’t eat it, so I was left with a packet of the stuff and nothing to make with it.
To my surprise though, the semolina added an amazing moistness and texture to the cake, along with the almond meal. I now swear by a touch of semolina in my cake mixes and use it in many of my recipes (so stay tuned).
But I didn’t stop there.
I also wanted to create a tangy lemony frosting, but this was a challenge as it’s really hard to re-create the texture of a traditional sugary glaze without sugar.
I experimented with a range of different sugar-free sweeteners, but none crystalise like sugar, so you don’t end up with a thick liquid that sets on its own.
I also tried Guar Gum, but this is tricky to use as it can get quite clumpy, so I scrapped that idea.
I then resorted to good-old corn flour (just two teaspoons is all that’s needed) which worked a treat.
So there you have it, a sweet, rich, buttery cake, with a diabetic-friendly glaze, without the fat and without the added sugar.
At under one portion per slice, or 9.7g of carbohydrate, this is truly a low-carb, no added sugar and low-fat cake you will keep making again and again.
If you’re in the mood for a taste of Spring, then give my Diabetic-friendly Pear and Raspberry Loaf a try!
To find out more about Stevia and other sweeteners, check out my post, Sweeteners Explained.
Email me or leave a message via the comment section of this blog and tell what you think of this recipe. I’d also love to hear about your food challenges living with diabetes.
Diabetic Friendly Pear Raspberry Loaf
Ingredients
- 160 g brown pear
- 200 g almond meal
- 35 g semolina
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut (plus small handful for the top)
- 1 tsp 100% Pure sugar free vanilla extract
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1/2 tsp 100% Pure Stevia extract powder
- 100 g smooth ricotta
- 2 eggs (large)
- 1/2 cup full cream milk
- 1 tbsp Linseed meal
- 130 g Fresh raspberries (1 punnet)
- 1 tbsp Grated lemon zest
For the sugar-free glaze: 40g lemon juice, 80g cold water, 2 tsp corn flour, 1/4 tsp 100% pure Stevia extract powder
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Rinse raspberries, lemon and pears in cold water to remove any dirt and set aside.
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Cut the pears into small pieces, removing the core and seeds. Place into a heat-proof container with a lid and microwave for approximately three minutes until soft. Remove from the microwave, remove lid and set aside to cool slightly. Once cooled, add the pear pieces to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth.
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Combine all the dry ingredients including almond meal, semolina, coconut, baking powder, bicarb of soda, stevia and linseed meal in a bowl and mix together well.
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Combine all the wet ingredients, including vanilla, ricotta, eggs, milk, lemon zest and pureed pears into a bowl and mix well (do not add the raspberries just yet).
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Combine the wet and dry ingredients together and mix well. Add the raspberries and mix gently to incorporate into the batter.
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Pour mixture into a small silicone loaf tin (approx. 22.5 L x 9cm W x 6.5cm D). Sprinkle top with a small handful of shredded coconut and bake in oven for about 1 hour.
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Remove cake from oven when cooked and set aside to cool, before removing it from the baking tin and setting onto a cake tray.
To make the sugar-free glaze: Pour the cold water, lemon juice, stevia and corn flour into a small pot and whisk well to combine and remove any lumps. Place onto stove and bring to the boil while whisking frequently. Once boiled, turn off the heat. Spoon the sugar-free glaze over the cake and allow to cool before serving.
Recipe Notes
