This Low Syn Squidgy Chocolate Cake is perfect for when you fancy something chocolatly but don't want to use too many syns.
I first came across this recipe for Squidgy Chocolate Brownie Cake while browsing on a Delia Smith recipe for Chocolate Cake which uses NO flour. So with my creativeness, I wondered if this could work for a Slimming World recipe if I substitute the sugar with a sweetener. When I first made this I use splenda, but now I prefer to use Sukrin, which is a natural sweetener with no aftertaste.
I have tried many different types of sweetener in the past trying to find one that is natural and tastes natural and I think this is it. I usually just use some syns on honey or maple syrup, but it’s nice to know I can now use this and reduce the syns even further.
Instead of sukrin you can use any sweetener of choice, but if you don't want that after taste normal sweetener give, I recommend the sukrin.
Sukrin can be ordered on Amazon or from the Sukrin website: Sukrin
Click here if you live in the UK: Sukrin UK
Click here if you live in the USA: Sukrin USA
NOTE: For those in the USA and Canada there is now also a similar sweetener called Swerve that comes in a white granulated sweetener and an icing sugar, that are natural and like Sukrin, have no after taste. Unfortunately they don't carry a brown sugar version, but the white granulated is on par with Sukrin.
The final result of this squidgy chocolate brownie cake is actually rather nice considering it doesn't use many syns. It like a very light brownie, kind of crunchy on the exterior but soft and moist inside.
Since I first posted this recipe a few years back now it has been shared like crazy and I have seen many variations of it. I use to add quark as the topping, but recently discovered cottage cheese when blended, has a much nicer taste (all you cottage cheese haters, trust me, it really is nice).
A little side note though - don't make this Squidgy Chocolate Brownie Cake if you are expecting it to taste exactly like a high synned piece of chocolate cake, because it doesn't - but it is a good substitute when you fancy something chocolately.
The cake on it's own, can be a little bitter from the pure cocoa powder, so I do recommend one of the toppings. It just takes it to a whole other level and is really nice for not many syns.
I like to bake this in a 8 inch square cake pan, as it is about the right size for the mixture. But you can make it in a round cake tin or any cake tin if you prefer. I have tried it as mini single cakes, I am guessing the timing will have to be adjusted if you was to do that.
If you are doing an SP day you will be pleased to know, this is perfect for an SP day, as well as being gluten free and vegetarian friendly.
So why not have a go of this Squidgy Chocolate Cake next time you crave something sweet and chocolatey? Only thing to decide is which topping to choose.
Can't decide between the chocolate or vanilla frosting? Then do half and half just like I did.
Low Syn Squidgy Chocolate Brownie Cake
This recipe is gluten free, vegetarian, Slimming World and Weight Watchers friendlyExtra Easy - 2.5 syns per servingGreen/Vegetarian - 2 syns per serving Original/SP - 2.5 syns per servingWW Smart Points - 4
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs, whites separated from the yolks
- ½ cup/8 tbs of sukrin (or another sweetener of choice) - 4 syns
- 5 tbs (25g) of cocoa powder (be sure to use 100% pure cocoa powder and not drinking chocolate etc) - 5 syns
- 3 tbs of almond of cashew milk - 0.5 syns
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence
- spray oil
- Choose from the following frostings below:
- Vanilla Frosting
- 1 cup (240ml) of fat free cottage cheese
- 1 tsp of vanilla extract
- 2 tbs of sukrin: 1 (or other sweetener of choice) - 1 syn
- 1 tbs of chocolate sprinkles - 2.5 syns
- Chocolate Frosting
- 1 cup (240ml) of fat free cottage cheese
- 1 tsp of vanilla extract
- 2 tbs of sukrin: 1 (or other sweetener of choice) - 1 syn
- 2 tsp of Sweet Freedom Choc Shot - 1 syn
- 1 tbs of chocolate sprinkles - 2.5 syns
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180c or 350f
- Line a cake tin with parchment paper and then grease with spray oil just to prevent the cake form sticking (I use a 8 inch square cake tin)
- Whisk the egg whites to the soft peak stage. (you should be able to tip bowl upside down with the mixture staying in place)
- Add the vanilla and sukrin:1 and whisk until mixture appears velvety.
- Place the egg yolks in another mixing bowl.
- Add the cocoa powder and cashew (or almond milk) into the egg yolk mixture and mix until a smooth chocolatey paste.
- Carefully fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture with a metal spoon, the mixture should be an even milky chocolate colour.
- Pour the mixture into the cake tin
- Bake the cake for approx 35 minutes until springy and a skewer entered in the centre comes out clean.
- Remove it from the oven but leave it in the cake tin to cool.
- For the topping, add the ingredients for your choice of topping to a blender and blend till smooth.
- Spread over the top of the cake, sprinkle with the sprinkles and then slice.
- Enjoy
Notes
Syn value of cocoa powder can vary from brand to brand. The three brands I use are 100% cocoa powder (not Dutch Processed) and are 1 tbs for 20 calories (1 syn).
You should always double check the syn values of items which are synned, as brands can differ.
Nutritional information is an estimate and is to be used for informational purposes only. Ingredients can vary greatly from brand to brand and therefore it would be impossible to give accurate information.
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Nutrition Information
Yield 6 Serving Size 1 servingAmount Per Serving Calories 125Total Fat 6.5gSaturated Fat 2.6gCholesterol 187mgSodium 221mgCarbohydrates 32gFiber 1.8gSugar 3.3gProtein 11.6g
Ally says
Hi - made the squidge last night - it rocks!!!! My daughter and I are both following extra easy and it was such a treat to have a huge piece of choccie cake - am hooked on this site - best thing since sliced bread - nimble of course!!!!!
Jo says
Can you use normal powder sweetner rather than splenda and how much would 1/2 cup be in tablespoons?
admin says
half a cup is about 120ml, 1 level tablespoon is about 15ml 🙂
Jan says
My son made this last night. It came out a bit bitter, not sure if he used enough sweetener. Lovely & chocolatey though. I reckon if he'd upped the sweetener it would have been perfect. My daughter (not doing SW) spread hers with chocolate spread and said it was gorgeous (well it would be wouldn't it!) I'm going to make it again some day & serve it with chopped strawberries & squirty cream. also going to make trifle with it, with summer fruits, sugar free jelly & squirty cream. mmmmmm. Thanks for a great recipe!
sara says
Hi, like Jan I found this a little bitter. Im not ken on high cocoa content chocolate either :O(
Def looked like a cake and smelt delicious, my hubby loved it (he wouldnt wait 4 it to cool).
Can you suggest any way to tone down the bitterness.
I was thinking of adding fudge options for an added 2 syns, and maybe vanilla essence??
Just found the site and am ever so happy! My family wont know whats hit them at mealtimes this week x
admin says
you could try adding more sweetener, or try serving it with some fresh fruit and light squirty cream (which is what I do) and it is lovely.
Carmen says
Ohhhhhh yum! Thanks for this!
Bekki says
Just made it this morning, absolutely gorgeous & very moreish! Can't wait to take it into class next time we have a taster session. I used a 3/4 cup of sweetener though to take away any bitterness - does this alter the syn value at all?
Abbie says
Hi,
Halved the recipe and made 7 big cupcake sized cakes.
Worked out at just over 1/2 a syn each, brill! x
Abbie says
and served with sliced banana and light squirty cream- delish for a SW cake!
Amanda Beck says
So am I right in thinking it is 14 sins for the whole cake plus extra for the toppings?
Amanda Beck says
So am I right in thinking it is 14 syns for the whole cake plus extra for toppings?
Anonymous says
13 syns for entire cake (without toppings), but 3.5 syns per serving when splitting the cake into 4 portions. You have to even out syns, because you can only have syns in multiples of 0.5, so for instance 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2 and so on.
Anonymous says
13 syns for entire cake (without toppings), but 3.5 syns per serving when splitting the cake into 4 portions. You have to even out syns, because you can only have syns in multiples of 0.5, so for instance 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2 and so on.
Anonymous says
Sounds yummy and cake is gluten free...yay!!!.....
Anonymous says
Sounds yummy AND the cake is gluten free...yay!!!...
Susan Edgar says
Do you think you could make cupcakes instead of one big cake ??
Anonymous says
yes I am sure you can, let me know how they turn out
Susan basset says
I have got to try that... I havent missed chocolate as yet in 6 weeks but when I saw this recipe its got to be made thanks!
Anonymous says
I tried this
did I over beat cos when it came out it had collapsed in on itself!
Jill Wray says
I have been making this cake by Delia fo rover 20 years now and its truly fab
Claire Davies says
ETA - Double post, sorry.
Claire Davies says
I made this today and it was far too bitter. It is definitely not a stand-alone type of cake, it needs a topping but it would still have been too bitter even if I'd have topped it with something. The texture was also very springy and sponge-like, which is to be expected from a cake that has no flour and uses so many eggs. I have no problem with the texture, but it's not as dense as normal cake in case that's what people are expecting.
I will be making this again, but doubling the amount of sweetener used.
I cut my cake into squares and I did manage to discover it absorbs liquid very well, due to a split chocolate fudge brownie Options incident... I drizzled a teaspoon of agave nectar over a square and it was all absorbed, which got rid of the bitterness.
Anonymous says
I thought the texture was fine but I could taste the artificial sweetener even though I put less in. I didn't have any vanilla essence so do you think that would make a difference to the flavour? Any advice on sweetners which aren't rank would be good!
lesleycf says
i made this for the first time and it really is a squidgy chocolate cake, i used the bournville cocoa and splenda but i will b looking for a different sweetener, might check out the sweet n low website see what they have, i took it to a slimming world taster and it went down a treat, i tried the syn free topping as well, not bad but i think i'd prefer the other one, and maybe next time substitue the sugar for caster sugar and adjust the syns, because it is just that much sweeter, tesco golden caster sugar is 1 syn per 5g according to the sw website, i added the nutritional info and that's what it told me.
lesleycf says
sweet n low isn't as terrible as other sweeteners
Marcie Appleton says
i tried this recipe but i did half of everything but the one thing i forgot to halve was the cocoa powder! it was extremely chocolatey! i thought it was okay but it needed a little something but i just can't figure it out! maybe it needs some flour or something? it might just be that i didn't have any vanilla escence!
Any- recipeisworthatry says
This sounds good,I'm going o try & use pckt of highlights instead of coco then quark or fromaige Fraser for the topping. Thanks for recipe x
Caroline says
Can you use Sukrin Gold instead?
Shevy (Slimming Eats) says
I am not sure sukrin gold would work in this recipe, because of the colour, you could certainly try.
Linda Lawrence says
Is there a brand of cocoa which is particularly low in syns? I have read the recipe as 5 tablespoons and it would appear that each tablespoon is 2.5 syns from all the brands that I have looked more at and therefore the syn value would be higher than stated?
Shevy (Slimming Eats) says
I use cuisine camino fair trade cocoa powder which is 20 calories per 1 tbs (1 syn). Pick a cocoa powder that is just 100% pure cocoa powder, no other ingredients etc and syn value should be similar.
I just had a quick look on mysupermarket.co.uk for you and this one is the same syn value as 5g of cocoa powder is 1 tbs 🙂 http://www.mysupermarket.co.uk/sainsburys-price-comparison/Cocoa_And_Instant_Drinks/Sainsburys_Cocoa_250g.html?TrackingCode=112.9JWTuV2fC0qknHZ7bPPqpQ
Rebecca Louise Dickenson says
Can you use normal milk? I don't have any almond milk
Shevy (Slimming Eats) says
Yes you can ,you will just need to adjust syns