Sugar-Free Red Velvet Cake Squares Recipe by The Diabetic Pastry Chef

Today, Red Velvet cake, cupcakes, and cookies seem everywhere. But do you ever wonder where the recipe comes from?
My research found that a popular cookbook, The Joy of Cooking, debuted a red velvet cake in 1943. Irma S Rombauer, the cookbook author, shared the recipe but admitted in the text that she doesn’t care for the cake!
However, many researchers argue that red velvet cake predates the cookbook. They believe red velvet cakes were first served during the Victorian Era. Cocoa was used to help break down the coarse flour. As a result, the flour was softer, and the cake was described as velvety. Some argue that the chemical reaction between the cocoa and acid gives the cake its red color. The velvety texture and scarlet coloring led to the creation of Red Velvet Cakes. But the traditional recipe was changed due to WWII food rations. Bakers scrambled for alternative ingredients to use in their recipes. As a result, some bakers chose to use beet juice in their cakes. Beets work as a filler that keeps the cake moist.
I’d also like to add my two cents about the origins of Red Velvet Cake. My research points to Red Velvet Cake having African American origins.  The enslaved people believed that the red color represented Christ’s blood and that the cocoa powder would bring them good luck.
Below, our friend, Stacey Harris, known as The Diabetic Pastry Chef, shares her sugar-free version of a Red Velvet Cake. One of Stacey’s surefire secrets to successfully substituting artificial sweeteners in your recipes is using more than one kind. Using two types of artificial sugar substitutes tends to eliminate any bitter aftertaste.

Sugar-Free Red Velvet Cake Squares Recipe by The Diabetic Pastry Chef

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup white whole-wheat flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

2 Tbsp. cocoa powder

2 cups sugar-substitute of your choice

3/4 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 tsps. red food coloring

1 tsp vinegar

1/2 cup hot coffee

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour

Directions 

Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl; set aside.

In the bowl with an electric mixer, combine sugar-substitute and vegetable oil. Add in the rest of the wet ingredients and mix well.

Add dry ingredients in thirds to wet ingredients, mixing just until combined.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add batter to greased and floured 9×13″ pan. Bake for about 30 to 40 minutes, or until the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan and the center springs back when touched.

After cooling, sprinkle top with sugar-free confectioners sugar such as Swerve Confectioners. Serve cake cut into squares topped with whipped cream or whipped topping.

Red velvet cakes on wooden board

Although red velvet cake is generally linked with Valentine’s Day, it is also served at Juneteenth parties. For Juneteenth celebrations, the color red represents the struggle and bloodshed of the enslaved as well as the ultimate resilience of the people.

Clarence Waldron talks about his stroke, recovery, working as Senior Editor and Writer of Jet Magazine, and his memories of Luther Vandross and Aretha Franklin.

Twenty years ago, Clarence interviewed Luther’s mother, Mrs. Mary Ida Vandross, for Jet Magazine after Luther suffered a stroke due to mismanaged type 2 diabetes. Clarence’s story is an excellent reminder of why it’s essential to ACT F.A.S.T. if you or a loved one is experiencing a stroke. The acronym FAST (Facial drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulties, and Time) has been used by the National Stroke AssociationAmerican Heart Association, and others to educate the public on detecting stroke symptoms.

Earlier treatment results in a greater chance of recovery, a reduced likelihood of permanent disability, and a lesser need for extensive rehabilitation. You’ll quickly hear Clarence’s upbeat attitude and ferocious appetite for music and divas have served him well during his recovery.

Throughout this podcast, we feature music from Aretha Franklin’s Get It Right album and Luther Vandross’s Live At Radio City Music Hall 2003 20th Anniversary Edition album courtesy of SONY Music.

 

A Christmas Peril Mystery Podcast

The Holidays are full of surprises— especially after Mr. Divabetic gets a new job as the pastry chef at the St. Nicholas Nursing Home nestled in a cozy Christmas Village. But adjusting to life in a Christmas Village is not all sugarplums and candy canes. Especially when a cantankerous resident, a real-life Ebenezer Scrooge,  named Mr. Pincher almost dies——shortly after eating one of Max’s peanut butter swirl brownies.

Despite all of the ingredients for danger, Mr. Divabetic, our team of amateur sleuths, and his overly protective mother set out to find the real culprit in the hopes that his name isn’t on a lethal naughty list.

Kevin Houdeshell’s tragic true-life story inspired our mystery podcast.

36-year-old Kevin Houdeshell ran out of insulin over the New Year’s holiday in January 2014. He ended up with dangerously high blood sugars that spiraled into diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), leading to him dying alone in his apartment.

“He was young, fit, healthy. The pharmacy told him his script had expired and we’re sorry, but we can’t give you anymore. He tried three times to call his doctor’s office and, four days later, he passed away from not having his insulin,” Amy Houdeshell told USA Today.

Thanks to the Houdeshell family for their advocacy efforts on behalf of the Emergency Insulin Act of 2019 and the emergency prescription refill legislation. Known as Kevin’s or Howdy’s Law, it allows pharmacists to dispense an emergency supply of chronic maintenance medication if the doctor cannot be reached – a common-sense act that could save a life.

Starring Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek, USA Best Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Mama Rose Marie, Patricia Addie Gentle, Terri Seidman, MaryAnn Nicolay, Trisha Artman, Catherine Schuller, Chef Robert Lewis, Seveda Williams, and Wendy Radford.

Special thanks to the Houdeshell family, and Pharmacist Mandy Reece PharmD, CDE, BC-ADM, BCACP.. Original music by Ivan Hampden Jr., Celine Dion’s vocals courtesy of SONY Music. Produced by Leisa Chester Weir.

In the spirit of Scrooge’s awakening at the end of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, we encourage you to honor Christmas in your heart by living in the Past, The Present, and the Future. Try to embrace the Spirits of all Three and the lessons they teach.

Sugar-Free Pumpkin Roll Recipe by The Diabetic Pastry Chef

Divabetic’s special guest, The Diabetic Pastry Chef at the upcoming Sugar-Free Baking Party knows ways to transform decadent desserts so they’re no longer off-limits. By using blended flours and a combination of sugar and sugar substitutes, reducing milk carbohydrates, and eliminating trans fats, Stacey Harris can convert almost any recipe into a lower-carb alternative without compromising taste or quality.

Sugar-Free Pumpkin Roll Recipe by The Diabetic Pastry Chef

Ingredients

1 cup sugar substitute of your choice

3/4 cup white whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

2/3 cup canned pure pumpkin puree

3 large eggs

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Swerve Confectioners

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Add all ingredients except walnuts and Swerve Confectioners to the mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until well combined. 

Line an 11×15″ jelly roll pan with parchment paper or wax paper. Grease the paper and add the batter spreading evenly. Sprinkle with the chopped walnuts. Bake for approximately 15 minutes.

Invert the cake onto a thin linen dish towel sprinkled heavily with Swerve Confectioners (about 1/4 cup). Remove parchment paper or wax paper and gently roll the cake. Let cool for a minimum of 2 hours. 

Unroll the cake and evenly spread with filling. Reroll cake. Freeze for 1 hour before serving. Thaw, sprinkle top with Swerve Confectioners to cover, and slice. Enjoy!

Filling Ingredients

1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

1 cup Swerve Confectioners

2 Tbsp. butter softened

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions

Mix ingredients together with an electric mixer until smooth.

Note: The Diabetic Pastry Chef’s choice of sugar substitute for this recipe is Erythritol.

Looking for a fun way to socialize without putting your diabetes wellness at risk? Are you interested in baking tips and recipes?

Back by popular demand! The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic, hosts this free, fun Virtual Baking Party with our special guest, Stacey Harris,The Diabetic Pastry Chef, on Thursday, September 28, 7-8 PM, EST.

REGISTER NOW

 Sugar-Free Banana Pudding Recipe by The Diabetic Pastry Chef 

This past Wednesday night, we presented another diva-style diabetes wellness program with our friend, Stacey Harris, who is known as The Diabetic Pastry Chef.

I love the way Stacey experiments and encourages others to experiment with different flours and sugar substitutes in recipes. For example, Stacey will substitute one cup of sugar for a half cup of Splenda and a half cup of Whey Low D or replace white flour with a mixture of almond, soy, or bean flour in her recipes. Her approach corresponds to leading experts’ belief that a ‘one size fits all’ diet doesn’t exist for people living with diabetes. They recommend that we should develop our own personal nutrition plans for diabetes wellness.  Read MORE.

Sugar-Free Banana Pudding Recipe by The Diabetic Pastry Chef 

Ingredients 

1 pkg. Sugar-free Vanilla Wafers

1- 1-oz. box Sugar-free Instant Vanilla Pudding

2 cups Whole Milk, Almond milk, or a combination of the two

1-2 ripe Bananas

1 cup of Sugar-free Whipped Cream or Sugar-free Whipped Topping

Directions

Prepare pudding per package directions using the 2 cups milk, almond milk, or a combination of the two; set aside. Line a small casserole dish, parfait dish, or trifle bowl with a layer of vanilla wafers. Top with a layer of prepared vanilla pudding. Add a layer of sliced bananas, and spread the top with a full layer or dollop of whipped cream. Garnish as desired (toasted coconut, raspberries, lemon twists, or cherries.

Do You Know?

Cup for cup, whole fat milk contains fewer carbohydrates than low-fat or skim because more of its volume is made up of fat, which does not contain lactose. It also has slightly less protein.

Stacey Harris has a blog full of great recipes. Click HERE.

Personally, I feel the kitchen is a great place to stretch, your creativity. It’s been widely reported that baking has the benefit of enhancing creative expression – which has been found to have a strong connection with overall wellbeing. Lately, I have been having fun creating fruit platters to glamorize good health!

The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic talks to divas living with type 1 and type 2 diabetes about their favorite forms of exercise at NYC Summer Streets.

Double Crust Peach Cobbler Recipe by Splenda

Splenda Baking Kits are just one of the many wonderful prizes you can win when you join us for Divabetic’s free Baking Parties with the Diabetic Pastry Chef on Zoom.

Our recent winner, Anita W. from Buffalo, NY found some inspiration along with a rolling pin, apron, measuring cups, and various Splenda products in her Splenda Baking Kit! She wrote back to us, “I received the prize and I loved all of it. I made some peanut butter cookies with the Splenda and the cookie cutter.”

Double Crust Peach Cobbler Recipe by Splenda

Ingredients

1 box of refrigerated pie crusts, softened

10 cups sliced fresh peaches

1 3/4 cups Splenda Granulated Sweetener

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup pineapple juice

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Lightly spray an 11” x 7” baking dish with cooking spray.
  2. Unroll one piecrust; roll out and trim to an 11” x 7” rectangle. Place in prepared baking dish. Bake for 10–12 minutes or until lightly browned.

Click HERE for the full recipe

Looking for a fun way to socialize without putting your diabetes wellness at risk? Do you need a little help staying on track with your diabetes self-care?

Back by popular demand! The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic, hosts this free, fun Virtual Baking Party with our special guest, Stacey Harris, aka The Diabetic Pastry Chef on Wednesday, June 29, 2022, 7 – 8:30 PM, EST on Zoom.

REGISTER NOW

 

Divabetic Baking Party Hightlights

Looking for a fun way to socialize without putting your diabetes wellness at risk?

Do you need a little help staying on track with your diabetes self-care?

The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic, hosted a free, fun Mother’s Day-themed Baking Party with special guest, Stacey Harris, known professionally as The Diabetic Pastry Chef on Wednesday, April 27, 2022, on Zoom.

The Diabetic Pastry Chef prepared her Sugar-Free Yellow Sunflower Cake recipe, shared her favorite kitchen tool, and answered our baking questions about substituting sugar substitutes and alternative flours in recipes.

Several participants won gifts courtesy of  Arthel Neville DesignDr.’s Remedy Enriched Nail Care, Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes‘, and Peak 10 Skin’s Save My Sole Foot Rescue Cream and Splenda

The Holidays are full of surprises— especially after Mr. Divabetic gets a new job as the pastry chef at the St. Nicholas Nursing Home nestled in a cozy Christmas Village. But adjusting to life in a Christmas Village is not all sugarplums and candy canes. Especially when a cantankerous resident, a real-life Ebenezer Scrooge,  named Mr. Pincher almost dies——shortly after eating one of Max’s peanut butter swirl brownies. Despite all of the ingredients for danger, Mr. Divabetic along with our team of amateur sleuths and his overly protective mother — set out to find the real culprit in the hopes that his name isn’t on a lethal naughty list.

Our story was inspired by Kevin Houdeshell’s tragic true-life story. Thanks to the Houdeshell family for their advocacy efforts on behalf of the Emergency Insulin Act of 2019 and the emergency prescription refill legislation. Known as Kevin’s or Howdy’s Law, it allows pharmacists to dispense an emergency supply of a chronic maintenance medication if the doctor cannot be reached – a common-sense act that could save a life.

Starring Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek, USA Best Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Mama Rose Marie, Patricia Addie Gentle, Terri Seidman, MaryAnn Nicolay, Trisha Artman, Catherine Schuller, Chef Robert Lewis, Seveda Williams, and Wendy Radford. Special thanks to the Houdeshell family, and Pharmacist Mandy Reece. Original music by Ivan Hampden Jr., Celine Dion’s vocals courtesy of SONY Music. Produced by Leisa Chester Weir.

In the spirit of Scrooge’s awakening at the end of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, we encourage you to honor Christmas in your heart by living in the Past, The Present, and the Future. Try to embrace the Spirits of all Three and the lessons that they teach.

Good Morning Gorgeous By Mary J. Blige

“I wake up every morning and tell myself
Good morning gorgeous
Sometimes you gotta look in the mirror and say
Good Morning Gorgeous”
The Queen of Hip Hop, Mary J. Blige sings these words in her new self-empowering song, “Good Morning Gorgeous”. Do you tell yourself that you are beautiful each day? I bet you don’t, but maybe you should. What would happen if you did? Take a moment to appreciate your curves, the way your body is solid and sure with strength in some places or sensuous with softness in others. End quiet moment you spend appreciating is a gift to you. Good thoughts become good feelings and feeling good on the inside is expressed on the outside, too.
Kind and gentle self-talk has helped Mary J. Blige overcome many obstacles in her life. She is not living with diabetes but she had a rough childhood. Her father, a war veteran who suffered from PTSD, left when she was just a young girl leaving the young Mary and her two siblings in the hands of an alcoholic mother. She was sexually abused by a family friend at the age of five. She turned to alcohol, drugs, and promiscuity to deal with the pain of her experiences.
“We numb ourselves with drugs and alcohol and people and shopping and shit, to cover up what’s really going on inside,” she said in an interview with Self.
Her resilience like her fame has grown over the years. 

“People are watching,” she said to Self. “So much painful, embarrassing, public stuff has happened from the time I came out in this music industry. This stuff happens so that we can talk.”

Loving the body that you have and celebrating it makes you want to take care of it better inside and out, and all of that beauty just grows and grows. If you say it and hear it enough times I bet you’ll begin to believe it.

Enjoy Mary J. Blige’s song, “Good Morning, Gorgeous!” We believe in YOU!
Need a boost? Join us tomorrow night for Divabetic’s free Holiday-themed Baking Party with the Diabetic Pastry Chef on Thursday, December 9, 2021, at 7- 7:30 PM. EST.

We will be hosting two raffles during our virtual program. First, we will be giving away a beautiful Splenda Gift Basket filled with different Splenda products for you and your loved ones to enjoy. Then, Divabetic Image & Style Advisor, Catherine Schuller will raffle off a gift from Gem Desire. Catherine is the newest Brand Ambassador for Gem Desire, a curated jewelry brand at affordable prices. You must be present during our virtual program to qualify for the random drawings.

Sugar-Free Pumpkin Spice Muffin Recipe by The Diabetic Pastry Chef

Thank you to everyone who joined the happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic for Divabetic’s recent Baking Party with special guest, Stacey Harris aka The Diabetic Pastry Chef on Thursday, September 23, 2021, 7 – 8 PM, EST on Zoom.

During this virtual Baking Party on Zoom, The Diabetic Pastry Chef showed how to prepare her popular Sugar-Free Pumpkin Spice Muffin recipe, shared expert baking tips for substituting sugar substitutes and flours in recipes, and answered questions. One lucky participant received a free Splenda Gift Basket featuring a variety of their products. 

Sugar-Free Pumpkin Spice Muffin Recipe  by The Diabetic Pastry Chef 

Ingredients 

1 cup white whole wheat flour

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, optional

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup pure pumpkin filling

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup water

2 eggs, beaten

1 Tbsp molasses, optional

sugar substitute of your choice, equal to 1 cup sugar

pumpkin seeds, reserved for topping

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, sift together all of the dry ingredients. 

In a separate medium-sized mixing bowl, combine all of the wet ingredients with a whisk.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the wet ingredients. Whisk just until combined; do not overmix.

Scoop into 12 paper-lined muffin wells. Sprinkle tops with pumpkin seeds. Bake for 20 to 24 minutes.

Note: The Diabetic Pastry Chef does not recommend using Splenda sugar substitute in this recipe unless mixing half with another sugar substitute such as Whey Low or erythritol. 

Looking for a fun way to socialize without putting your diabetes wellness at risk? Do you need a little help staying on track with your diabetes self-care?

Register now for Divabetic’s next Baking Party with special guest, Stacey Harris aka The Diabetic Pastry Chef on Thursday, December 9, 7 – 8 PM, EST on Zoom.

REGISTER NOW

Now people with diabetes, “Divabetics”, can have their cake and eat it too thanks to Stacey Harris aka ‘The Diabetes Pastry Chef’ and her simple four-part substitution system that turns any decadent dessert into a diabetic-friendly delight. Visit: http://www.diabeticpastrychef.com/ Find out more about this book 

Divabetic Cozy Mystery: Kill Me Madam, Part 9

Looks like someone is coming but it’s too late to save Max. Millicent Merriweather turns around, intending to shoot our approaching team, but her numbed feet cause her to trip over a nail sticking out of the rotting deck. Peggy rushes forward and holds Millicent down as she tries to stand up. In the tussle, the stolen pearl handled pistol skids across the deck and Mama Rose Marie grabs it and points it at Millicent.  

Mama Rose Marie: Where is my son?

Millicent: Swimming with the fishes.

Peggy: That’s not possible. He can’t be dead. I put blanks in that pistol after I found it behind Millicent’s cash register. Millicent is always threatening to kill anyone who uses a Groupon. There’s no way she should have access to a loaded gun.

Tonya: Look, there he is!

Narrator:  Max’s head bobs up in the water. After climbing up the ladder, he is toweling off on deck.

Mama Rose Marie: Thank Goodness, you’re safe. Once you dry off, Bartholomew, you’ll be as good as new.

Max:  New? Never. Different? Maybe. I’m not going to pretend to be someone else to win a contest. From now on, I’m staying true to who I am no matter how the chips may fall.

Tonya: Don’t you mean no matter how the dead bodies may fall?

Peggy: I’ve got some good news. We have a new Decadent Desserts on Deck Champion.

Max: I …I won?

Tonya: What? Was everyone else disqualified?

Peggy: I’m sorry Max – you never finished making your pie, so you WERE disqualified. But I think this check just might make up for it. Does this lift your spirits?

Max: Wow, what’s this for?

Peggy: Think of it as an advance on future pie orders. Your vegan key lime pie made with cashews and a pecan pie crust is such an interesting twist on the traditional recipe that I want to offer it to my customers.

Patricia: My patients who switch to vegan diets see their blood pressure decrease as well as their risk for heart disease.

MaryAnn: Max, you did it! You finally sold a recipe! Let’s celebrate.

Tonya: Hold your horses. We still haven’t found the stolen whales’ teeth!

Peggy: Loretta told me she hasn’t had any luck finding them.

Max: Mom, why do you have a funny look on your face?

Mama Rose Marie: We need to go check the oven.

Max: In the prep kitchen? But I turned it off before we left this morning.

Mama Rose Marie: No, no, not that oven! C’mon. Follow me.

Narrator: Mama Rose Marie leads our team back to the fabled Hussey mansion overhanging the Nantucket Sound. 

SOUND EFFECT: Sea gulls

Mama Rose Marie: Peggy, didn’t you say Britannia won ten First Place ribbons with her winning pie crust? Is that right?

Peggy: Do you mean what I said about ‘blind baking’?

Max: Mom, what do her baking skills have to do with the whales’ teeth?

Mama Rose Marie: Tanya, open that oven door.

Tonya: Well, I’ll be. The stolen whales’ teeth are right here in Britannia’s pie crusts!

Peggy: Only Britannia would think to hide them there. Let me call Loretta.

Patricia: Max, please don’t get any ideas about adding whales’ teeth to your next gluten free recipe!

MaryAnn: By the look on his face. I think he’s seriously considering it.

Max: No! Look at Peggy’s check. It’s the exact amount of the entry fee for the baking contest in Martha’s Vineyard.

Mama Rose Marie: How can you think of entering another baking contest after what happened?

Max: We don’t have any choice. I gave Britannia all my cash for the food processor and I maxed out my credit cards on these pirate costumes.

Patricia: You mean we’re stuck here?

Tonya: Yippee! I’m ready to sink my teeth into another murder!

MaryAnn: Let’s just cash the check and go home.

Max: But I can make a lot more money winning the grand prize in Martha’s Vineyard with a new recipe! How about a rhubarb quinoa brownie?

Mama Rose Marie: Oh, no, here we go again!

Narrator: Another mystery solved by our crack team of amateur sleuths. We’ve all learned a few things from this story.  Running away from your diabetes-related problems can lead to bigger issues. Any warning signs that something’s not right concerning your diabetes health should not be ignored.

We are always grateful to Sony Music for allowing us to feature their music. Tonight’s music was from the original Broadway recording of ‘Call Me Madam’ starring Dinah Shore. 

 

How To Blind Bake Pie Crust

There’s a good indication that murder might be part of the recipe when Nantucket’s ten time reigning Baking Champion’s last name is ‘Coffin’ in Divabetic’s Mystery Podcast, ‘Kill Me Madam’. The secret to her success is blind baking.

What is blind baking?

Photo by Debby Hudson on Unsplash

Blind baking a pie crust is pre-baking the crust, without filling, then adding the filling once the crust is baked according to the King Arthur Baking Company. The pie can then be placed back in the oven for the filling to bake; or the baked crust can be filled with cooked filling, the whole left to cool and set.

Why is it necessary to blind bake pie crust?

READ MORE

 

Divabetic’s Mystery podcast cast includes USA Best-Selling Author Tonya Kappes, Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDE, MaryAnn Horst-Nicolay MEd, NDRT, Lorraine Brooks, Catherine Schuller, Wendy Radford, Coach The Cure‘s Trisha Artman, Mama Rose Marie, Seveda Williams, and Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek. Produced by Leisa Chester-Weir.

Throughout the podcast we will be featuring music from the Broadway Cast Album of ‘Call Me Madam’ courtesy of SONY Music.

Are you interested in learning how to bake with sugar substitutes? Join the happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic for this free, fun Virtual Baking Party with special guest, Stacey Harris aka The Diabetic Pastry Chef on Thursday, December 10, 2020, 7 – 8 PM, EST on Zoom.

FREE REGISTER