The Diabetic Pastry Chef

1 (18.5-oz) box chocolate cake mix
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree

Mix together and fill greased muffin tins two-thirds full. Bake at 350 degrees until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean about 20 to 25 minutes.

Try this with Pillsbury’s reduced sugar Devil’s Food cake mix.

Be sure to buy pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie mix.

A recent post on a homemaking forum I belong to reminded me about the two-ingredient cake mix desserts. I was first introduced to these recipes through Weight Watchers. These are great for diabetics because the recipes omit the eggs and oil that are typically needed to bake a cake. Try the new reduced sugar cake mixes from Pillsbury with these recipes and you’ll really do your body a favor. These recipes work well for low-carbers and non-diabetics also, so feel free to serve these to your friends or whole family.

1. My favorite recipe is to take an angel food cake mix and add an undrained 20 oz. can of crushed pineapple. Do not add anything else. Mix well with a large spoon and follow package directions for baking. This is great topped with whipped cream or frozen whipped topping.

2. Take a (18.25-oz) box of spice cake mix and add 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix). Mix and spread in a 9×13-in pan and bake according to package directions.This recipe can be found at allrecipes.com. Be sure to read the reviews for tips: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Two-Ingredient-Pumpkin-Cake/Detail.aspx

3. Take a (18.25-oz) box of dark chocolate cake mix and add exactly 10 ozs of diet Coke or diet root beer. Mix well and pour into a 9×13-in pan and bake according to package directions at 350 degrees. The cake will be a bit more dense than a regular chocolate cake, more similar to a cake brownie. Use Pillsbury’s reduced-sugar Devil’s Food cake mix for this.

4. Try the above recipe with a white or yellow cake mix and diet Sprite. Pillsbury also puts out a reduced-sugar yellow cake mix.

1 3/4 c whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 c sweetened flaked coconut
1/2 c rolled oats
3 T sugar or Splenda
2 tsps baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 c cold butter, sliced
2 eggs
1/2 c milk
1/4 c sugar-free or reduced sugar jam or preserves

In a large bowl, combine flour, coconut, oats, sugar or Splenda, baking powder and salt. With hands or pastry blender, cut in butter until coarse crumbs are formed.

In small bowl, beat eggs and milk together. Stir all but about 1 tablespoon egg mixture into flour mixture just until evenly moistened.

Turn dough onto lightly floured board and pat into an 8-inch round. Slide onto greased baking sheet and cut into 8 wedges. Leave wedge in place. Brush top of scones with reserved egg mixture and sprinkle with remaining tablespoon of sugar. Make a 1-inch-diameter depression on top of the wide end of each wedge and fill each with about 1/2 tablespoon of jam.

Bake at 375 degress 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Recut the scones to separate and serve warm.

• One in four Americans has diabetes, or is at risk of developing it.
• Two out of three people with diabetes die from heart disease or stroke.
• Diabetes is the #1 cause of adult blindness.
• Diabetes is the #1 cause of kidney failure.
• Diabetes results in more than 60% of non-traumatic lower limb amputations each year.
• Up to 80% of Type 2 diabetes is preventable by eating a healthy diet and increasing physical activity.

1 20-oz can crushed pineapple in syrup
1 20-oz can lite cherry pie filling
1 18.5-oz box reduced-sugar yellow cake mix
3/4 stick butter
1 c pecans, chopped

Layer first 3 ingredients in order listed in 13 x 9-in baking pan. Dot with butter and sprinkle with chopped pecans. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Serve with whipped cream or whipped topping.

For a more gourmet version, this also works well with 2 cans of pitted dark Bing cherries in heavy syrup, in place of the 1 can of cherry pie filling. Drain one of the cans of Bing cherries and proceed as above. This tip is courtesy of my sister, Gwen.

This recipe is so easy to prepare!

10 T butter, softened
1/3 c sugar
1 1/4 c flour
1 c ground almonds
1 tsp grated lemon rind
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
2 raw egg yolks
2 hard boiled egg yolks
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 (15.5-oz) jar low-sugar orange marmalade
egg white
sliced almonds

In mixing bowl with mixer at medium speed, combine the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the flour, ground almonds, lemon rind, cinnamon nutmeg, raw egg yolks, boiled egg yolks and vanilla. Continue to mix until well combined. Chill for at least one hour.

Divide the chilled dough into two pieces. Roll out half the dough, and fit into a greased 8-inch square pan. Spread the orange marmalade over the bottom of the pan with a spatula.

With the remaining dough, make a lattice top to cover marmalade. Brush with beaten egg white and sprinkle sliced almonds on top. Bake at 350 degrees about 45 minutes, or until a pale golden color.

4 egg whites
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c Splenda
1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1/4 c ground almonds
2 T confectioners sugar, sifted
6 T lemon or lime curd
1/2 pt heavy cream
toasted sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 325 degrees, and line jelly roll pan with a single sheet of parchment paper.

In mixing bowl with mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. Stir in the almond extract, vinegar and ground almonds and mix together lightly.

Turn into the parchment lined jelly roll pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Tap the pan lightly to remove any air bubbles. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the top is a pale golden color and feels firm and set. Remove from oven and cool.

In the meantime, whip cream until thick, and reserve. Invert the cooled roulade onto a large sheet of parchement paper sprinkled with the 2 tablespoons of sifted confectioners sugar. Carefully strip off the lining paper. Spread roulade with the lime curd and then the whipped cream. Let sit a few minutes to allow the roulade to soften. Carefully roll. The roulade will crack slightly as you roll, which is normal. Sprinkle top with toasted almonds.

3 eggs
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c Splenda
1/2 c fresh lemon or lime juice
1/4 c butter, melted
1 T lemon or lime peel, grated

Beat together the eggs, sugar and Splenda in the top of a double boiler. Stir in the lemon or lime juice, butter and lemon or lime peel. Cook over simmering water for 15 minutes or until thickened.

Leftover lemon or lime curd can be refrigerated and used as a spread on biscuits, scones or toast.

If you’re unsure about which flours to use in your recipes, here is a helpful link that will alleviate your fears. There are many flour choices here: www.foodsubs.com/Flour.html.

1 c whole wheat pastry flour
1 c white flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 c sugar
1/4 c canola oil
1 egg
1 c crushed pineapple, undrained

Sift together flours, baking powder and salt.

In small bowl, beat together the sugar, canola oil and egg. Add the undrained pineapple.

Make a well in the dry ingredients, and add the wet ingredients to the center of the well. Stir together quickly just until moistened. Do not overmix.

Fill greased muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Remove muffins from tin at once and serve hot.