Reply to Turning a cake recipe from sweet to savory

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][b]Not sure why I'm the first one posting this, but here goes. [/b]

OP, there isn't really an easy substitute for sugar in a sweet cake recipe. As others have pointed out, sugar plays a huge role in texture, which is something you've indicated you want to maintain.

You can substitute type of sugar (e.g., apple sauce or banana for white sugar), but the substitution will likely change the chemistry of the recipe and therefore the texture.

You can also muck about with coconut or almond flour, or adding alcohol, eggs/oil, etc. in an effort to reduce the amount of white sugar in the recipe while maintaining a similar texture.

But, again, you will likely only be able to exactly replicate the texture of the cake you're making by replicating the current ingredient list.

There are a number of examples online of bakers attempting to reduce sugar in various recipes and what they did to try and maintain texture with less sugar. I would suggest searching for these so you can see what previous bakers tried and what the results were. You can decide for yourself how these options might work (or not) with your recipe.[/quote]

Actually, people did, on the first page. These are the fourth and sixth posts below.

I think the bottom response is the most helpful and would highly encourage anyone interested in turning a cake recipe from sweet to savory to reread it. 
Someone who really knows what they are talking about spent a lot of time writing a very detailed, thorough answer early on in this conversation. (Thanks, PP!)

[quote=Anonymous]I don't think this is possible. Sugar plays a role in the texture of the cake, not just flavor, so you have to change more than just the sugar. Maybe look up recipes for savory quick bread and muffins. [/quote]

[quote=Anonymous]Not really -- a cake is typically comprised of carbohydrates (from the flour and sugar), fats (from butter or oil), and proteins (from the eggs and flour).  Each of these contributes to the texture of a cake.  Sugar is not just for taste, but is hydrophilic, maintaining moisture from the eggs and other liquids in the finished product.  If you simply took sugar out of the recipe, you will likely end up with a dry, crumbly product with very little flavor.  You would have to play with the proportions of liquid and protein, and even then will end up with a tasteless product because sugar is what contributes to the caramelization of the outside of the cake.  You can google some savory quickbreads (i.e. beer and cheese bread), but even those recipes tend to contain a good amount of sugar.  You would be better off making a yeasted bread, where time and fermentation leads to the conversion of the basic starches in flour into tastier compounds.  [/quote][/quote]

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