

Two delicious details make this strawberry shortcake recipe perfect for diabetics and low carbers: The lack of sugar, and the abundance of freshness from plump, red strawberries.

If you don’t do grains, it’s a win-win-win, since this sponge cake is fashioned from Diana’s amazing oopsie sponge cake recipe.

When we were at Cheesecake Factory a couple of weeks back, my husband had their Strawberry Shortcake, a heaping plate filled with sugar, wheat, ice cream and strawberries, so I was determined to come home and recreate something just as fantastic.

And now for some thoughts and ideas:

For her spongecake recipe, Diana uses a 10 x 13″ pan (jelly roll pans differ from normal cookie sheets in that jelly roll pans have sides). You can use a bigger pan if that’s what you have (I have three pans. It’s only an addiction if I have more than fingers on my hands).

If you use a scoop of vanilla protein powder, you can omit the vanilla extract.

I don’t recommend strawberry powder because it might be too too. You really want the flavor of the fresh strawberries to shine here.

Fresh strawberries are wonderful, but I like to soak mine in a little water with sweetener. See the instructions below.

If you don’t have fresh strawberries, you can use frozen, unsweetened berries instead.

You can use other in-season berries, too!

If you’d like to recreate the version from Cheesecake Factory, make the bottom layer scoops of vanilla ice cream (sugar free of course) and then ad your shortcake.

This recipe is gluten free and sugar free, but is not induction friendly due to fruit. Still, at only 5.5 net carbs, it’s about as guilt free as it gets!

Strawberry Shortcake

Sponge Cake:

8 eggs, separated

8 oz. cream cheese

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/8 tsp cream of tartar

1/2 cup sugar substitute equivalent

1 scoop protein powder

2 cups Fresh Strawberries, sliced + sweetener (see below)

Whipped Topping recipe (below)

For the cake,:

Whip the whites with cream of tartar until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes. In a separate bowl, combine cream cheese with egg yolks, vanilla extract, protein powder, sweetener and salt.

Gently fold the whites into the yolk mixture until combined. Spread the oopsie batter evenly (this batter doesn’t level out–it retains its shape, so if you leave it lump and bumpy, it’s going to stay lumpy and bumpy) on the sheet cake covered with parchment paper (don’t worry about greasing the pan or the parchment) and bake in a 300 degree oven for 30 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes with a damp dish towel on top to keep cake from drying out.

Cut cake into 8 equal sections. Set aside.

For the Strawberries:

Soak in just enough water to almost cover the strawberries + 1/4 cup equivalent sugar substitute. Let sit on counter for an hour or overnight in the refrigerator.

To assemble the cake:

Place first cake layer on a plate. Top with whipped cream (recipe below). Top with second cake, whipped cream and strawberries. Serve cold. Leftover portions may be refrigerated, but are best stored separately and combined for service.

Fresh whipping cream

1 cup heavy whipping cream

4 Tbsp sugar equivalent substitute (or more to taste)

1 tsp vanilla extract

Whip all ingredients together ion high speed in a mixer until stiff peaks form.

Makes 4, double-layered shortcakes or 8 single layered shortcakes.

Per double layer: Calories:373, Carbohydrates: 5.5 Fiber: .4, Net Carbohydrates: 5.1, Protein: 14, Fat: 16

Per single layer: Calories: 186.5, Carbohydrates: 2.75 Fiber: .2, Net Carbohydrates: 2.5, Protein: 7, Fat: 8