Fluffy, refreshing, pleasantly sweet and slightly acidic: This sugar-free, low fat lemon cake is a wonderfully low-calorie summer cake! Instead of lots of sugar, butter and eggs, this dough contains - among others - low-fat Greek yogurt, egg whites and xylitol or erythritol . The result is amazingly delicious 😉!
Well, whether one can compare this low-calorie lemon cake with the "ordinary" version is something you have to judge yourself. Probably not. But this is just about a lemon cake without sugar and fat (the latter can be neglected when compared to the base recipe). I especially like the fluffy yet compact consistency. The lemon intensity is perfect for me. The light yogurt frosting gives the slim lemon cake a great finish. Only the very bright color is actually something unusual. Normal lemon cake like this classic from the plate is indeed rather yellowish. However, since there are neither egg yolks nor margarine nor sugar in my healthy lemon cake recipe, it actually stays as good as white. Still looks ok, or 😉 ...?
Very important for the low-calorie lemon cake : Always use freshly squeezed lemon juice and freshly grated lemon zest! The taste difference compared to a finished product is really incredible. Especially as packaged lemon juice or lemon zest also often include other ingredients than "pure" lemon.
Moist lemon cake with greek yogurt
In order for the lemon cake to be low in fat and still good, you need low-fat Greek yoghurt. The is quite compact and not comparable with some slightly watery normal low-fat yogurt. I always buy that with 0.2% fat. Maybe the recipe also works with others as well. To sweeten the light lemon yogurt cake, I advise you to a mixture of xylitol and erythritol.
I am super excited to hear how you like my low-fat lemon cake without sugar! Some poppy seeds in the dough or orange juice instead of lemon juice are sure to be good as well. Incidentally, the yogurt and lemon cake can be frozen well; Of course, you should only apply the topping after thawing.
Fruity greetings 🙂
Kathrin
Low-fat, sugar-free lemon cake
Ingredients
For the dough
- 2 egg whites medium sized
- 1 pinch salt
- ½ cup low fat greek yogurt
- ⅓ cup lemon juice freshly squeezed (from 2 lemons)
- ½ cup milk
- 1/9 cup butter melted
- 1 ½ cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon soda
- grated lemon zest ideally from an organic lemon
- ½ cup xylitol
- ½ cup erythritol
For the frosting
- ⅚ cup Greek yogurt low fat
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar or Xylitol / Erythritol, amount to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° fahrenheit (top and bottom heat). Lay out a small springform pan with baking paper or lightly grease and dust with flour. Beat the egg whites with the salt until stiff. Put aside.
- Whisk yogurt, lemon juice, milk and liquid butter. In another bowl of flour. Mix baking soda, baking soda, lemon zest and sweetener. Add to the liquid ingredients and stir briefly but vigorously. Finally, fold in the egg whites.
- Pour the dough into the mold, smooth and bake the cake for 25-35 minutes. He remains very bright-white. Allow to cool and brush with frosting. Just mix yoghurt with lemon juice and sweets to taste.
Nutrition
Then sign up for our email updates and get all new recipes in your inbox for free (you can always unsubscribe)!
Hello, what is the calories/nutrition for this cake?
Hi Roberta
thanks for your comment - I've updated the recipe and now you see the nutrition values.
best
Jan
can a different sugar substitute be used instead of the xylitol?
You can also use only erythritol instead of xylitol and erythritol, but the taste may change slightly. A nice alternative would also be Monk Fruit Sweetener.