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!
Strawbulicious
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
Sounds amazing. Can’t wait to try this one! Hurry up little berries and get ripe !!!
It is so good! I hope you love it like we did.
What kind of artificial sweetener did you use for the strawberry shortcake? Can’t wait to make it!
Hi, Annette! I tend to use either a mix of erythritol/xylitol or the Kroger brand Ideal 0 Calorie sugar substitute that comes in this purple bag: https://www.idealsweet.com/kroger/index.html. The latter is my favorite because it’s really easy to use and is measured exactly, cup for cup, like sugar.
Can you make the recipe and leave out the protein powder? If not, where do you get protein powder? Tx/Dolores
Hi! I think the protein powder really helps with the consistency, but you might be able to use coconut flour instead. I buy my protein powder from WalMart. It’s really reasonably priced there! Kroger and Walgreens are other places to check. I tend to go with either unflavored or vanilla, since it seems to work with more things that way.
Thanks so much for the info.
Hi! I was looking for Protien powder at Walmart and there are so many brands all with different levels of carbs. Can you tell us what Brand you prefer and how many carbs it should show on the label?
Hi, Rachel! I buy the Designer Whey. Here is a link with a label. Designer Whey Plain and Simple seems to be what they’re calling it now: https://designerwhey.com/products/powders/
I will def have to make this. My diabetic and gluten free friends are going to salute you.
I hope you guys like it! Please let me know what other things you’re missing and I’ll see what I can do. I love requests.
I think the nutritional facts are switched. You have the single layer with more calories than the double layer, and all the nutritional facts are switched.
I may be wrong?
They are probably switched! Let me peek.
That looks wonderful Jamie!!
Thank you so much. It is so simple to make, too. I really loved the ease. I hope you give it a try! Any fresh berry would be divine…
Thank you so much for this recipe! I can’t wait to try it! I’ve been craving strawberry shortcake since recieving our CSA basket last week which contained 8, yes 8 large containers of huge, red, juicy berries, which I promptly sliced into quarters and flash froze for use when I’m done with my 3d month…I’m on a 80-90% veg 10-20% protein, just no fruit till the 3d month, doc supervised program….I can’t wait to eat this!! Thank you!! One question…how many carbs does your protein powder contain? The one I usually use, I get from the Vitamine Shoppe and it is zero carb, no sugar, and has tastes amazing…great selection of flavors….the one I’m using now, is the Vitamin Shoppe store brand…it doesn’t taste as good…but was less expensive, has 3 carbs and tastes ok, but better for baking and such…I’m only using the vanilla…so this is perfect…Anyway, just curious how many carbs per scoop your powder is from the one you get at Walmart….Thanks again!
Hi there! wow! That is a lot of strawberries! The whey powder I use contains 2 carbs per scoop (about 2 Tbsp)
Can you please tell me the brand of whey powder you get from Walmart? Thanks so much!
Hi there! I usually purchase Designer Whey.
Thank you so much for this recipe, I can’t wait to try it! I was diagnosed almost three weeks ago with type 1 diabetes and graves disease. The biggest challenge of my new low carb diet is fighting off my sweet tooth. I LOVE Strawberry Shortcake, this is going to help me enjoy dessert at home as well as parties/events without feeling like crap later on or having to take extra insulin. Thanks again!
You are so welcome, Lish! Please keep me posted about how you are doing. I know you’ve just been served a major learning curve, medically speaking.
What size jelly roll pan do you recommend/use? I’ve got this baking right now and it’s definitely going to take longer than 30 minutes (at 40 so far) for it to set up, so I think my pan is too small. THANKS!
I am thinking I used a 12 x 18″? I have three pans! If it takes longer to set up, that could be super normal, too. I’m at a slightly higher elevation, so things tend to cook slightly faster for me.
Quick follow up: The shortcake turned out amazing! Even my sugar obsessed partner loved it. And liked the sponge cake better than any angel food or biscuit version of shortcake. OUTSTANDING!
I am so glad you liked this! Thanks so much for taking the time to let me know.
Made this tonight for my birthday. Deeeeeeeeeelish! Thanks
Happy Birthday, Jenn! I am so glad you like this recipe! Yeah! I hope you’re having a great day.
This is the best fluffy and delightful strawberry shortcake I’ve seen today! Great recipe.
Thank you Jamie-I made this the other night for a dinner party and used this recipe for myself and bought store bought shortcakes for the others. They all wanted to taste mine and loved it-I also loved it-I made sweet oopsies and froze what was left for the future as I wont be eating sweet oopsies too often-I did not use the protein powder at all and did not miss it-Thanks again- just great
I am so glad you had great luck with the recipe, even sans the protein powder. As I’m becoming more and more allergic to soy, it’s all the better to avoid it when possible–at least for me.
I’m sorry I didn’t make that more clear- I did in fact sprinkle a little almond flour into the yolks when beating them before folding with the whites- everything else was the same as you have posted- these can become habit forming lol
What a great idea! You are a genius! I love that idea.
My shortcakes turned out kind of thick/eggy. I wonder what I did wrong??
Hello! Thank you for the recipe. What a treat!
I noticed that the instructions indicate you’re supposed to add salt, however the ingredient list doesn’t list salt at all. I didnt know how much to put in, so I guessed and added 1/4 tsp.