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Recipe for Diet Pig Pickin' Cake

Diet Article: Straight from the foothills of Tennessee, a diet cake that's rich and has a cute name, too!

We've skinnied-up this Tennessee tradition. Luscious cake, rich pineapple, fluffy frosting - it's a fine cake to serve at your holiday meal - a dessert without the guilt. On that healthier note, here is the recipe that's a definite crowd-pleaser, dieting or not.

Lower Calorie Recipe for Diet Pig Pickin Cake - The Healthier Ingredients
1 box of cake mix, white
4 eggs, or use egg substitute which is much lower in calorie content, 0 cholesterol
1/2 cup of unsweetened applesauce
1 banana, peeled & mashed
1 Tablespoon of grated orange OR lemon peel (optional)
1 large box of instant vanilla pudding (not sugar free)
1 can of mandarin oranges in unsweetened juice, undrained
1 large container of LIGHT or FREE non dairy whipped topping, thawed
1- 8 ounce can of crushed pineapple in unsweetened juice, undrained

Step 1:  Spray three, 9-inch cake pans with non stick cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. While this is a standard step for most recipes, when the cake, pie, cookies - or whatever it is that we are baking ends-up sticking, no matter how delicious the recipe, it really put a 'dent' in things.

As humans, we tend to 'eat with our eyes'. If the baked item is beautiful in appearance, even if the flavor isn't quite there, odds are that it will taste better simply because it's more attractive to the eyes. Therefore, treat those baking pans well for sticking by using either the cooking spray or the old-fashioned shortening and flour dusting method.

Step 2:  Combine the cake mix, mandarin oranges and their juice, 2 eggs, 2 egg whites, applesauce, and the mashed banana and mix until they are well incorporated.

As a note, the use of fruit in this recipe - specifically the applesauce, oranges and the banana is to substitute natural products for the high-caloric oil (fat) which in turn reduces the fat grams which in turn reduces caloric values of the cake. The banana, mandarin oranges and applesauce take the place of what normally might be approximately 1/2 cup of oil - which is a savings of almost 1,000 calories. In turn, these 1,000 calories would have added 100 calories to each serving of the cake.

In many recipes, the recommended amount of oil is even higher - up to a cup is not out of the ordinary. That would be a 2,000 calorie saving and a plethora of fat grams.

The cake will still be very moist, just not as heavy in caloric values.

Pour the mixed batter into the prepared baking pans. Bake until done and when cool enough to handle (about 5 minutes) remove the cakes from the pans, placing a piece of wax paper in between the cake layers. This will keep the layers from sticking together while you work.

Step 3:  While you are waiting for the cake to cool completely, GENTLY fold together the pudding MIX (do not add milk), the whipped topping and the pineapple with the juice.

As to the pineapple juice, look for pineapples packed in their own natural juice for the best product - and that's the one that is closest to Mother Nature herself.

Step 4: 'Frost' the cake. It should appear extra fluffy. You can sprinkle the top of the cake with large sugar crystals to give it a mystic glow - or use decorative sprinkles for a few more calories.

This Pig Pickin' Cake recipe serves 10 individuals for about 240 calories each.  

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