Low FODMAP Texas Sheet Cake
Our Low FODMAP Texas Sheet Cake sticks close to the classic: large, thin, moist chocolate cake with a poured-on chocolate icing studded with nuts. Easy to make, serves a crowd – and you will definitely get your chocolate fix!
Ingredients:
Chocolate Cake:
- 1 ¾ cups (254 g) low FODMAP gluten-free all-purpose flour, such as Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Baking Flour, plus extra for pan
- 2 cups (396 g) sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup (28 g) sifted natural cocoa
- 1 cup (226 g; 2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (240 ml) boiling water
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) “faux” buttermilk
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Icing:
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons (151 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into pieces
- ¼ cup (21 g) sifted natural cocoa
- 1/3 cup (75 ml) heavy cream, conventional or lactose-free
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups (115 g) sifted confectioners’ sugar
- 3/4 cup (100 g) finely chopped pecans or walnuts
Preparation:
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For The Cake: Place rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Coat a half-sheet pan with nonstick spray, then coat with flour.
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In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together 1 ¾ cups (254 g) flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda; set aside.
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In a small saucepan, melt butter, then whisk in cocoa. Whisk in boiling water and allow mixture to boil for 30 seconds, then remove from heat. Pour warm chocolate over flour mixture and stir in to combine.
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In a large liquid measuring cup whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla. Stir this buttermilk mixture into chocolate/ flour mixture until well blended. Pour into prepared pan and spread into an even layer if necessary.
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Bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center shows a few moist crumbs. Place on rack.
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For The Icing: As soon as the cake is pulled out of the oven, melt butter in a saucepan. Whisk in cocoa until smooth, then remove from heat. Whisk in cream, vanilla, and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Stir in nuts. Immediately pour the warm frosting over the warm cake, using a small offset spatula to help it to into the corners and cover the cake completely. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes to firm up icing. Cut into squares and enjoy! Cake is best served the day it is made but may be covered with plastic wrap and/or foil and stored overnight at room temperature.
Notes:
FODMAP Information
Our recipes are based on Monash University and FODMAP Friendly science.
• Butter: Both Monash University and FODMAP Friendly have lab tested butter. Monash states that a low FODMAP Green Light portion is 1 tablespoon or 19 g and also states that “butter is high in fat and does not contain carbohydrates (FODMAPs)”. FODMAP Friendly gives it a “Pass” at 1 tablespoon or 19 g. Both recommended serving sizes are presented as part of healthy eating guidelines, not as maximum FODMAP serving size. Fat can affect guy motility and trigger IBS symptoms in some people. Eat to your tolerance.
• Cocoa: Monash University has lab tested what they call “cocoa” and also “cacao” and they show different FODMAP content. The problem is that from the chocolate manufacturing industry’s perspective, there is no difference between cacao and cocoa powder. The FDA, The Food Standards for Australia and New Zealand, the ICCO (International Cocoa Organization) and the National Confectioners Association do not even recognize the term “cacao” to describe cocoa powder. We have an article, All About Cocoa, that we encourage you to read. It attempts to explain the discrepancies in the Monash lab testing.
• Dairy: The low FODMAP diet is not a dairy-free diet. It is, however, low in lactose. Many dairy ingredients are low in lactose, such as heavy cream and many cheeses.
• Pecans: Monash and FODMAP Friendly have both lab tested pecans. Monash says that a low FODMAP serving size is 10 pecan halves or 20g. The small print tells us that they are not High FODMAP until they reach a 100 g serving size, or about 40 halves. You might notice that on the FODMAP Friendly app the image is for pecans in the shell. We have asked FODMAP Friendly for clarification and they told us that the ¼ cup (30 g) low FODMAP serving size is for nuts OUT of the shell and is approximately 15 pecan halves.
• Sugar: Monash University and FODMAP Friendly have both lab tested white, granulated sugar. Monash states that a Green Light low FODMAP serving size of white sugar is 1/4 cup (50 g). FODMAP Friendly simply states that they have tested 1 tablespoon and that it is low FODMAP. Regular granulated white sugar is sucrose, which is a disaccharide made up of equal parts glucose and fructose. Sucrose is broken down and absorbed efficiently in the small intestine.
• Walnuts: Both Monash University and FODMAP Friendly have lab tested walnuts. FODMAP Friendly gives them a “Pass” at ¼ cup (30 g) portions. Monash lists the same gram amount as low FODMAP and pegs the volume at 10 walnut halves.
Please always refer to the Monash University & FODMAP Friendly smartphone apps for the most up-to-date lab tested information. As always, your tolerance is what counts; please eat accordingly. The ultimate goal of the low FODMAP diet is to eat as broadly as possible, without triggering symptoms, for the healthiest microbiome.