Close friend has b-day very soon. Thing is, they eat no junk food whatsoever and are on a self-imposed diet (they're the only person I know who's been sticking to one for 2+ years!). Basically, as long as they know what the nutrition value & calorie count is, they're able to factor it in.

Anyway, how do I go about making a 'cake' out of things they like?
Roasted eggplant, matza, fresh veggies (I'll make it lasagna-like in layers), no/low calorie sweetener (if I indeed make it sweet; doesn't need to be)..I want it to look legit on the outside, but can't coat it in sugar, royal icing, buttercream etc. How best to 'fake' it?

Anything Splenda-like that won't dissolve? Does no-calorie confectioner-sugar-substitute exist?? or should I just roll on a layer of fondant for the effect, then peel it off when they want to eat it?

Why don't you try to make a healthier version of a regular cake? (Ie, sub whole wheat flour, splenda, no-additive applesauce for oil, etc) and top it with cool whip and fresh strawberries? Sounds better than a savory matza-veggie cake.

Is a carob frosting too junky?

What about cut fruit stacked to form a cake shape.

Ricotta 'icing' with the name or greeting in tomato sauce.

Yeah, you can't really make a normal cake with no sugar in it. The sugar provides structure as well as sweetness.

It's not the 'healthier' aspect they look for necessarily, it's knowing how much of s/t is in the food (i.e. if they know they'll be going somewhere later and want latkes they'll save their 'oils' for then and not eat anything with it till then. Same goes for starches, dairy etc.).


Sorta.


Sounds cool! What do you suggest as a 'covering'? (when I mentioned fondant in my original post.. I know it doesn't really 'go' with cut up fruit, but 1- it's there for decoration only and will be lifted off leaving no residue 2- they won't be eating it.


Hmm..I haven't found ricotta here and the tomato sauces (marinara) all have sugar..



It doesn't have to be a 'cake' in the traditional sense of the matter. I just want it to look authentic, whatever it takes to make s/t they like for the inside is what'll go into it.

How about healthy graham crackers and splenda-sweetened cream cheese frosting? It'll make a sort of "gingerbread" cake.

You could make pavlovas, which are just giant meranges in sort of a blobby cup shape. You could possibly make it with splenda. You could fill them with cool whip and fresh fruit that you've let sit in splenda for an hour in the fridge (it makes a good sauce). I have done this whole thing before, it is fairly low in calories and pretty much fat free.

Do you have a recipe & exact measurements-ish?

I used one like this:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/103405

I don;t think you can use splenda for meringues--the texture relies on the sugar. Without the sugar crystals the egg white won't hold the air.