Low-Sugar Space Cake for the Edibles Astronaut

A healthier rendition of the Space Cake first made famous in the coffee shops of Amsterdam.

Space cake has a bit of a reputation for being more hash than cake, which is the root of its notoriety. Many tourists traveling through Amsterdam have found themselves into green-out trouble after eating a space cake without considering the dose. But, society is ever-evolving in cannabis knowledge and learning how it can be better incorporated into cooking and baking. As a result, space cakes have gone from stoner-culture to elevated haute-cuisine.

But, can a space cake get a healthy upgrade as well as a gourmet one? While nobody is claiming cake is healthy, there are ways to make cake healthier. By reducing the sugar and sticking to whole food ingredients, it is possible to transform space cake into a health-friendly alternative.

What is Space Cake?

Space cake is arguably one of the original edibles popularized in the 1960s and 70s by a cannabis-loving counterculture. In the early days, cannabis-enthusiasts would bake hash and flower right in with the batter. They created a sweet treat that left people picking green out of their teeth.

As far as the original recipe goes, it was as unique as the person making it. Space cake is essentially just a cake recipe combined with cannabis in some way. From rainbow sprinkles to chocolate brownie to carrot cake, any cake with hash is technically a space cake. The one connecting factor from one space cake to the next, however, is the potency.

In the beginning (and long before gourmet cannabis was trending), green bakers threw a portion of flower or a chunk of hash into their cake batter. Thankfully, today’s bakers have sorted out better ways of cooking with cannabis, using infusions and proper dosing. Truthfully, modern space cake is as potent as those from the past, but far more delicious than the creations of our cannabis-baking ancestors.

Why Reduce Sugar in Edibles?

The demand for recreational and medicinal edibles in the 21st century is unlike ever before. On the therapeutic side, edibles are useful for delivering higher and more sustained dosing than smoking or vaping. This method of consumption also reduces irritation to the respiratory tract that can happen with chronic smoking.

But, for those relying on edibles to treat a health condition, eating high amounts of sugar every day may not be the best health decision. Reducing sugar has immediate and long term health benefits, especially for those already treating chronic conditions. Most edibles fall into the category of  candy, chocolate, or baked treat. So, what do patients with dietary restrictions (low-carb, sugar-free, keto) do?

The best thing about edibles is this incredible versatility. Cannabinoids infuse readily into fatty ingredients such as butter, oil, and even high-fat milk. As long as the original recipe calls for one of these base-ingredients, the formula is suitable for a cannabis infusion.

Many of the most common chronic conditions, even those treated with cannabis, are aggravated by bad dietary choices that contribute to inflammation. As one astute peer-reviewed paper summarized, “Chronic, low-grade inflammation is a key factor in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease, and is associated with the risk of developing diabetes, dementia, and depression. Also, low-grade inflammation is related to a higher risk of all-cause mortality in old age.” ^[1]Della Corte, K. W., Perrar, I., Penczynski, K. J., Schwingshackl, L., Herder, C., & Buyken, A. E. (2018). Effect of Dietary Sugar Intake on Biomarkers of Subclinical Inflammation: A Systematic … Continue reading

Preliminary research has also linked cannabinoids to better weight management. Further, research is underway to consider whether cannabis reduces the risk of Type II diabetes.^[2]Danielsson, A. K., Lundin, A., Yaregal, A., Östenson, C. G., Allebeck, P., & Agardh, E. E. (2016). Cannabis Use as Risk or Protection for Type 2 Diabetes: A Longitudinal Study of 18 000 … Continue reading

With these conditions in mind, it’s a good thing that there are options, like sugar-free space cake.

How to Make Sugar-Free Space Cake

Adapted from Hey Keto Mama.

Hash Butter Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter
• 2 grams hash

Cake Ingredients: 

• 2 cups ground almond flour
• 1 cup erythritol, or other sweetener
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup hash-butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup almond milk

Frosting Ingredients:

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup hash butter
• 1/3 cup erythritol
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp heavy whipping cream

Directions:

1. Following the cannabis butter directions, replace the cannabis flower for hash. Use a fine-mesh sieve instead of cheesecloth to strain out the small lingering particles of hash once complete. The hash-butter will inevitably be darker than a cannabis flower recipe. However, the results will be more potent. Allow the butter to cool before using it in the sugar-free space cake.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
3. Line three six-inch cake pans with parchment paper and grease the sides with regular butter.
4. Mix dry ingredients in a bowl and whisk until combined.
5. Add in wet cake ingredients, including hash butter. Using a handheld mixer or a little elbow grease, mix until combined.
6. Pour batter evenly into pans and bake for twenty minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean of batter.
7. Allow cakes to cool completely before removing from the cake pans. Store in the refrigerator until ready to ice.
8. Prepare frosting by mixing all icing ingredients with a handheld mixer until light and fluffy.
9. Using a spatula, spread icing over the first layer before placing the second layer on top. Repeat for the third layer. Once assembled, spread the remainder of the icing around the sides.
10. Store in the refrigerator, and test a small bite or two to confirm potency.

Sugar Free Edibles Are Still a Delicious Option

Space cake often invokes memories of bad-tasting, highly potent-treats from Amsterdam. Edibles bring to mind candies, gummies, and baked goods. Can we elevate space cakes while at the same time making them healthier? Of course.

Keto-friendly and sugar-free recipes adapt well to cannabis infusions. Full of healthy fats, and low-carb sweetener substitutions, these absorb cannabinoids and allow patients to enjoy the edible experience without negatively impacting health. Next time you’ve got a keto-friendly, or reduced sugar recipe in hand, think about how easy it would be to infuse it with hash, and create your very own space cake.