Birthday coming up? Maybe an anniversary or graduation? Or are you just in the mood to bake a cake and enjoy how delicious cake is? Well, you now you can have your cake and eat it too, because we’ve dug through ALL the options to find the most kidney friendly cake mixes and frosting for people living with kidney disease.
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Table of Contents
Is cake high in phosphorus?
Yes, the majority of cakes are considered high phosphorus foods due to the amount of phosphorus additives in them. Phosphorus additives should be avoided by people living with kidney disease. Phosphorus additives have been linked to increased risk of worsening cardiovascular disease and mortality. Elevated phosphorus levels can also lead to some pretty awful symptoms like puritis (intense itching) and calciphylaxis (I’m not going to show you pictures, but google at your own risk).
Most cakes contain added phosphate because most cakes contain baking powder. Traditional baking powder is essentially one big phosphorus additive, and although it doesn’t seem like you are adding much when you cook, you are actually adding quite a bit of phosphorus (which means most cake mixes are not kidney friendly cake mixes)!
In a typical cake recipe, the baking powder can add more than 100mg of phosphorus additive to each slice! That’s a lot of phosphorus! – and this doesn’t even include the phosphorus added to many cake frostings.
Now, some people will simply advise you to cook cakes from scratch. You can make a phosphate free baking powder using baking soda and cream of tarter, so cooking from scratch is one way to enjoy cake without worry about phosphorus additives. To make kidney friendly baking powder, mix 1 part baking soda and 2 parts cream of tartar.
But have you baked a cake from scratch? It is not easy. I’ve done it. It makes a huge mess…and the cake is usually not even that good. I know plenty of bakeries that don’t even bake their cakes from scratch. Boxed mixes are often a better option for most people. But most boxed mixes contain traditional baking powder.
Lucky for us, there are some boxed kidney friendly cakes mixes that don’t contain any phosphorus additives! Read on to figure out what they are.
Want to know if chocolate cake is okay? Read more about chocolate here.
Is cake high in potassium?
No, a typical cake is not considered a high potassium food. Cake is very high in sugar, which does not contain any potassium.
Is cake ok for kidneys?
The majority of cakes would not be considered a good dessert choice for someone living with kidney disease. This is based on the high amount of phosphorus in the cakes, which can drive up your phosphorus levels and cause damage to your cardiovascular system.
Cakes are also high in sugar and made from refined grains. Even if you choose a cake with no added phosphorus, cake should still be considered a treat and eaten in moderation. Although sugar is low in minerals like potassium, sodium, and phosphorus, it is not considered a healthy food. We recommend limiting sweets to 200 calories per day or less.
If you want to enjoy cake on a kidney diet, we recommend choosing one of the boxed mixes below or baking a cake from scratch using a substitute for the traditional baking powder. Mixing 1 part baking soda and 2 parts cream of tartar will make a kidney friendly baking powder substitute.
Is cake frosting bad for kidneys?
Similar to cake mix, most frosting contains added phosphorus. Phosphorus additives can help make thing creamier and also maintain the color. Interestingly enough, many brands make both cake mix and frosting…but one of them always has a phosphorus additive! So be prepared to mix and match your brands!
Is cake okay if I have kidney disease and diabetes?
In addition to the concerns mentioned above about phosphorus additives, people with diabetes need to be mindful of the sugar and carbohydrate content of cake. Ideally the majority of carbohydrates consumed would come from high fiber, nutrient dense foods such as fruits, starchy vegetables, whole grains, and legumes.
Cake is typically low in beneficial fiber, antioxidants, and other nutrients. We would recommend limiting cake to special occasions and choosing a small portion to enjoy. The larger the portion, the more it will raise your blood sugar levels.
Are pre-made cakes bad for kidneys?
Don’t have time to bake a cake from a box? Or maybe you aren’t a professional cake decorator and you’re looking for something extra fancy?
Most store or bakery made cakes will contain phosphorus additives. If you know the store that you want to purchase from, have them provide you with the ingredient lists of their cakes. Chances are, it’s the cake that contains phosphorus.
- Ask if they can bake your cake without traditional baking powder and instead use cream of tartar and baking soda. Many bakeries are happy to make adjustments for their customers.
- Ask if they can use your kidney friendly cake mix (or your frosting if that is where their phosphorus is coming from). That way, they can still do all the heavy lifting (and decorating), so you can enjoy your phosphorus free cake!
Kidney Friendly Cake Recipes
If you are baking a cake from scratch, then there is no need to look for a special recipe. The main problem with most cake recipes is the baking powder. Most traditional baking powders are very high in phosphorus. You can make your own baking powder by mixing up 1 part baking soda and 2 parts cream of tartar. Mix thoroughly. Then measure it out like regular baking powder!
Kidney Friendly Cake Mixes
Check out the list below, or shop our idea lists on amazon.
European Gourmet Bakery Organic Kidney Friendly Cake Mix
- Calories: 130
- Protein: 2g
- Carbohydrate: 31g
- Fat: 0g
- Sodium: 270mg
- Phosphorus
Additives: None - Calcium: 0mg
- Fiber: 1g
- Sugar: 16g
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Annie’s Organic Confetti Kidney Friendly Cake Mix
- Calories: 180
- Protein: 2g
- Carbohydrate: 43g
- Fat: 0g
- Sodium: 250mg
- Phosphorus
Additives: None - Calcium: 0mg
- Fiber: 0g
- Sugar: 24g
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Duncan Hines Keto Kidney Friendly Cake Mix
- Calories: 200
- Protein: 5g
- Carbohydrate: 21g
- Fat: 11g
- Sodium: 120mg
- Phosphorus
Additives: None - Potassium: 260mg
- Calcium: 30mg
- Fiber: 5g
- Sugar: 2g
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Kidney Friendly Frosting and Icing
Pillsbury Creamy Supreme Kidney Friendly Frosting
- Calories: 140
- Protein: 0g
- Carbohydrate: 22g
- Fat: 5g
- Sodium: 65mg
- Phosphorus
Additives: None - Potassium: 0mg
- Calcium: 0mg
- Fiber: 0g
- Sugar: 20g
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Betty Crocker Decorating Kidney Friendly Icing
- Calories: 25
- Protein: 0g
- Carbohydrate: 4g
- Fat: 1g
- Sodium: 15mg
- Phosphorus
Additives: None - Potassium: 0mg
- Calcium: 0mg
- Fiber: 0g
- Sugar: 4g
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Wilton Decorating Icing Pouch
- Calories: 150
- Protein: 0g
- Carbohydrate: 25g
- Fat: 6g
- Sodium: 10mg
- Phosphorus
Additives: None - Potassium: 0mg
- Fiber: 0g
- Sugar: 24g
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