It is Christmas already and while the Christmas tree decoration, presents and all the family get-togethers are mind-blowing it is the Christmas cake that we live for. Correct me if I'm lying, Christmas cake is where our heart is. Would you look at the variety? Right from apple creme cake, mincemeat cake, apple pies, fruit cake, raisins & rum cake, cream cheesecake with whipping cream, carrot cake, plum cake, to banana cake, there are so many types of cakes to eat guilt-free during Christmas. But as they say "once on the lips and forever on the hips", you can't ignore the fact that the cakes will take a toll on your weight loss goals. Not only are these deliciously-tasting cakes laden with carbs and fat but also give you sugar-rush. Christmas Recipes 2019: From Plum Cake to Rum & Raisin, Best Dessert Recipe You Can Try on December 25. 

However, if you are planning to make Christmas cakes at home on your own, you can try out a few tried and tested tricks to make your cake healthier. And when we say healthier we mean less damaging to for your weight loss regimen. Take a look at some of the hacks that will come in handy this Christmas.

Sugar Alternatives

Instead of using refined sugar, opt for healthier sugar alternatives such as Stevia (considered the healthiest), xylitol, erythritol, maple syrup, molasses and honey.

Icing Sugar

The dust of icing sugar may seem harmless but you ingest quite a lot of sugar that way. You might want to skip that.

Frosting

Look for low-fat frosting cream. You can even make some from scratch at home.

Spices

Infuse some healthy spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, etc into your cake to give it the kick of taste as well as health.

Multi-Grain Flour

Why not go for multi-grain flour instead of all-purpose flour? While it may alter the taste a little bit, but not as much as it will affect your weight loss goals.

Nuts

Add a variety of healthy nuts like walnuts, pistachios, pecans, almonds, peanuts etc. to your cake to make it healthier.

Chocolate

Look for dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate or sugar-infused chocolate.

However, while these tips do help you make your cake healthier and less fattening than the regular version, you must remember that it works only when you follow portion control. Binging on any kind of food is not healthy and only helps you gain weight.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 20, 2019 10:20 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).