Carbs in Piece of Birthday Cake?

[hold48398]

So....there will be cake for a celebration tomorrow at Mia's safety summer camp... I assume it is a standard sheet cake with frosting in the middle. I plan on scooping off 90% of the frosting on top and the sides.

Can anyone give me an estimate for number of carbs in a 2x2 square slice? Also, have you found that it helps to give the insulin early to make up for quick effect of the sugar? This is our first cake since the pump, so I would appreciate any suggestions. Thank you!!!

:)

[BrendaK]

My guess is around 30 carbs??? You can also look up www.calorieking.com (we have the book to look up carbs). Or if you have a box of cake mix in your house, look up the carbs on the box and that would give you a good guess.

I would not suggest giving the insulin early unless her blood sugar is really high to start with. Humalog and Novolog work within 5 minutes, about the same time the cake would start to work in her system. You don't want to risk her going low before she eats anything.

Have a fun party!!

[selketine]

Do you have a scale to weigh the slice? I know that most cakes average out to be (WITH frosting on top) about .50 carbs per gram - so 60 grams of cake have 30 carbs for example. I've used this ratio with many cakes and it turns out pretty close.

If you know how to convert grams to ounces you could go that way too if your scale doesn't use grams. I've gotten so good with my scale now I can eyeball it but I really do love that scale (Salter Nutritional Scale).

Another thing I do with the pump is a combo bolus if I think he won't eat all of it or I'm not sure. Maybe a 30 min combo - so if he ate the cake but not the frosting I could cancel at some point and refigure:p

[Karin]

I would agree that a 2x2 piece of cake with frosting is about 30 carbs. We have a booklet that counts a frosted cupcake as 30 carbs. I'm feeling pretty good about my estimating after my sons birthday--3 days with cake in the meal plan. I find that if he has cake with a meal its way more managable than if he has it alone. I also usually round down (he's on injections with needles with just .5 increments), but when cake is part of the meal I round up. Especially if chocolate is involved. He is just like his dad and loves the frosting best, so I try to refrain from scraping it off.

[hold48398]

Thank you so much, everyone!! I will bring my Salter scale with me (I love mine too :) )and maybe a small snack with some protein (ham and cheese roll etc) so it's not going to be cake alone... I'll let you know how it turns out!!!

[hold48398]

Well, the cake was a hit with the girls, and there wasn't a crumb left on the plate :D. Thanks again for all the suggestions, you were all right :). I brought my scale and the slice (it had fairly little frosting on it) came to exactly 30 Carbs/50 grams. Mia started at 146 before cake and 102 2.5 hours afterwards. I was very pleased!!

Thanks again! This forum rocks :D