Craving carrot cake
I was intensely craving carrot cake the other day. I guess of any dessert, that's the "healthiest" one that you could crave.....which is good (sort of). I luckily had all of the ingredients necessary at the house, so I set to work.
I used a recipe out of a great cookbook called Meals That Heal. It isn't necessarily a book for diet foods, but instead a book which uses fresh fruits and vegetables, less saturated fat, and more fiber to create familiar foods in a healthier way. Nothing yet from this book has disappointed our palates. This is no exception.
Cake:
2 c. whole grain pastry flour
2 t. baking powder
2 t. baking soda
1 t. ground cinnamon
1/4 t. salt
1 c. granulated sugar (I used raw sugar)
2 eggs
2 egg whites
1/3 c. canola oil
2 t. vanilla extract
1 c. buttermilk or fat-free yogurt
2 c. finely shredded carrots
1/2 c. golden raisins (or regular raisins)
1/2 c. well-drained crushed pineapple
Frosting:
2 oz. reduced-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
2 T. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1-1/4 c. confectioner's sugar
1/2 t. vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350. Coat 2 8" round cake pans with cooking spray. (I made it in one 9x13" dish instead.) In medium bowl, combine flour through salt. In large bowl, with whisk, beat sugar, eggs, whites, oil, and vanilla till frothy. Add buttermilk. Stir in carrots, raisins, and pineapple. Add flour mixture and stir just till blended.
Evenly divide between the two pans. Bake 25 minutes, till wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool on racks 30 minutes. Loosen edges and remove from pans; cool completely.
Make frosting:
In medium bowl, beat cream cheese and butter just till blended. Add sugar and vanilla; beat till fluffy. Frost cake.
Serves 10.
(Calories:445; Fat:13g; Protein:7g; Fiber:4g)
(NOTE: Whole grain pastry flour can be found at any health food store. I buy mine in bulk at Earthfare or Whole Foods because it's much cheaper that way. It's basically whole wheat flour that is ground ultra-fine for specific use of baking cookies and cakes.)
I used a recipe out of a great cookbook called Meals That Heal. It isn't necessarily a book for diet foods, but instead a book which uses fresh fruits and vegetables, less saturated fat, and more fiber to create familiar foods in a healthier way. Nothing yet from this book has disappointed our palates. This is no exception.
Cake:
2 c. whole grain pastry flour
2 t. baking powder
2 t. baking soda
1 t. ground cinnamon
1/4 t. salt
1 c. granulated sugar (I used raw sugar)
2 eggs
2 egg whites
1/3 c. canola oil
2 t. vanilla extract
1 c. buttermilk or fat-free yogurt
2 c. finely shredded carrots
1/2 c. golden raisins (or regular raisins)
1/2 c. well-drained crushed pineapple
Frosting:
2 oz. reduced-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
2 T. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1-1/4 c. confectioner's sugar
1/2 t. vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350. Coat 2 8" round cake pans with cooking spray. (I made it in one 9x13" dish instead.) In medium bowl, combine flour through salt. In large bowl, with whisk, beat sugar, eggs, whites, oil, and vanilla till frothy. Add buttermilk. Stir in carrots, raisins, and pineapple. Add flour mixture and stir just till blended.
Evenly divide between the two pans. Bake 25 minutes, till wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool on racks 30 minutes. Loosen edges and remove from pans; cool completely.
Make frosting:
In medium bowl, beat cream cheese and butter just till blended. Add sugar and vanilla; beat till fluffy. Frost cake.
Serves 10.
(Calories:445; Fat:13g; Protein:7g; Fiber:4g)
(NOTE: Whole grain pastry flour can be found at any health food store. I buy mine in bulk at Earthfare or Whole Foods because it's much cheaper that way. It's basically whole wheat flour that is ground ultra-fine for specific use of baking cookies and cakes.)
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