Week 12/Recipe 11- Lowfat Carrot Cake?

Does it get better than that?  A home baked dessert that isn't super, uber, duper fattening?  Gotta love that....

A few years ago, I was on a mission to find a carrot that I really liked and was super easy to make... the hardest part being the grating of the carrots, a recipe that didn't have too much going on, no raisins or crazy stuff like that!  Well, I think I found something that I love and the people that have had a taste of it, haven't complained either!  I modified a Paula Deen recipe and it turned out great...

Perfect... except next time I "think" I might want to add some candied walnuts!  Actually, this recipe could have been used for 3- 9" pans but I wanted to make some cupcakes with them also and the little candied walnut would have looked great right on top... couldn't get to the store in time though, those guys were GONE quick :) Ok recipe time!!!

INGREDIENTS:

- 2 cups all purpose flour

- 1 1/2 cups of flour

- 2 teaspoons baking soda

- 2 teaspoons cinnamon

- 1 teaspoon salt

- 1 1/2 cups of apple sauce (the secret ingredient :) )

- 3 eggs

- 1 1/2 cups of sugar

- 3 cups grated carrots

1 1/2 cups candied walnuts

FOR FROSTING:

- 1 8 oz package softened cream cheese

- 1 stick butter

- 1 box powdered sugar (16 oz's)

- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat over to 350 degrees, grease 2- 9" circle pans.  I also put parchment down just in case this thing felt like sticking :)

 

1. grate approximately 5 large carrots (to yield 3 cups).  I LOVE using my food processor for this kind of madness.  Totally worth cleaning the thing to have it done in literally 60 seconds or less!

2.  In the bowl of your mixer or any large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.  Stir to combine.  Or have your helper do it :)

3.  Add eggs and apple sauce... 

 

 
 loving the fact that it's not oil or butter by the way :)

4.  Add in shredded carrots AND nuts if you choose to use those bad boys!

 

Batter will obviously be chunky!

 

5.  Divide batter into the 3 pans.  I like using a cup measure to make sure I get them as even as possible! 

Ok seriously... how easy was that?  Throw the pans in the over and bake for approximately 30-40 minutes.  Bake just until you touch the tops and they bounce back ever so slightly.  Also, as soon as you see the cake pulling away from the pans and its light golden brown, pull em out!

 

Let the cakes cool completely before frosting them!  You can take them out of the pan after about 15 minutes and cool them on a wire rack also if you are so inclined.  I left mine in because I had a lot of crap to do lol!

6.  Go ahead and make your frosting.... YUM and I don't really even like frosting that much, but this stuff is good AND perfect for the cake!  Combine butter, cream cheese, vanilla, and powdered sugar and beat until soft and fluffy.  My batch was pretty "loose" so I put it in the fridge for a few minutes just to make it a bit more firm.

7.  Once the cakes have cooled, grab the frosting and go to town!  Because I am not a huge frosting fan, I only frosted the top and middle of the cake.  I found that this was just the right amount of "sweet" without over powering the cake.  I guess you could even put the nuts in between the layers also instead of IN the batter?  That might be a nice little surprise too!

 

Just put a big ole dollop on and spread to the edges!  Then put the 2nd layer on...

 

and frost that too the same way!   

 

Viola..... remember,I made cupcakes with extra batter so I don't have a 3rd layer!

and yum....

  

Comments

[Jen M.]

I'm totally with you on using the *secret* ingredient. I use applesauce in place of oil a ton when I bake (which is rare). Looks delish!! Must try as I love carrot cake. Thanks for sharing.

[Healthy Foods Blog]

This Carrot Cake is one of the most impressive carrot cake I ever saw in my entire life! I will raise my two thumbs for this one.

[Whitney S]

The instructions call for both eggs and sugar, yet neither is listed in the ingredients list. Can you tell me how much of each to use?

[Juicy Couture Outlet]

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