Carrot Cake

  • Level: Easy
  • Yield: 16 servings
  • Total: 2 hr 30 min
  • Prep: 20 min
  • Inactive: 1 hr 30 min
  • Cook: 40 min
Buttermilk and lots of grated carrots keeps this cake super moist without adding much fat. Whole wheat flour and pumpkin pie spice add a great spiced nutty taste.
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Ingredients

Vegetable cooking spray

2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour

1 3/4 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

3 large eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/3 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 cups coarsely grated carrots (about 1 pound)

Lighter Cream Cheese Frosting for serving, recipe follows, optional

Lighter Cream Cheese Frosting:

12 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel)

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with vegetable spray; line it with a piece of parchment paper, leaving an 1-inch overhang on 2 sides and spray the paper.
  2. 2. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice in a medium bowl. In another medium bowl, whisk the eggs and sugars until pale; whisk in the oil, then the buttermilk and vanilla. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold in the carrots. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
  3. 3. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. Using the parchment overhang, remove the cake from the pan. Frost the cooled cake with Lighter Creamy Frosting, if desired. Cut into 16 (2 by 3-inch) pieces and serve.

Lighter Cream Cheese Frosting:

  1. Lighter Cream Cheese Frosting:
  2. In a medium bowl, stir together the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla.
  3. Spread the frosting over the top and sides of the cake.
  4. Yield: 16 servings
  5. Nutritional analysis per serving of frosting
  6. Calories 84; Total Fat 5g (Sat Fat 3g, Mono Fat 1g, Poly Fat 0g) ; Protein 2g; Carb 8g; Fiber 0g; Cholesterol 16mg; Sodium 71mg

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Connie M.

This is the best carrot cake recipe I have tried. Moist and not too sweet. Added 1/2 cup chopped walnuts.

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