Carrot Cake

Name: Carrot Cake
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; 12 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel); 1 cup confectioners' sugar; 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

16 ingredients

20 steps

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
12 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel)
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1

1.
2

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.
3

2.
4

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice in a medium bowl.
5

In another medium bowl, whisk the eggs and sugars until pale; whisk in the oil, then the buttermilk and vanilla.
6

Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold in the carrots.
7

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
8

3.
9

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 35 to 40 minutes.
10

Cool completely on a wire rack.
11

Using the parchment overhang, remove the cake from the pan.
12

Frost the cooled cake with Lighter Creamy Frosting, if desired.
13

Cut into 16 (2 by 3-inch) pieces and serve.
14

Nutritional analysis per serving of cake with frosting
15

Calories 282; Total Fat 11g (Sat Fat 3g, Mono Fat 2.5g, Poly Fat 3g) ; Protein 5g; Carb 42g; Fiber 3g; Cholesterol 56mg; Sodium 310mg
16

In a medium bowl, stir together the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla.
17

Spread the frosting over the top and sides of the cake.
18

Yield: 16 servings
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Nutritional analysis per serving of frosting
20

Calories 84; Total Fat 5g (Sat Fat 3g, Mono Fat 1g, Poly Fat 0g) ; Protein 2g; Carb 8g; Fiber 0g; Cholesterol 16mg; Sodium 71mg