Healthified Carrott Cake

By barbsjustagirl

53% fewer calories • 77% less sat fat • 73% less fat than the original recipe—see the comparison. Wonderful flavor remains while smart substitutions cut calories and fat.

Ingredients

• Cake
• 1/2 cup fat-free egg product
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1/3 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
• 1/4 cup fat-free (skim) milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup Gold Medal® whole wheat flour
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups shredded carrots (about 4 medium)
• Frosting
• 4 oz (half of 8-oz package) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel), softened
• 2 tablespoons butter or no-trans-fat 68% vegetable oil spread stick, softened
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 to 2 teaspoons fat-free (skim) milk
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans

Preparation

Step 1

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottoms only of two 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. In large bowl, mix egg product, oil, pumpkin, 1/4 cup milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla with electric mixer on low speed until well blended.
2. Add all remaining cake ingredients except carrots. Beat on low speed 30 seconds or until well blended. Stir in carrots. Pour batter evenly into pans.
3. Bake 28 to 33 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Carefully run knife around sides of pans to loosen; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
4. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese and butter with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. On low speed, beat in 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla until well blended. Beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until smooth. If necessary, add milk, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, until frosting is desired consistency. Spread frosting between cake layers and on top. Sprinkle with pecans.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Decrease baking powder to 1 1/4 teaspoons. In step 3, bake 30 to 35 minutes.