Carrot Cake

Cooking Light April 2011, p. 172

Cake:

10.1 ounces all-purpose flour (about 2 ¼ cups)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon salt

2 cups grated carrot

1 cup granulated sugar

½ cup packed brown sugar

6 tablespoons butter, softened

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup low-fat buttermilk

Cooking spray

Frosting:

6 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 ounce fromage blanc

2 tablespoons butter, softened

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoons salt

3 cups powdered sugar

¼ cup chopped pecans, toasted

My carrots went for a ride in the blender. On a related note, if you freeze carrots and then thaw them out, they get this weird wilty consistency and won't grate like they used to. Because they hate you. 

Preheat oven to 350F.

To prepare cake, weight or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ground cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. 

As whisking goes, this is some pretty fun whisking. 

Add 2 cups grated carrot, tossing to combine.

Place granulated sugar, brown sugar, and 6 tablespoons butter in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer at medium speed until combined. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Spread batter into a 13 x 9-inch metal baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350F for 28 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake completely on a wire rack.

Or as completely as your impatience to eat delicious dessert will let you. 

To prepare frosting, place softened cream cheese and next 4 ingredients (through 1/8 teaspoon salt) in a medium bowl. Beat with a mixer at medium speed until fluffy. 

Fromage blanc is expensive and its flavor doesn't play a huge part in the frosting. I tried it this time just to see, but I'd recommend just going with 8 oz of cream cheese.

Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at medium speed until combined (don’t overbeat). Spread frosting evenly over top of cake. 

Gently. Smoothly. 

Sprinkle evenly with toasted pecans. 

AW YEA.

Just to keep rubbing it in. :)

My Rating: 4/5 "This is supposed to be a lower-cal version of carrot cake. As "healthy" baked goods go, this is high-quality stuff. Nice, mild flavor, not too rich, and although the frosting is a little runny, it has spectacular flavor. Plus, I mean, carrots make it even MORE healthy, right?"