Carrot Cake is one of those popular desserts that make you believe you’re being virtuous. Carrot cake can be pretty high in sugar and calories. One slice of traditional carrot cake with cream frosting has around 660 calories. With a few substitutions, you can create a delicious carrot cake that is a lot better. Read this recipe that cuts sugar, boosts fiber, and adds nutritious ingredients. Produce a delicious and moist carrot cake you’ll be proud to serve to family and friends.
Eat the Right Kind of Carrots: Carrots are a healthy vegetable, but a serving (4 to 6 small stalks, about 1 cup) has about 70 calories.
Why Do You Add Pineapple to Carrot Cake
Don’t be fooled. While it may look like a slice of cake, this frosted dessert is a cakey cobbler, complete with a toasted oat topping. There’s no fruit in the cake itself, so there’s no harm in enjoying this treat guilt-free.
How Do You Moisten Dry Cake?
While a moist cake is always a plus, you don’t need your carrot cake dry. A touch of texture is key to a moist cake. That’s where the applesauce comes in. Applesauce can be used as a thickener and reduces the amount of liquid in the cake without being unacceptably sticky or grainy. Just leave out the sugar and cream cheese, and you have a moist cake. What if the recipe says cinnamon? Is that an acceptable substitute for brown sugar? While a pinch of cinnamon can impart a nutty taste, it’s not the same.
What To Do When Your Cake Is Too Moist
The moistness comes from carrots, butter, and cream cheese frosting, which may be high in carbohydrates and calories. Instead of dairy, you could use non-dairy cream cheese or vegan cream cheese frosting. You could also substitute plain yogurt, kefir, or sour cream.
Carrot Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups pecans chopped
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 eggs
- ½ cup applesauce unsweetened
- 1½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 2 cups carrots grated
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 16 oz cream cheese softened to room temperature
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Instructions
Carrot Cake
- Preheat the oven to 300°F, line a baking sheet and spread chopped pecans on sheet. Toast in oven for 8 minutes, remove and let cool for 10 minutes.
- Heat oven to 350°F. Grease cake pans and line with parchment paper on bottom.
- In a large bowl, whisk together brown sugar, granulated sugar, applesauce, eggs, oil, and vanilla. Whisk until no lumps appear.
- In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Mix together the wet and dry ingredients, and mix to combine.
- Add in 1 cup of pecans and add carrots. After mixing to combine, pour batter into cake pan(s).
- Bake for 24 minutes, test for moisture with a toothpick in the middle. Let cakes cool before frosting.
Frosting
- In a large bowl or mixer, whisk and beat cream cheese and butter. Using a mixer, mix for 2 minutes. Add in powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat on low speed for 45 seconds, then beat on high speed for 4 minutes. Mix until creamy.
- Use a flat knife to level the frosting on the cake. Place cake layers on top of each other with frosting on each layer. Spread the rest of the frosting on top and sides. Decorate the cake with the rest of the toasted pecans. Refrigerate cake for 20 minutes before slicing. Serve.
Nutrition
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