A Healthy Carrot Cake Recipe For Memorial Day Food

THE CARROT CAKE RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat the Oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour 2 round cake pans.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt and 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon.
• In a large bowl beat eggs on high speed until foamy (1 min), Add 1 cup honey and beat on high another 4 min. Blend in 1/2 cup canola oil, 2 tsp vanilla and applesauce.
• Add in the flour mixture 1/2 cup at a time and mix until it is just incorporated into the batter.
• Use a spatula to fold in the grated carrots and walnuts (if using) just until combined.
• Divide the batter equally among the two cake pans and bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes; a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean (mine was closer to 30 min).
• Tip: While cakes are in the oven make your frosting and refrigerate frosting until ready to use.
• Remove cakes form the oven and once they are cool enough to handle, remove from cake molds and let them cool completely to room temp before assembling and frosting your cake. Note: if the cakes are still warm, your frosting will melt.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix the 2 sticks of butter with 2 cups powdered sugar on low speed or until combined (1 min) Don't start on high speed or you will be surrounded in a cloud of powdered sugar. Increase speed to high and beat until the mixture is pale and fluffy (2 min).
• Add cream cheese 1-piece at a time and mix until combined. (I waited maybe 3 seconds in between each piece; it's one after another really. Once all of the cream cheese is incorporated. continue to beat 1 more minute.
• Add 1 Tbsp vanilla and mix until combined (1 min). Refrigerate frosting until ready to use.
• Place your first (fully cooled) cake layer down on a cake platter. Cover the top generously with frosting.Top with the second cake layer and frost the top and sides until smooth.
• I pulled the frosting up all around the cake (If you don't have an icing knife, you can use a spoon) to make the "column" effect on the sides. I then used my WILTON 1M large frosting tip and a pastry bag to pipe the pattern all around the top rim of the cake.
• Top the cake (staying inside the border) with toasted coarsely chopped walnuts and drizzle generously with honey. This cake is best eaten the same day, but refrigerate the cake if not serving right away and let it sit at least 1 hour at room temp before serving to give the frosting and cake a chance to soften up.

HEALTHY CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• In one large bowl, whisk the eggs for 10 seconds. Add yogurt, oil, maple syrup, milk and vanilla extract; whisk well and set aside.
• In another large bowl, add flour, cinnamon, baking powder + soda, and salt; whisk well breaking any baking soda or powder lumps. Set aside.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, spray large 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. Preheat large skillet on low heat, add walnuts and toast for a few minutes (until fragrant), stirring occasionally. Add coconut flakes and toast another minute, stirring frequently. Turn off the heat. Grate carrots.
• Add dry ingredients to a bowl with wet, stir gently until combined (do not over mix).
• Add carrots, walnuts and coconut flakes; stir gently just enough to combine.
• Pour into previously prepared baking dish and bake for: 9 x 13 dish - 40 minutes, 6" pans - 25-30 minutes, 8" pans - 35-40 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and cool off completely (about 4-5 hours).
• While cake is cooling down, line small colander with a coffee filter or paper towel and place on top of a small bowl. Add yogurt and let it strain in a fridge for a few hours.
• When ready to assemble your healthy carrot cake, discard the whey and add strained yogurt into a medium bowl along with icing sugar and vanilla extract. Whisk well, transfer on top of cake, spread with spatula, garnish with toasted coconut flakes (chips) and cut into 16 slices.

HEALTHY CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a 10-inch springform pan with nonstick spray.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl, beat together the egg, egg whites, brown sugar, canola oil, and vanilla extract on medium speed until well combined. Add the grated carrots and beat for 1 minute. Add the pineapple and shredded coconut and beat just until incorporated.
• With a wooden spoon, stir in half of the flour mixture, just until the flour almost disappears. Stir in the buttermilk. Add the remaining flour mixture, continuing to stir in by hand, just until combined. Gently fold in the walnuts and raisins.
• Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. (Check at the 30-minute mark-if the edges of the cake are browning too quickly, tent with foil, then return to the oven to finish baking.) Remove the cake from the oven and let cool completely in the pan. Run a dull knife, such as a butter knife, along the edge of the cake to loosen, then unmold it. Carefully transfer the cake to a serving plate.
• Meanwhile, prepare the frosting: In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese, Greek yogurt, butter, vanilla extract, almond extract (if using), and salt at medium speed for 2 minutes, until fluffy and well combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar, increasing the speed to medium as you go. Beat for 1 to 2 minutes until well combined.
• Spread the frosting evenly over top of the cooled cake. Sprinkle with toasted nuts and serve.

HEALTHY CARROT CAKE (EXCEPT THE FROSTING!)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Mix together apple pulp, carrot pulp and oil.
• Add in the honey, eggs, and vanilla.
• In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix in with the wet ingredients.
• Stir in walnuts.
• Grease 2 round cake pans. Put half the mixture in each pan.
• Bake for about 1 hour. I always check on mine after about 45 minutes.
• Let cool for 5-10 minutes. Take cakes out of pan and onto a cooling rack until almost all the way cooled off.
• Put one cake upside down on a plate. Cover with frosting. Put the other cake right side up on top of the upside down one. Cover the entire cake (top and sides) with frosting.
• I usually put aside a small part of the frosting and color part of it orange and part of it green with food coloring and make carrots on the top of the cake (as best I can - my artistic talents are extremely limited!).
• ENJOY!

HEALTHY CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Coat a 9X13 pan with spray and dust lightly with flour.
• Tap out the excess flour.
• Whisk the flours with the baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
• Set aside.
• Beat the egg, egg whites, brown sugar and oil with an electric mixer until smooth.
• Add the carrots and beat for 1 minute.
• Add the buttermilk, pineapple and raisins and beat again.
• Add the flour mixture and beat until well mixed.
• Scrape the batter into the pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
• Cool the cake in the pan set on a wire rack.
• Frost, if desired, when completely cool.
• Store the cake in the pan in the refrigerator.
• To make the frosting, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with an elecric mixer set at medium-high speed until smooth.
• Reduce the speed to medium-low and add the milk, a tsp.
• at a time until the frosting is at spreading consistency.
• Spread the frosting on the cooled, uncut cake.

HEART HEALTHY CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 13" X 9" baking pan with non-stick spray. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, stir together the flours, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and cloves, set aside.
• In another large bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Slowly beat in the sugar. Then slowly beat in the applesauce, buttermilk and vanilla.
• Using a spoon, stir in the flour mixture just until combined. Then stir in, one ingredient at a time, the crushed pineapple, carrots, walnuts and raisins.
• Spread mixture in prepared pan. Bake for approximately 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
• Cool completely. Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting.

A HEALTHY CARROT CAKE RECIPE FOR MEMORIAL DAY

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine almond flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg.
• In a separate bowl, mix together eggs, agave and oil.
• Stir carrots, raisins and walnuts into wet ingredients.
• Stir wet ingredients into dry.
• Place batter into 2 well greased, round 9 Inch cake pans.
• Bake at 325 degrees for 35 minutes.
• Cool to room temperature and spread with coconut frosting.
• Serve.