Lower-fat (nut-free!) Carrot Cake
With orange juice and crushed pineapple acting as healthier substitutions for oil, this carrot cake is both deliciously moist and simple to bake
3 eggs
3/4 cup (175 mL) packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup (125 mL) canola oil
1/2 cup (125 mL) orange juice
2 tsp (10 mL) vanilla
2 cups (500 mL) grated carrots
1 cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour
1 cup (250 mL) whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup (125 mL) drained crushed pineapple
2 tsp (10 mL) baking soda
2 tsp (10 mL) cinnamon
Cream Cheese Icing
1 lb (500 g) light cream cheese
1/2 cup (125 mL) icing sugar
1 Tbsp (15 mL) orange juice
Carrot cakes of yore used to contain a whopping 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) of oil. In this delicious variation, two thirds of that amount has been replaced by orange juice and crushed pineapple, with no compromise to the cake’s moisture or flavour. Also, some of the all-purpose flour has been replaced with whole-wheat flour. Instead of
a cake, you could make cupcakes, which are also wonderful without the icing. And because there are no nuts in this recipe, you can send them with your kids to school.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a food processor (a blender is also fine), pulse together eggs, brown sugar, oil, orange juice and vanilla until well blended. Add carrots, flours, pineapple, baking soda and cinnamon; process for 20 seconds, scraping down sides halfway through, until mixture is well combined. Spoon mixture into 18 lightly greased muffin tins or a 10-cup (2.5-L) Bundt pan.
Bake in centre of preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes for cupcakes, or 35 to 40 minutes for cake, or until top of cupcakes or cake springs back when lightly pressed. Let cool in pan on rack. (Without icing, cupcakes or cake can be frozen, well wrapped, for up to six weeks.)
For icing, use electric beaters to beat cream cheese with sugar until fluffy. Beat in orange juice. Spread over individual cupcakes or Bundt cake.
Yields one 10-cup (2.5-L) Bundt cake or 18 individual cupcakes.
Per serving: 227 calories, 5 g protein, 11 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 27 g carbohydrates, 2 g fibre, 50 mg cholesterol, 285 mg sodium
