Every time my mom comes to town she makes Jack a carrot cake (although I think this was the third carrot cake she made for him (us) that week). It’s his favorite and I never make it. I find it messy to grind up the carrots and I opt for pumpkin baked goods because I think they taste so similar. It’s way easier to dump pumpkin out of a can than get messy with carrots. That being said, I did my part in helping inhale 3 carrot cakes within 6 days.*
This is a really healthy cake with not-as-healthy frosting. She uses next to no sugar in the cake since the frosting provides plenty. It’s made with whole spelt flour, agave syrup, and applesauce instead of their refined counterparts. It’s more like a bread or muffin until you slather it with frosting.
*We baked this mini cake (pictured) along side a regular batch because we thought the dish was cute. (“we” being my mom and I… Jack doesn’t call things cute and/or care what dishes look like.)
CARROT CAKE:
2 eggs
1/2 cup agave syrup
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup applesauce
1/4 cup plain or vanilla yogurt
1 lb. carrots (chopped or mini carrots)
2 cups wheat (or spelt) flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon cinnamon
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
(this makes some extra)
4 oz. cream cheese (or tofutti cream cheese for non-dairy version)
4 T. butter (or earth balance)
3 C. powdered sugar
1-2 T. milk (or non-dairy milk), as needed
1 t. vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In food processor, combine eggs, sugar, oil, applesauce and yogurt. Pulse for 10-20 seconds. Using the shredder disk, shred carrots into egg mixture.
Transfer carrot mixture to a mixing bowl. Add dry ingredients and mix with a hand mixer until all ingredients are combined – about one minute.
Spread in greased 8 x 11″ cake pan and bake 20-25 minutes. Check center of cake for doneness at 20 minutes. Cake will be very dense and should pull away from sides of pan when done.
Cool and frost.
Glad to visit this blog, keep it going.
This sounds and looks so good and moist!
Yum, I love your addition of the apple sauce and yoghurt
Happy New Years!
It sounds (and looks) delicious, wishing you a wonderful NYE!
Looks great. Question – bake at what degrees? And where’s the agave in the recipe? thanks.
Thanks for pointing these out… I just fixed those 2 items in the recipe. Temp is 350 degrees, and I meant to type agave syrup instead of sugar.
I made this yesterday, and the frosting was delicious! My whole family loved it, and the cake was gone in a day.
I have invented a kind of healthy version of topping: http://gewoonlekkergewoon.blogspot.com/2011/11/heeft-u-ook-worteltjestaart.html
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Just moved house (and country and hemisphere!) with my dearly beloved and we are in the process of replenishing the new pantry, with nutritious, unrefined baking goods. Have bookmarked a lot of your recipes, such as this (!) and plan to direct my baking (and thus my blog) towards such beautiful, healthful delights. Your site is gorgeous, keep up the incredible photos and recipes.
thank you Christina!
Another yummy loaf. Did you use blue agave or light agave syrup?
Hi Annalee,
Light agave, I usually buy the Whole Foods brand. Granulated sugar also works, I just happened to not have any that day
Thanks for the great recipe! I didn’t have apple sauce so I blended up a ripe peach and used 1 cup whole wheat and 1 cup white flour. I was a little concerned with using all whole wheat but will try it next time. I also made muffins and think I’m going to make another batch with all whole wheat flour. Think some of my co-workers will like these since they aren’t sweet. Thanks so much! Glad I found your site.
I love carrot cake and was happy to see this healthier version. I just attempted this receipt and if I make it again I will definitely put more cinnamon in, maybe some other spices as well. I also opted out of the frosting and just put some greek yogurt on the slice I ate–I recommend it!
This looks great! The mini cake you made, is that about the size of a loaf pan? Did you just halve the recipe you posted for it to fit?
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