tasty tuesday ~ "light" carrot cake

It's moist and has a lovely "even" flavor profile. not too sweet...simply delish!

I have been watching my sugar lately which means dessert is few and far between these days. This past weekend I wanted to find a suitable sweet ending to our Sunday meal. My husband loves Carrot Cake and my "go to" recipe is filled with cup after cup of sugar. So I began a search for a lighter version that would still meet my hubby's high flavor standards married to my dietary ones. 

Enter my Saturday morning Food Network line-up on the TiVo. The Neely's to the rescue. This cake only has one cup of sugar in the batter and the spice profile really gives it weight. It was not heavy and rich like the other cake I make which always felt like a lump in your tummy. It was light as a feather and a big winner with my guys.

Celebrate the Feast!

Mary

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This weeks recipe is being shared with Mouthwatering Mondays @ ASouthernFairyTale,  A Wise Woman Build's Her Home, Tuesday's Tasty Tidbits, Nap Time Creations, Balancing Beauty and Bedlam , Domestically Divine Homemaking Link Up, Full Plate @ Miz Helen's Country Cottage, Raising Homemakers , Delicious Dishes, Tempt Your Tummy Tuesday, The King's Court IV, This Chic Cooks, Tuesdays at the Table, 33 Shades of Green, The Lady Behind the Curtain, What's Cooking Wednesday@Extreme Personal Measures as well as the Hearth and Soul Blog Hop@21st Century Housewife. Head on over to their blogs and check out other fabulous recipes.

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Light Carrot Cake

Recipe adapted from The Neelys

Ingredients:

Nonstick cooking spray

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Fine salt

2 large eggs

1 egg white

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

8 oz canned crushed pineapple in fruit juice

1/2 cup vegetable oil

5 medium carrots, peeled and grated (about 3 cups)

Light Cream Cheese Frosting, recipe follows

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13-by-9-inch metal baking pan with nonstick spray. Line the bottom with parchment paper.

Whisk together the all-purpose flour, pastry flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, allspice, ginger and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl.

In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs, egg white, brown sugar and granulated sugar and beat until light and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the pineapple and vegetable oil and mix until thoroughly incorporated into the batter, about another minute.

Add the dry ingredients in thirds and mix until combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the carrots and mix until just combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 35 minutes. Let the cake cool completely before flipping out of the pan and removing the parchment paper. Top with the cream cheese frosting.

Light Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, at room temperature

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest

Beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar and lemon zest together until light and fluffy. Frost the carrot cake.