Whole Wheat Carrot Cake With Creamy Orange Icing (Low Fat)

Olha's Note:

Many carrot cakes call for as much as a cup of oil, 4 eggs, 2 cups of sugar. But all that oil isn't necessary for this moist, delicious cake. I love this low fat cake. Use Whole Wheat PASTRY flour found in health food stores. You can use whole wheat flour but the cake will be denser. I also sifted my all purpose flour.

• Total Time: 40 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 16

• 2 -3 large carrots
• 1 large navel orange
• 1 tablespoon raisins
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup canola oil

ICING

• 4 tablespoons fat-free cream cheese, softened
• 1 teaspoon orange juice
• 1/2-2/3 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175 C).
2. Lightly butter a 13 x 9-inch baking pan.
3. Wash and trim carrots and cut into large pieces.
4. Place in a food processor and process until finely chopped, or grate carrots finely, to make 2 cups.
5. I grated my carrots.
6. Set aside.
7. Cut orange into 8 wedges.
8. Do not peel.
9. Remove white center and seeds.
10. Cut wedges into 3 or 4 pieces each and puree in a food processor or blender along with the raisins.
11. Combine flours, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg and salt in a large bowl.
12. In another bowl, combine eggs, buttermilk, maple syrup, brown sugar, oil, carrots and orange.
13. Stir carrot mixture into dry ingredients until combined.
14. Spread batter evenly in pan and bake 25 to 30 minutes, until a cake tester or wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
15. Cool cake in pan.
16. Prepare icing by working cream cheese and orange juice together with the back of a spoon until combined.
17. Stir in enough powdered sugar to obtain a spreadable consistency.
18. When cake is cool, spread top with icing.
19. Makes 16 servings.
20. The One-Day-at-a- Time Low-Fat Cookbook.

Reviews

[gypsygal]

This review is for the icing. I made an Orange Cake and didn't want to use a sugar glaze. I had put the cake in a bundt pan and just wanted a small amount of soft icing to use as an icing
glaze for decoratioon. I used 1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar, about 3 tsp. orange juice and added 1 1/2 tsp. grated orange rind. It was "finger licking good" and perfect for the cake. I took the finished cake to a family "do" and it was loved by all. Many asked for your recipe. Your recipe was "perfect". It was the perfece blend of sweet and tart! Thank you. P.S., I can't wait to make your carrot cake, my SIL will be in heaven when he tates your cake with this wonderful icing.

[GinaCucina]

This cake was fantastic! I did quarter my oranges and removed just the pith but left all of the peel to be used. I was worried it would be too bitter. I also used whole wheat pastry flour for all of the flour. I pureed the orange and added the eggs, buttermilk, oil, syrup, and sugar to the processor to ensure that everything was smooth. The orange was not overpowering at all. I will make this again and as muffins too. I did make my icing thick so that it barely dripped over the top. I sprinkled it with pastel sugars and served it on Easter. All the guests didn't realize it was healthy until I told them!

[momisd]

I made this for a kids' party and all the children loved it. I served it without icing. Next time I might try a mini-processor for the orange: my normal size Cuisinart could not really pulverize it and as a result I could taste bits of peel that were larger than I would prefer in the final cake. If you like marmalade (I do) this will not bother you much! I used whole wheat pastry flour for the whole wheat part, per the note.