Grandma's Healthy Carrot Cake

This tried-and-true carrot cake has been updated to be a little more nutritious, and is guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser. It is also very easy to put together and uses standard ingredients. If the batter looks dry (results will vary according to humidity and altitude), feel free to add a little milk. As for the icing, I have found that the moisture content of light cream cheese is higher, so you won't need to add any butter/ margarine.

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Serves: 12
• Yields: 1 cake

Ingredients

• Cake

• 1  cup sugar
• 1⁄4 cup canola oil
• 1⁄4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 3  eggs
• 3⁄4 cup white flour
• 3⁄4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2  cups carrots, peeled and grated
• 1  cup raisins

• Icing

• 4  ounces  soft light cream cheese
• 2  teaspoons vanilla
• 2  cups icing sugar

Directions

1. In a large bowl, cream sugar, oil, applesauce and eggs.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, mix dry ingredients together and add to creamed ingredients.
3. Fold in carrots and raisins.
4. Spray a 9x9 pan with non-stick spray.
5. Place batter in pan and bake at 275 F for 50 minutes or less.
6. Combine cream cheese, vanilla and icing sugar in a medium-sized bowl.
7. Blend with hand blender, or cake mixer until no lumps remain (resist the temptation to add milk unless you absolutely have to).
8. When cake is fully cool, spread over icing top of cake and let set for about 15 minutes.
9. Enjoy!