Decadent Carrot Cake

Most of us generally serve the traditional pies over the holidays and even though Carrot Cake is a popular item, many stay away from it because it's high in fat and calories.  I found a recipe you won't feel guilty about using some great substitutions and it's just as delicious.

Ingredients:

Cake

• 20-ounce can crushed pineapple
• 2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour, (see Ingredient Note)
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3 large eggs
• 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup nonfat buttermilk, (see Tip)
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups grated carrots, (4-6 medium)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted (see Tip)

Frosting

• 12 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese softened
• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons coconut chips to sprinkle on top if you like

Preparation:

To prepare cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

Drain pineapple in a sieve set over a bowl, pressing on the solids. Reserve the drained pineapple and 1/4 cup of the juice.

Whisk flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Whisk eggs, sugar, buttermilk, oil, vanilla and the 1/4 cup pineapple juice in a large bowl until blended. Stir in pineapple, carrots and 1/4 cup coconut. Add the dry ingredients and mix with a rubber spatula just until blended. Stir in the nuts. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly.

Bake the cake until the top springs back when touched lightly and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

To prepare frosting & finish cake: Beat cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Spread the frosting over the cooled cake. Sprinkle with toasted coconut.

No buttermilk? You can use buttermilk powder prepared according to package directions. Or make “sour milk”: mix 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup milk. Whole-wheat pastry flour is lower in protein than regular whole-wheat flour which has less gluten-forming potential, making it a better choice for tender baked goods.