Low Fat Carrot Cake With Light Cream Cheese Frosting


cooking spray
2 ½ cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon allspice
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon salt – optional
2 cups lightly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 egg plus 2 egg whites
1/2 cup 1% low fat buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups (1 lb.) coarsely grated carrot
1 8-oz. can crushed pineapple, drained
1 recipe LIGHT CREAM CHEESE FROSTING


1. Preheat oven to 350º F and spray a 13- by 9-inch glass or nonstick metal baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.

2. Combine flour, soda, salt and spices together in bowl. Stir dry ingredients together until well combined and set aside.

3. In separate bowl beat egg and egg whites together with sugar and oil until light and fluffy. Stir in buttermilk and vanilla. On low speed or by hand blend flour mixture into liquid mixture in 2 stages, then gently stir carrots and pineapple into batter.

4. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on wire rack for 15 to 30 minutes, when pan is cool enough to touch, loosen edges of cake if necessary and invert onto a serving plate. Allow cake to cool completely before frosting with Light Cream Cheese Frosting and serve or cover loosely until ready to serve.

Yield: 16 servings at approximately 275 calories per 3″ x 3″ piece; 2.8 grams total fat; 0.6 gram saturated fat; 16 milligrams cholesterol; 60 grams carbohydrate; 0.8 gram dietary fiber; 3.6 grams protein; 225 milligrams sodium.

Nutritional Note: To further reduce the cholesterol and fat in this recipe, substitute the whole egg for two more egg whites.

Light Cream Cheese Frosting
¼ cup light cream cheese
¼ cup fat free cream cheese
2 to 2 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract


1. Beat cream cheese together with 2 cups confectioner’s sugar, lemon juice and vanilla until smooth. Beat in additional confectioner’s sugar until desired consistency is reached. Cover and set aside until ready to frost cake.

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