Healthified Carrot Cake

 

1/2

cup fat-free egg product

1/3

cup canola oil

1/3

cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

1/4

cup fat-free (skim) milk

1

teaspoon vanilla

1

cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

1/2

cup Gold Medal® whole wheat flour

1 1/4

cups granulated sugar

1 1/2

teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2

teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2

teaspoon baking soda

1/4

teaspoon salt

2

cups shredded carrots (about 4 medium)

4

oz (half of 8-oz package) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel), softened

2

tablespoons butter or no-trans-fat 68% vegetable oil spread stick, softened

1 1/2

teaspoons vanilla

3

cups powdered sugar

1/2

to 2 teaspoons fat-free (skim) milk

1/3

cup chopped pecans

• 1 Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottoms only of two 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. In large bowl, mix egg product, oil, pumpkin, 1/4 cup milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla with electric mixer on low speed until well blended.
• 2 Add all remaining cake ingredients except carrots. Beat on low speed 30 seconds or until well blended. Stir in carrots. Pour batter evenly into pans.
• 3 Bake 28 to 33 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Carefully run knife around sides of pans to loosen; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• 4 In medium bowl, beat cream cheese and butter with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. On low speed, beat in 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla until well blended. Beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until smooth. If necessary, add milk, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, until frosting is desired consistency. Spread frosting between cake layers and on top. Sprinkle with pecans.