[redhorror]

I love carrot cake, but the last low-calorie recipe was a great disappointment. I'm looking to make a luscious cake with fewer calories that actually tastes good. Only thing is I don't ussualy use artificial sweetners. any links or suggestions would be really helpful.

[Suzanne 3FC]

Cooking Light usually create very good recipes that don't rely on artificial sweeteners, but just control the amounts of real sugars (etc) to come up with a lighter version of traditionally fattening foods. Here are a few of their carrot cake recipes from their website --

Carrot Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Moist, rich, and lightly spiced, this carrot cake received our Test Kitchens' highest rating. We call for a metal baking pan for the cake; if you use a glass baking dish, which conducts heat better than metal, decrease the baking temperature to 325°, and begin checking for doneness after 25 minutes. For the best frosting consistency, use softened butter and cold cream cheese, and add the powdered sugar in batches.


Cake:
Cooking spray
9 tablespoons butter, softened
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
2 cups finely shredded carrot

Frosting:
1/2 cup (4 ounces) block-style fat-free cream cheese
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 3/4 cups powdered sugar, divided
1 tablespoon orange sugar sprinkles

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare cake, coat a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray; line bottom of pan with wax paper. Coat wax paper with cooking spray; set aside.

Place 9 tablespoons butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed 5 minutes or until well blended. Add eggs and egg whites, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition until pale and fluffy. Beat in 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon salt, stirring with a whisk. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix after each addition. Stir in carrot. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Sharply tap pan once on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Carefully peel off wax paper; cool completely on wire rack.

To prepare frosting, place the cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, 2 teaspoons of vanilla, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Gradually add 2 cups powdered sugar, beating at low speed until smooth (do not overbeat). Stir in the remaining 3/4 cup powdered sugar. Cover and chill 30 minutes. Spread frosting over top of cake. Garnish with sprinkles. Store cake loosely covered in refrigerator.


Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 1 piece)

CALORIES 309(30% from fat); FAT 10.3g (sat 5g,mono 4.1g,poly 0.5g); PROTEIN 4.5g; CHOLESTEROL 52mg; CALCIUM 49mg; SODIUM 358mg; FIBER 0.9g; IRON 1.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 50.2g
Cooking Light, MAY 2005

Half-the-Fat Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Traditional carrot cakes have as much as 1 1/2 cups of oil; this one has far less fat—only 1/2 cup of butter. But you'll be amazed at how moist and tender the cake is. Draining the carrots in a colander helps maintain the cake's texture while keeping it from becoming too heavy.


Cake:
3/4 cup applesauce
5 cups shredded carrot (about 1 pound)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup golden raisins
Cooking spray

Frosting:
4 cups sifted powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (8-ounce) block fat-free cream cheese, chilled
1 (8-ounce) block 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, chilled

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare the cake, spoon the applesauce into a fine sieve over a bowl; let stand 15 minutes. Discard liquid. Scrape drained applesauce into a bowl; cover and refrigerate.

Combine carrot and granulated sugar in a colander. Drain 20 minutes.

Beat the brown sugar and butter with a mixer at medium speed until well-blended (about 2 minutes). Add applesauce, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and coconut extract; beat until well-blended (about 2 minutes). Add eggs and egg whites, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition (batter will have a slightly curdled look).

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (flour through salt); stir well with a whisk. Add brown sugar mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Fold in carrot mixture and raisins (batter will be very thick). Spoon batter into a 13 x 9-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray.

Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.

To prepare the frosting, beat the powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and cheeses with a mixer at low speed just until well-blended (do not overbeat). Spread the frosting over the cake; cover and chill 1 hour.


Yield: 20 servings (serving size: 1 slice)

CALORIES 322(23% from fat); FAT 8.1g (sat 4.8g,mono 2.3g,poly 0.5g); PROTEIN 5.6g; CHOLESTEROL 45mg; CALCIUM 91mg; SODIUM 327mg; FIBER 1.7g; IRON 1.2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 57.7g
Cooking Light, JANUARY 2001

Carrot-Cake Bars



2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons stick margarine or butter, softened
3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large egg whites
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 cups regular oats
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded carrot
1/2 cup raisins
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°.

Beat sugar and margarine at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended (about 5 minutes). Add buttermilk, vanilla, and egg whites; beat well. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (flour through salt); gradually add to sugar mixture, beating just until blended. Stir in carrot and raisins.

Pour batter into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 33 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out almost clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack.


Yield: 12 servings

CALORIES 121(17% from fat); FAT 2.3g (sat 0.5g,mono 0.8g,poly 0.7g); PROTEIN 3.1g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 68mg; SODIUM 138mg; FIBER 2g; IRON 1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 23.3g
Cooking Light, JULY 1998