Skinny Carrot Cake

Ingredients

• Carrot Cake Ingredients:
• 1/4 cup pastry flour (82 calories - if using whole wheat pastry flour, you may want to increase apple sauce by one tablespoon)
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (1.5 calories)
• 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/16 teaspoon ground nutmeg (1 calorie)
• 1/16 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (12 calories)
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce (12.5 calories)
• 2 tablespoons Truvia
• 3 tablespoons eggbeaters or liquid egg-whites (25 calories)
• 1 chopped carrot (2 calories)
• 1 chopped pecan half (10 calories)
• Frosting Ingredients:
• 1 tablespoon fat-free cream cheese, room temperature (15 calories)
• 2 tablespoons Truvia
• 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt (15 calories, depending)
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (3 calories)
• Optional: 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Optional: 1 chopped pecan half(10 calories)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, add in all dry ingredients for carrot cake batter (do not include frosting ingredients).
3. Stir in wet ingredients one-by-one, mixing well after each addition.
4. Pour batter into a small (about 6-inches in diameter) oven-safe, non-stick pan. This can also be made into a mini Bundt cake. I made my own tray out of non-stick foil 🙂
5. Allow to bake for approximately 7 minutes. I always tell my readers to keep a watchful eye on their baked goods, as cooking time will depend on readers' ovens regardless of temperature. I know it's weird, but it's true!
6. While cake is baking, mix ingredients for cream cheese frosting in a small bowl. Place in fridge to cool and harden for about 15 minutes.
7. Remove cake once finished cooking - you can check if it's done by jabbing a toothpick in the middle of the cake. If the toothpick is without any wet batter when removed, your cake is ready!
8. Place cake, covered, in fridge and allow to cool for approximately 15 minutes.
9. When ready to eat, spread cake with frosting and enjoy!