Healthier Carrot Cake

You don’t have to use refined sweeteners to get a quintessential carrot cake that is moist and euphoria-producing. Healthy and scrumptious, this recipe is a total keeper.

This recipe makes 3 8-inch layers or one 9-inch by 13-inch pan.

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup walnuts
1 1/2 cup peeled, grated carrots (3 or 4 large carrots)
3/4 cup crushed, unsweetened pineapple (fresh or canned in it’s own juice)
3/4 cup raisins
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup agave nectar
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line the bottoms of cake pan or pans with parchment paper.

2. Toast the walnuts in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes, then allow to cool. Chop the nuts coarsely with a knife or in a food processor.

3. Peel and grate the carrots to a medium grate. Drain the canned pineapple (reserve the juice for another use). Combine the chopped nuts, grated carrots, pineapple, and raisins, and set aside.

4. Sift together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking soda into a bowl.

5. In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer on medium-high speed to cream the butter and agave nectar together until well blended. Add the eggs one at a time, incorporating the first egg before adding the second. Add vanilla extract.

6. On the lowest speed, stir in the dry ingredients. Fold the carrot mixture in by hand with a rubber or silicone spatula.

7. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, depending on pan size. The cake is done when it bounces back when touched lightly in the center.

8. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool. Make sure it is completely cool before frosting.

Read more: Food, All recipes, Desserts, , carrot cake

Adapted from a recipe found on Debra Lynn Dadd’s Sweet Savvy site.

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Donna H.

7:46AM PDT on Apr 20, 2012

Sounds great - thanks for posting.

send a green star

Jennifer C.

12:52AM PDT on Aug 2, 2011

The recipe sounds good. Thanks.

Michele W.

7:24AM PDT on Jul 13, 2011

Thank you

7:23AM PDT on Jul 13, 2011

KS G.

5:11AM PDT on May 10, 2011

Thanks for the article.

NO EMAILS P.

12:21AM PST on Feb 15, 2010

thanks

Abo r.

6:38AM PST on Feb 2, 2010

Noted

Joyce P.

4:33PM PST on Feb 1, 2010

Costco also sells Agave -- but not raw. It's become mainstream.

For a frosting or icing, try googling "recipe for organic carrot cake icing" -- I found several that way.

4:26PM PST on Feb 1, 2010

Agave Nectar is everywhere. Try Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, health food stores. Raw Organic is best. Stevia does NOT work as a substitute for sugar, agave, etc. in cakes. But it is the best sugar substitute in just about anything but baking.

Katie R.

10:16AM PST on Jan 31, 2010

I am going to try this with an egg substitute, sounds delicious!