Healthified Carrot Cake

Is healthified a word??  I hope so.  We can pretend right?

My grandmother's favorite (or one of her favorite) desserts is carrot cake.  Since the fam visited near Easter I thought it was the perfect dessert choice to have while they were here visiting!  I found a recipe that looked interesting because it used canned crushed pineapple in place of oil.  It proved successful, if you like the tartness of pineapple--which I do!!  

You will start by shredding 2 cups worth of carrots.  If you are smart, you will buy them already shredded.  This step took the longest of them all and was so monotonous!  

Next, mix all of the dry ingredients.  3/4 cup all purpose flour, 3/4 cup whole wheat flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, 2 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt, and 2 tsp ground cinnamon  .  

Now, you will mix the eggs (2), 2Tbsp canola oil, and 1 1/2 tsp vanilla together.

Once well combined, mix the wet ingredients and dry ingredients together until a thick, doughy mixture forms

Stir in the 2 cups grated carrots.

Stir until everything is well blended.  The mixture will be thick and doughy now.

Finally, add 1 20 oz can crushed (drained) pineapple and stir until well combined.

I baked a sheet cake, but you could choose a 9x13 cake pan or 2 8" round cake pans as well.  I baked at 350 for 20 minutes.  Baking times will vary depending on the pan you choose though.

For the cream cheese frosting, blend 1 8 oz pack cream cheese (NOT fat free!!!) and 1 cup powdered sugar.  Stir in 1-2 tsp vanilla to taste. 

I went a little out of my comfort zone and even decorated this cake.  These people really don't know how lucky they were-ha!  I used Betty Crocker orange and green icing to pipe on a carrot design.

I drew the design in the icing with a knife instead of trying to free-hand draw with the icing.  I am not nearly talented enough to free-hand!  I had to re-do the image a few times until it was good enough to at least maybe kinda resemble a carrot!

I further accessorized with some walnuts around the edges of the cake to fancy it up just a bit more--whoah 

Ta-daaa.

This cake was a big hit and rings in right around 200 calories a slice if you cut 16 slices.  Not bad for an indulgent treat  ;)  We took the leftovers back to Alabama with us and that is where they stayed.  Heaven knows these hips don't need it!

Happy weekend!