(Healthy?) Carrot cake

Carrot cake might be the perfect dessert – it contains enough good-for-you elements to create a semblance of nutritional value, yet has a decadent topping to reassure you that yes, this is in fact a worthy indulgence.

This version might be one of the healthier ones out there – it’s made with whole wheat flour and oat bran, and not too much sugar.  My mother recently discovered white whole wheat flour, which tastes, to me, almost indistinguishable from all-purpose (unlike regular whole wheat).  The oat bran provides a more substantial texture that helps stand up to the moisture of the shredded carrots, and the resulting cake is hearty, dense with carrots, and dark with spices.

The star of any carrot cake, of course, is the sweet yet tangy cream cheese frosting. While a good amount of frosting was lost to my “taste testing”, there was still plenty left to spread atop the finished cake.

In addition to dessert, I feel completely justified in having this for breakfast or a light snack.  It’s the perfect combination of carrot-whole wheat-oat bran healthy goodness and the sheer giddy deliciousness of frosting.

Carrot cake
1 1/4 lb carrots (6-7 medium/large)
2 cups white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup oat bran
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp salt
4 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cup canola oil

Frosting
8 oz cream cheese, softened
5 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 tbsp sour cream or plain yogurt
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar

Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish and line the bottom with parchment paper, and also grease the parchment paper.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Wash carrots thoroughly (no need to peel them) and shred in food processor.  Place in a bowl and set aside.

Combine flour, oat bran, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt in a medium bowl, and set aside.

Rinse out the Cuisinart and fit with the metal blade.  Blend eggs and sugar for about 30 seconds, until combined and slightly frothy.  While blending, pour in oil slowly and continue to blend for another 30 seconds or so.

Transfer egg mixture into a large mixing bowl and stir in the carrots, then the flour mixture.  Stir until just combined.  Pour into prepared baking dish and bake for 35 minutes or so – until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool the cake thoroughly before frosting, at least 2 hours.

To make frosting, blend the cream cheese, butter, sour cream, and vanilla in the food processor until combined.  Add the powdered sugar and blend for 10-20 seconds, until smooth frosting has formed.  Frost the cake evenly and serve.

Keep cake refrigerated.