Healthier Carrot Cake
Have you ever experienced lots of laziness to go somewhere, but once you are there, you feel grateful you have gone?
I’m spending few days in my hometown in Madrid. I don’t know why, but a horrible lethargy takes over me when I have to plan a trip to the capital. Don’t take me wrong, I feel like coming many times, but just planning it, push me back.
But once I am here, I feel a pleasant and enjoyable emotion. My plans are easy, just spend time with my parents and my friends from childhood, and walk around Madrid city gathering some of its neighbourhoods. Also this time it was a special occasion, the celebration of a birthday and the pregnancy of one of my best friends 😊.
To don’t break with tradition I was in charge on the birthday cake. Moved by the protagonist’s desire, I made her a ‘traditional’ carrot cake. Glad she asked for this one since was a while I wanted to make a healthier version of it.
This healthier carrot cake follow the instruction of my classic carrot cake except for the amount of sugar. My original recipe called for more than 300g of white sugar, plus other 250g of icing sugar for the icing. In this version I’ve used 100g of panela sugar and just 60ml of agave syrup. Also swapped the type of flour I used. Rest of the ingredients were pretty nutritious so I haven’t change them.
The result was a beautiful delicious and super tasty carrot cake. Smooth, soft and moist. I believe it was one of the best cakes I did in a long time.
Super decadent, moist and delicious healthier Carrot Cake.
- 2 eggs
- 100 gr panela sugar
- 175 ml olive oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 180 ml spelt flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 cup carrot cake grated
- 1/2 cup fresh pineapple crushed
- 500 g cream cheese I have used homemade labneh
- 175 g organic butter softened
- 100 ml agave syrup honey could work as well
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- panela caramelized pecans*
- ground cinnamon
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Preheat the oven to 175ºC. Grease a 18cm round mould.
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Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon into a bowl.
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In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar until fluffy. Add the oil and vanilla and beat well.
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Slowly incorporate dry mixture, carrots and pineapple.
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Pour the batter into the prepared mould and bake around 40 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
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Cool completely on a rack before cutting into 3 layers.
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Meanwhile make the frosting. Place softened butter with cream cheese into an electric mixer and beat on medium-high speed until smooth.
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Reduce speed to slow and add the syrup and extract. Increase speed and continue to beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
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To build the cake. Place one layer on a plate and spread 1/3 of the frosting making sure you go just to the edge. Repit this with the next layer finishing with the third layer of cake.
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Top the last layer with enough frosting to give it a good cover. For the naked sides look, just spread a thin coat of frosting and scrape it off with a spatula.
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To decorate the cake just sprinkle some cinnamon around the edges and top with some caramelized pecans*.
You can make caramelized pecans just by making caramel with some panela sugar, add the nuts, remove from the pan and let them set.