There is something about the earthy, naturally sweet flavours of the carrots mixed with the warm flavours of cinnamon, cardamom and cloves that I find really delicious and almost comforting. It is like a combo of winter flavours with spring produce. So, when one of my patient’s asked me for a healthy carrot cake, I jumped at the challenge! I was determined to create a carrot cake recipe that is not only super easy to make, but also has REAL wholesome ingredients. And of course, tastes delicious without loads of sugar.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (preferably brown/whole-wheat if you have)
- 1/3 cup xylitol (or sweetener of choice)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup oats
- 3 large carrots, grated
- 1 can crushed pineapple
- 3 large eggs
- 5ml vanilla essence
- ¼ cup olive oil
- If desired: 1 cup chopped walnuts
Icing:
- 1/3 cup fat free plain yoghurt
- 1/3 cup fat free smooth cottage cheese
- 2 tablespoons pineapple juice (from tin)
- 2 teaspoons honey
Method
- Preheat oven to 190 degrees.
- Spray a loaf tin with spray n cook.
- In a large mixing bowl, place the flour, xylitol, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, clove, salt and oats. Mix together.
- Drain the crushed pineapple and reserve the juice.
- Place the pineapple in a large mixing bowl, together with the grated carrot, eggs, vanilla essence and olive oil. Mix together.
- Place the wet ingredients in to the dry ingredients bowl and mix together with the walnuts.
- Place the mixture into the loaf tin and bake in the oven for 1 hour, and allow to cool.
- To make the icing, place all ingredients in a bowl and mix lightly.
- Once the cake has cooled, smooth the icing over the cake and sprinkle with cinnamon if desired. ENJOY!
Now you can be healthy, and eat your cake too! This, my friends, is one good choice.
Shani
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