MOIST CARROT BUNDT CAKE

I have been doing some housecleaning of my files and getting rid of some of the old articles I wrote for the Internet several years ago.  Here is an article about a Carrot Bundt Cake that was published in 2009.  I thought I would share it with you before telling it bye-bye (the article, not the recipe)!

Looking for a tasty dessert to impress your family, friends, or co-workers? Stun them with this carrot cake that is lower fat than most carrot cakes. Baked in a Bundt pan, this cake makes a beautiful presentation that is sure to impress even your harshest critics! And the cream cheese frosting is a combination of low-fat and regular cream cheese allowing you to cut back even more on fat and calories without giving up flavor. Tasty, lovely, and lower in fat; now that is a great combination!

MOIST CARROT BUNDT CAKE

1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup canola oil
2 eggs
2 egg whites
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 cups shredded carrots
1 can (8-oz) unsweetened crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

FROSTING:
5 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
1 pkg (3-oz) cream cheese, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup finely chopped toasted walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the sugars, applesauce, oil, eggs, egg whites, and vanilla until well blended. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda. After combined, beat into the sugar mixture until well blended. Stir in the carrots, pineapple, raisins, and walnuts. Coat a 10-inch Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray and transfer batter into pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan. Cool completely on a wire rack.

To make the frosting: In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheeses and vanilla until fluffy. Beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Frost the entire cake (this is not a drizzle-type frosting.) Sprinkle with the toasted walnut pieces. Store cake in refrigerator.

Yield: 16 servings

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