Recipe: Carrot Cake

This recipe is delicious, nutritious, and has been modified to use less sugar, fat, cholesterol, and salt. It has already been doubled to fit a 9x13 inch pan. This recipe can be halved to fit an 8x8 pan. I have tried this recipe twice, and both times the menfolks were coming back for seconds, so I consider this recipe a success!

Carrot Cake
3 cups flour (I use a mixture of 1 cup whole wheat and 2 cups unbleached white.)
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
3 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups grated carrot
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs and 3 egg whites (or 3 to 4 eggs)
1 tsp. vanilla
20 oz. can crushed pineapple
1/2 cup coconut - optional (I used sweetened coconut; if you use unsweetened, you may want to increase the amount of sugar a wee bit.)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts - optional

Mix dry ingredients together, then add the remaining ingredients. Mix well until dry ingredients are incorporated (don't overmix). Bake in a 9x13 inch baking pan at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes. It is ready to cool on a baking rack when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Frost when completely cooled.

Frosting
1 (8 oz.) package of Neufchatel cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup* powdered sugar (adjust to your taste)

Mix well and spread on cooled cake.

Yummy!!!

* UPDATE April 12, 2011: Someone tried this and found the frosting much too sweet. I think I had this amount wrong, so I changed it from 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar to 1 cup. Then, you can add sugar to taste, if necessary.