Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Cake Ingredients

• 2 c Arrowhead Mills Whole Grain Pastry Flour
• 2 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp Hain Pure Foods Sea Salt
• 1 c Hain Pure Foods Turbinado Sugar or Hain Pure Foods Organic Sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg whites
• 1/3 c Hain Pure Foods Canola Oil or Spectrum Naturals Canola Oil
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 c buttermilk or fat-free plain yogurt
• 2 c finely shredded carrots
• 1/2 c golden raisins
• 1/2 c well-drained crushed pineapple

Frosting Ingredients

• 2 oz reduced-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 Tbsp Hain Pure Foods Unsalted Margarine, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 c Hain Pure Foods Organic Powdered Sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 Tbsp chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions

1. To make the cake: Preheat oven to 350° F. Coat two 8" round cake pans with cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
3. In a large bowl, using a whisk, beat the sugar, eggs, egg whites, oil, and vanilla extract until well blended and frothy. Whisk in the buttermilk or yogurt. Stir in the carrots, raisins, and pineapple. Add the flour mixture and stir just until blended.
4. Evenly divide the batter between the prepared cake pans. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
5. Cool the cakes in the pans on racks for 30 minutes. Loosen the edges, and turn the cakes out onto the racks to cool completely.
6. To make the frosting: In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the cream cheese and butter just until blended. Beat in the sugar and vanilla extract until light and fluffy.
7. Place one cake layer on a plate. Spread the top of the layer with frosting, but not the sides. Place the other cake layer on top. Spread the top of the layer with the remaining frosting. Sprinkle with the walnuts or pecans.