Gluten Free, Low Fat, Spiced Carrot Cake

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• canola oil cooking spray
• 1 1/2 cups carrots, grated
• 1/4 cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped
• 2 1/2 cups bob's red mill gluten-free all-purpose baking flour (2 cups for batter, 1/2 cup for dusting carrots and ginger)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 3 medium eggs
• 2 (4 ounce) containers applesauce (plain, no sugar or flavorings added)
• 3/4 cup yogurt, greek-style, plain nonfat
• 1 tablespoon canola oil

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350°f.
• 2 spray (2) 9 inches round cake pans with cooking spray. line bottoms and sides with parchment paper cut to fit pans (the better the fit, the easier the turn out).
• 3 in a bowl, combine carrots and ginger, and dust with 1/2 cup flour. toss with fingers, making sure that all pieces are coated with flour. retain excess flour; do not discard.
• 4 sift all dry ingredients together.
• 5 on low speed, using hand mixer or stand mixer, mix all wet ingredients together in a large bowl.
• 6 add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in mixer bowl. mix on medium speed until incorporated.
• 7 add carrot, ginger and flour mixture to batter. mix on low speed just until incorporated.
• 8 pour half the batter into each prepared cake pan, and bake in middle of pre-heated oven for 45 minutes, rotating pans half way through baking time.
• 9 check for doneness by inserting a toothpick. add time if necessary. when toothpick comes out dry, remove pans from oven and allow to cool 10 minutes.
• 10 turn cakes out onto baking racks, and allow to cool completely before frosting.
• 11 frost cakes if desired. for fat-free cream cheese frosting, combine (2) 8 oz. packages fat-free cream cheese with 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 1 cup sifted confectioner's sugar and 2-3 tablespoons milk. mix on medium speed until smooth and fluffy.