Veggies veiled in dessert don’t always make a happy marriage. When it comes to carrot cake, though, it’s happily ever after…until you realize you’ve eaten a pound of cream cheese. Piled high on top and squeezed between layers, the cream cheese icing becomes a total home-wrecker. Don’t be broken-hearted yet. There’s a perfectly sweet compromise just waiting for your “I do!”
Cake
1 ½ cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup oat flour
1 cup coconut sugar
2 scoops vanilla protein powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. vanilla flavoring
1 tsp. baking powder
2 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted
1 ½ cups almond milk
2/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 whole eggs
2 cups grated carrots
Frosting
4 oz. Neufchatel cheese
½ cup low-fat cottage cheese
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
¼ cup almond milk
¼ cup walnuts, crushed (optional)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and coat a 9-inch cake pan (or 8” x 8” square pan) with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, combine all cake ingredients (except carrots).
- Gently stir in carrots.
- Pour batter into prepared cake pan. Bake 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cake cool while you prepare the protein frosting.
- In a food processor or blender, combine all frosting ingredients (except walnuts). Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Spread frosting on top of cooled cake, top with walnuts (if using) and enjoy!