Photo: Anecdotes and Apple Cores
Easter is just around the corner, and grocery store shelves are swelling with packages of candy and plastic eggs. As fun as it can be to hunt in the backyard for candy and treats, all that refined sugar and preservatives aren’t good for your little one or you (f you happen to be one of those parents that eats the leftover candy). Easter brunch with those heavy potato casseroles and sugary hams is also not the most nutritional-friendly Easter event either. But there are ways to make your Easter healthier and happier this year. This naturally sweetened carrot cake is a wonderful alternative to the traditional variety that is loaded with granulated sugars, oil, and cream cheese.
Replace the usual 1-2 cups of sugar with mashed bananas, and you and your kids won’t notice the absence of the granulated sweetener. The natural sweetness of bananas paired with a dash of maple syrup will not only make your carrot cake healthier, but moister too.
A mixture of whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour keeps this carrot cake light yet still packed with whole grains. 3-4 tablespoons of ground flaxseed can easily be added to up the nutritional value of each slice.
And if you must have a cream cheese frosting (and I don’t think it’s necessary here…the cake is so satisfying you won’t miss it), consider mixing a package of softened cream cheese with a few tablespoons of agave nectar. This can be done to taste, as people like varying degrees of sweetness in their frosting.
Enjoy this carrot cake with friends and family. It is healthy enough you won’t worry about serving it for the breakfast the next day. You and your kids will be eager to jump out of bed on Monday morning if a slice of this carrot cake is waiting!
Naturally Sweet Carrot Cake
Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup maple syrup
3 ripe bananas (1 1/4 cups), mashed well
1 1/2 cups grated carrots (about 3 medium or 2 cups of baby carrots)
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 eggs, lightly whisked
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter an 8×8 cake pan and line it with parchment paper.
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. In a small bowl or large cup, stir together the eggs, canola oil, maple syrup, and yogurt.
3. In a large bowl combine the bananas and carrots. Whisk in the yogurt and egg mixture. Add the flour mixture and stir until everything comes together. Spoon into the prepared pan and smooth with a spatula.
4. Bake for about 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick tests clean in the center of the cake.
About Monet Moutrie
Monet Moutrie is a writer and baker, who lives in Austin, Texas with her three cats and husband. Between government work, graduate school and her own blog, Anecdotes and Apple Cores, nothing sounds better to Monet than an evening of yoga, a cup of Earl Grey tea and a novel. Knock on her front door and you'll find her pulling out a loaf of bread from the oven while brainstorming ideas for her own work of fiction.
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