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Skinny Carrot Cake

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By Betty Crocker Kitchens
Updated Jan 30, 2020
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Don’t be fooled by the name, once you take a bite of this delightful cake, you’ll hardly be able to tell the difference between this lightened-up treat and the classic. Two layers of sweet carrot cake are separated with a velvety cream cheese frosting and sprinkled with chopped pecans for a dreamy dessert you would never guess is 300 calories per serving. The secret? It only takes a few smart substitutions, like using skim milk and reduced fat cream cheese, to create a better-for-you dessert without sacrificing the decadent flavors you love.

Skinny Carrot Cake

  • Prep Time 30 min
  • Total 2 hr 10 min
  • Servings 16
  • Ingredients 19
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Ingredients

Cake

  • 1/2 cup fat-free egg product
  • 1/3 cup canola oil
  • 1/3 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
  • 1/4 cup fat-free (skim) milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup Gold Medal™ whole wheat flour
  • 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups shredded carrots (about 4 medium)

Frosting

  • 4 oz (half of 8-oz package) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel), softened
  • 2 tablespoons butter or no-trans-fat 68% vegetable oil spread stick, softened
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/2 to 2 teaspoons fat-free (skim) milk
  • 1/3 cup chopped pecans
Make With
Gold Medal Flour

Instructions

  • Step 
    1
    Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottoms only of two 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. In large bowl, mix egg product, oil, pumpkin, 1/4 cup milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla with electric mixer on low speed until well blended.
  • Step 
    2
    Add all remaining cake ingredients except carrots. Beat on low speed 30 seconds or until well blended. Stir in carrots. Pour batter evenly into pans.
  • Step 
    3
    Bake 28 to 33 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Carefully run knife around sides of pans to loosen; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
  • Step 
    4
    In medium bowl, beat cream cheese and butter with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. On low speed, beat in 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla until well blended. Beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until smooth. If necessary, add milk, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, until frosting is desired consistency. Spread frosting between cake layers and on top. Sprinkle with pecans.

Nutrition

300 Calories
10g Total Fat
3g Protein
50g Total Carbohydrate
39g Sugars

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Serving
Calories
300
Calories from Fat
90
Total Fat
10g
15%
Saturated Fat
2 1/2g
12%
Trans Fat
0g
Cholesterol
10mg
3%
Sodium
190mg
8%
Potassium
115mg
3%
Total Carbohydrate
50g
17%
Dietary Fiber
1g
6%
Sugars
39g
Protein
3g
% Daily Value*:
Vitamin A
70%
70%
Vitamin C
0%
0%
Calcium
6%
6%
Iron
6%
6%
Exchanges:
1/2 Starch; 0 Fruit; 3 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 2 Fat;
Carbohydrate Choice
3
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

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