Carrot Cake

So yesterday, I came home from work and put on my workout clothes with the full intention to use one of my workout videos before people came over for American Idol night. Instead, I walked into my kitchen, and decided to make this cake. In my workout clothes. Ridiculous. Did I workout before company came? No, decidedly not. But I did get a delicious cake.

I am always a bit skeptical of the baking recipes in Cooking Light, I have tried some HUGE misses in the past. This cake was a wonderful surprise though! The cake itself is nice and fluffy, light, with a good but not overpowering carrot flavor. The frosting is DIVINE. Heavenly. It may be my go-to recipe for cream cheese frosting from now on. And it was easy!

Carrot Cake, adapted from Cooking Light (I made a couple minor changes to the recipe on the website):

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups grated carrot
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
6 tablespoons butter, softened
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
Cooking spray

Frosting:

7 ounces cream cheese (low fat), softened
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare cake, weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ground cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add 2 cups grated carrot, tossing to combine.

Place granulated sugar, brown sugar, and 6 tablespoons butter in a large bowl.

Beat with a mixer at medium speed until combined. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla.

Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Spread batter into a 13 x 9-inch metal baking pan coated with cooking spray.

Bake at 350° for 28 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake completely on a wire rack.

To prepare frosting, place softened cream cheese and next 3 ingredients in a medium bowl. Beat with a mixer at medium speed until fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at medium speed until combined (don't overbeat). Spread frosting evenly over top of cake.

The finished product:

yum!