Weight Watchers Recipe of the Day: WW Healthy Low Fat Carrot Cake with Pineapple and Cream Cheese Frosting
If you are looking for a low calorie, low fat, healthy carrot cake that is moist and delicious this is the carrot cake recipe for you!
I’ve been a carrot cake lover for as long as I can remember. The problem with most traditional carrot cakes is that they are heavy, sweet and packed with fat.
A typical homemade carrot cake recipe, like this one, contains a cup or more of oil and two cups of sugar—with each serving weighing in at a hefty 819 calories and *36 WW Freestyle SmartPoints. Yikes!
This moist carrot cake is a light and healthy alternative thanks to a generous amount of crushed pineapple. It is one of the best carrot cakes I’ve ever tasted.
Moist and not too sweet, it was a huge hit with the entire family when I served it up for Easter Brunch.
A much lighter, healthier version of traditional carrot cake that’s moist and delicious thanks to a generous amount of crushed pineapple.
Prep Time30 MINS
Cook Time50 MINS
Total Time1 HR 20 MINS
Servings (adjustable):
Calories: 206
Ingredients
Cake
▢1-½ cups all purpose flour
▢2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
▢2 teaspoons baking powder
▢1 teaspoon baking soda
▢½ teaspoon salt
▢3 large eggs
▢½ cup sugar
▢½ cup apple butter (or applesauce)
▢¼ cup canola oil
▢1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
▢1-½ cups shredded carrots (about 3 or 4)
▢½ cup raisins (I used golden raisins)
▢¼ cup chopped walnuts
Frosting
▢4 ounces light cream cheese
▢¾ cup confectioners’ sugar
▢2 tablespoons plain nonfat Greek yogurt
▢½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Garnish
▢2 tablespoons chopped walnuts, optional for garnish
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
Spray an 8-inch springform pan with nonstick spray and set it aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well blended. Set aside.
In a large bowl beat the eggs with an electric mixer on high speed until thickened, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the sugar, beating until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Reduce the speed to low. Beat in the apple butter and oil just until blended.
Add the flour mixture and beat just until blended.
Stir in the pineapple, carrots, raisins and walnuts until well combined.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.
Remove from the oven and place on a rack to cool for 10 minutes. Release the springform pan and place the cake on a rack to completely cool.
To make the frosting, in a medium bowl, with an electric mixer on high speed beat together the cream cheese, confectioner sugar, yogurt and vanilla until smooth, about 1 minute. Place in the fridge until ready to frost the cake.
Place the cake on a serving plate. With a narrow metal spatula, coat the top of the cake evening with the frosting. Sprinkle the walnuts on top of the cake, if desired.
Cut into 16 even wedges.
