Carrot Cake

Ingredients:
1/2 cup(s) chopped walnuts
2 cup(s) whole-wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoon(s) baking soda
1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
2 teaspoon(s) ground cinnamon
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cup(s) sugar
3/4 cup(s) nonfat buttermilk
1/2 cup(s) canola oil
1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
1 can(s) crushed pineapple, drained, juice reserved
2 cup(s) grated carrots (4-6 medium)
1/4 cup(s) unsweetened flaked coconut
2 tablespoon(s) coconut chips, or flaked coconut
12 ounce(s) reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup(s) confectioners' sugar, sifted


Directions

1.To prepare cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

2.Toast walnuts in a small baking pan in the oven until fragrant, 5 to 10 minutes.

3.Whisk flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Whisk eggs, sugar, buttermilk, oil, vanilla, and 1/4 cup of the reserved pineapple juice in a large bowl until blended. Stir in pineapple, carrots, and coconut. Add the dry ingredients and mix with a rubber spatula just until blended. Stir in the nuts. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly.

4.Bake the cake until the top springs back when touched lightly and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

5.To prepare frosting and finish cake: Place coconut in a small baking pan and toast in the oven at 300°F, stirring several times, until light golden, 5 to 10 minutes.

6.Beat cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Spread the frosting over the cooled cake. Sprinkle with the coconut.

7.Reduced-calorie-and-carbohydrate variation: Replace 1 1/2 cups sugar in the cake with 3/4 cup no-calorie sweetener, such as Splenda, and 3/4 cup sugar. (Alternatively, use a sweetener product designed for baking, such as Splenda Sugar Blend for Baking; substitute according to package directions.) You can replace the confectioners' sugar in the frosting with no-calorie sweetener as well; the frosting fluffs up nicely, but many of our tasters noticed an aftertaste with this substitution.

http://www.delish.com/recipefinder/carrot-cake-recipe-5261