Gingered Carrot Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Icing

New, Healthier version!

Gingered Carrot Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Icing

Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
4 eggs
3 cups (approximately) finely shredded carrots (see, it's good for you!)
3/4 cup canola oil
3/4 tsp. ground ginger

Orange Cream Cheese icing (recipe at end)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. While you're at it, take out your cream cheese and your butter for the icing, and set them on top the oven so they'll be nicely soft by the time you're ready to make the icing.

Grease bottom and sides of 13x9x2 inch pan. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients, dry first, then wet. Mix in the carrots last. Pour batter into prepared pan, bake for 40 minutes. Remove pan from oven when toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool for at least 45 minutes.

NOTE: this recipe will also make 24 regular sized cupcakes. Bake @ 350 degrees for approximately 15-17 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Orange Cream Cheese Icing

Ingredients:

1 pkg. cream cheese (8 oz.), softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
About 3-4 cups of powdered sugar, depending on the consistency of your icing.
1/4 cup orange juice (fresh-squeezed is best, of course.)
2 T. grated orange peel. (fresh-grated is best here too.)

Mix everything but the powdered sugar together, until blended. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time, blend, and then add the next cup until the icing is the right consistency. (Think chocolate mousse.) Spread icing on cooled cake; refrigerate. Makes 12-15 servings, depending on how big of a piece you really want. (It's very rich.)

Note: DO NOT melt the butter in the microwave. It will make the icing runny. DO NOT try to put the icing on the cake before it cools. It will make the icing runnier.

Variations: Lemon Cream Cheese Icing. Also, you can always add raisins (ugh) or nuts (about 1/2 cup) to the mix. Some people add dried fruit other than raisins as well. Your choice.

Nutrition information: I have no idea, but three cups of carrots is three cups of carrots. How many servings of veggies is that?! :)