Recipe of the Week: Carrot Birthday Cake with Honey Cream Cheese Frosting

My husband requested a carrot cake this year for his birthday. I went to work trying to create a healthy, yet still yummy carrot cake. I'm still tweaking it and looking for ways to make it healthier. This recipe made 2 dozen carrot muffins (for our track team) and a personal carrot cake for Ericlee, which he kindly shared with his wife.

Carrot Cake

Ingredients:
3 cups grated carrots
4 cage free eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil (or organic butter, melted)
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 cups sucanat (or evaporated cane juice)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease pan.
2. In a blender or with a high-powered mixer, blend carrots, eggs and oil.
3. Transfer to a bowl if not already in a bowl. Add walnuts.
4. Mix in dry ingredients: flour, sucanat, baking soda and cinnamon.
5. Bake approximately 25 minutes for muffins and small cakes; 1 hour for 10-inch tube pan.

Honey Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8-oz. package softened cream cheese
2 tablespoons raw honey (approximate)

1. Blend cream cheese until smooth.
2. Slowly add honey until the frosting reaches the desired consistency.
3. Frost cooled cakes.