This low fat carrot cake recipe is quick and easy to make and surprisingly good. Carrot cakes are often very rich and calorie-laden, but this one is plainer because of the reduced fat content.
The cake isn't as rich as one made with eggs and butter (of which it uses only a tiny amount), but it is pleasantly moist with a dense crumb, and tastes particularly good served still warm and freshly baked. You could even serve it like a teabread, lightly spread with butter, or use a simple mix of water and confectioners/icing sugar to drizzle across the top before slicing.
Low Fat Carrot Cake Recipe
Ingredients
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
160g/5 oz/1 cup sultanas
200ml/7 fl oz/three-quarters cup water
150ml/5 fl oz/half cup runny honey
10g/1 oz/1 tbsp butter
85g/3 oz/three-quarters cup self-rising flour
85g/3 oz/three-quarters cup plain wholewheat flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
generous grating of nutmeg
65g/2 oz/half cup chopped walnuts
Makes a 1lb loaf
Method
Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas 4. Grease and base-line a 1 lb/500g loaf tin.
Place grated carrot, sultanas, water, butter, honey and spices in a pan, bring to boiling point and simmer gently for 10 mins. Leave to cool a little.
Sift the flours, salt and bicarbonate of soda together, stir in the walnuts, then fold through the carrot mixture to blend thoroughly.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hr until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cover with foil after 30 minutes to prevent the top from scorching.
