If you are looking to make a lower calorie carrot cake, look no further than this delicious creation from The Hairy Bikers.
Featured in the duo’s latest recipe book, Si King and Dave Myers have reduced the calories in this cake by cutting back on sugar and oil.
Appearing at Taste of Grampian next weekend at P&J Live in Aberdeen on Saturday June 4, Si King hopes this recipe will allow those with a sweet tooth to have their cake and eat it.
Adding yoghurt helps keep the cake moist and if you wish to reduce the calories further you could replace the sugar with xylitol (a natural alternative to sugar).
Icing is optional, but if you do add icing, keep the cake in the fridge as there isn’t a high enough sugar content to preserve the dairy safely.
With a prep time of 20 minutes, a bake time of 45 minutes and around 358 calories per slice, this easy to follow recipe is the perfect weekend treat.
Lower calorie carrot cake
Serves 8
Ingredients
- 200g wholemeal flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- Pinch of salt
- 100g light soft brown sugar
- 50ml maple syrup
- Zest of 1 orange
- 3 eggs
- 75ml sunflower or rapeseed oil
- 50ml yoghurt
- 50g walnuts or pecans, chopped
- 200g carrots, grated
- 150g raisins
Icing (optional):
- 50g quark
- 50g cream cheese
- 25g thick yoghurt
- 25g icing sugar
Method
- Preheat the oven to Fan 160C/180C/350F/Gas Mark 4. Butter a 20cm deep
round cake tin and line it with baking parchment. - Mix the flour, baking powder, bicarb and cardamom with a generous pinch of salt. In a separate bowl, beat together the sugar, maple syrup, orange zest, eggs and oil until well combined.
- Fold in the flour mixture followed by the yoghurt to make a smooth batter, then stir in the walnuts or pecans, grated carrots and raisins.
- Scrape the mixture into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for about 45 minutes until well risen, springy to touch and slightly shrunken away from the sides.
- Remove from the oven and leave the cake in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out on to a cooling rack.
- To make the icing, if using, beat together all the ingredients until thick and smooth.
- When the cake is completely cool, spread the icing over the top with a palette knife. If not serving immediately, store the cake in an airtight container in the fridge.
The Hairy Dieters’ Simple Healthy Food by Si King and Dave Myers is published by Seven Dials in trade paperback at £16.99 and ebook at £8.99, out now.
