Recipe: Carrot Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting from Cooking Light Magazine

CARROT SHEET CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
Source: Cooking Light Magazine, May 2005

CAKE:
Cooking spray
9 Tablespoons butter, softened
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 cups finely shredded carrot
FROSTING:
1/2 cup (4 ounces) block-style fat-free cream cheese, cold
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 3/4 cups powdered sugar, divided
1 Tablespoon orange sugar sprinkles

TO PREPARE CAKE:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 13x9-inch baking pan with cooking spray, line bottom of pan with wax paper. Coat wax paper with cooking spray; set aside.

Place 9 Tablespoons butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in a large bowl, beat with a mixer at medium speed 5 minutes or until well blended.

Add eggs and egg whites, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition until pale and fluffy. Beat in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon salt, stirring with a whisk.

Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix after each addition. Stir in carrot. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Sharply tap pan once on counter to remove air bubbles.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. If you use a glass baking pan decrease the baking temperature to 325 degrees F. and begin checking for doneness after 25 minutes.

Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Carefully peel off wax paper; cool completely on wire rack.

TO PREPARE FROSTING*:
Place the cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, 2 teaspoons of vanilla and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Gradually add 2 cups powdered sugar, beating at low speed until smooth (do not overbeat). Stir in remaining 3/4 cup powdered sugar. Cover and chill 30 minutes.

Spread frosting over top of cake. Garnish with sprinkles. Store cake loosely covered in refrigerator.

*For the best frosting consistency, use softened butter and cold cream cheese, and add the powdered sugar in batches.

Yield: 16 servings