Reduced Fat Carrot Cake
Rec.food.cooking/Carl Berger (1994)
Yield: 16 slices

CAKE
1/4 cup walnuts
2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp soda
1 tsp salt
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
2 cups sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 cups grated carrots (5 to 6 small carrots)
1 (8 oz) can crushed pineapple, thoroughly drained

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
12 oz low fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

PRUNE PUREE
1 cup pitted prunes
6 tbsp hot water

Cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat the inside of three 9 inch layer cake pans with vegetable oil cooking spray. line the bottoms with wax paper and set aside.

Spread walnuts in a pie plate and bake 8 - 10 minutes, or until fragrant. Let cool and chop coarsely.

In a medium size bowl, stir together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, soda and salt. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and egg whites. Add sugar, prune puree and oil and whisk until smooth. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until blended.

Stir in carrots, pineapple and the toasted walnuts. Divide the batter among the prepared pans and bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan on a rack. Loosen edges and invert cakes onto racks. Peel off paper and let cool completely.

Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate, Spread a scant 1/2 cup cream cheese frosting over it. Top with another cake layer and spread another scant 1/2 cup frosting. Place the third layer on top and spread top and sides with remaining frosting.

Cream Frosting:
In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar and vanilla; beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.

Prune Puree:
Makes 1 cup
To make prune puree, combine 6 oz (1 cup) pitted prunes with 6 tbsp. hot water in a food processor and process until smooth.