Frosted carrot cranberry cake

This recipe uses reduced-fat cream cheese in the frosting. It's an easy swap to cut back on calories and fat.

Ingredients

nonstick cooking spray
2 cups unbleached flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2/3 cup canola oil
3 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar
2 cups finely grated carrots
1 cup dried cranberries
1 8-ounce package cream cheese (1/3 less fat), softened
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons 2% milk, or more if desired*

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Spray a 9-by-13-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together oil, eggs, milk, vanilla, brown sugar, carrots and dried cranberries. Then add flour mixture, little by little, whisking between each addition.
5. Spread the mixture in the pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool for 45 to 60 minutes.
6. In a small bowl, combine softened cream cheese, lemon juice, lemon zest and honey. Mix. Add milk. Mix. (You may need to add more milk to reach desired consistency.*) Spread frosting evenly over cooled cake.
7. Cut cake into 20 squares. Serve.

Makes 20 servings
Recipe contains: wheat, milk, eggs
Carb choices per serving: 2

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