Carrot Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Moist, rich, and lightly spiced, this carrot cake received our Test Kitchens' highest rating. We call for a metal baking pan for the cake; if you use a glass baking dish, which conducts heat better than metal, decrease the baking temperature to 325°, and begin checking for doneness after 25 minutes. For the best frosting consistency, use softened butter and cold cream cheese, and add the powdered sugar in batches.

Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 1 piece)

Ingredients

• 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  low-fat buttermilk
• 2  cups  finely shredded carrot
• 
  Frosting:
• 1/2  cup  (4 ounces) block-style fat-free cream cheese
• 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

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare cake, coat a 13 x 9-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 of 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° for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. 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 the 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.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

309 (30% from fat)

Fat:

10.3g (sat 5g,mono 4.1g,poly 0.5g)

Protein:

4.5g

Carbohydrate:

50.2g

Fiber:

0.9g

Cholesterol:

52mg

Iron:

1.1mg

Sodium:

358mg

Calcium:

49mg