An usual home-made carrot cake with cream cheese frosting will be about 400kcal (need about 40 minutes of walking on the treadmill at 5km/h speed to burn it off). Glutton me made some changes so that I can still eat them but workout a lot less in the gym! Each cupcake made with the recipe is about 200kcal =]!
Modification 1 is to cut down the sugar used. Each gram of sugar provides the body with 4kcal. It not only contributes to empty calories, it also spikes insulin secretion the body, leading to fat deposition especially around the tummy area. I've replaced half the sugar needed for the cake with Splenda, that has Sucralose as sweetener.
**Do not bake with Equal as the sweetener, Aspartame, cannot withstand heat and will lose its sweetness during baking.
Modification 2 is to cut down the fats by replacing butter required for the cream cheese frosting to yoghurt. Each gram of fat (butter and any type of oil) provides 9kcal. I also used Kraft low fat cream cheese, which further reduces calories of the cupcake. You wouldn't be able to pipe the frosting as the modification will make frosting that are more runny (but saves you the calories!).
Dry Mixture
- 1½ cup wholemeal flour (might need to buy it from larger supermarkets)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1½ tsp cinnamon powder
- ¼ tsp nutmeg powder
- ¼ tsp ginger powder
- 50g sugar
- 8g (8 sachets) Splenda (1g replaces about 8g of sugar in terms of sweetness)
Oil/Egg Mixture
- 1 whole egg
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup skim (non-fat) milk
- 2 tsp vanilla essence
Others
- 2 cups carrots, grated (about 2 medium carrots)
- ½ cup raisin
- ½ cup nuts (walnuts, pecans, etc), chopped [optional]
Yoghurt Cream Cheese Frosting
- 125g cream cheese
- 25g yoghurt
- 30g icing sugar
- zest of half an orange/lemon
- 1½ cup wholemeal flour (might need to buy it from larger supermarkets)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1½ tsp cinnamon powder
- ¼ tsp nutmeg powder
- ¼ tsp ginger powder
- 50g sugar
- 8g (8 sachets) Splenda (1g replaces about 8g of sugar in terms of sweetness)
Oil/Egg Mixture
- 1 whole egg
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup skim (non-fat) milk
- 2 tsp vanilla essence
Others
- 2 cups carrots, grated (about 2 medium carrots)
- ½ cup raisin
- ½ cup nuts (walnuts, pecans, etc), chopped [optional]
Yoghurt Cream Cheese Frosting
- 125g cream cheese
- 25g yoghurt
- 30g icing sugar
- zest of half an orange/lemon
Step 1:
Pre-heat oven to 170⁰C.
Grate carrots and squeeze out excess carrot juice using hands.
Pre-heat oven to 170⁰C.
Grate carrots and squeeze out excess carrot juice using hands.
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| Excess carrot juice will cause the cake to be too moist and dense after baking. |
Step 2:
Mix all the dry ingredients together.
Mix all the dry ingredients together.
Step 3:
Whisk egg, oil, milk and vanilla essence together (oil/egg mixture).
Whisk egg, oil, milk and vanilla essence together (oil/egg mixture).
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Step 5:
Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, fold until just combine.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, fold until just combine.
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| Just combine = don't have any unmixed dry ingredients. Excessive mixing will cause the cake to be tough and dense. |
Step 6:
Fill the cupcake cases and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, middle rack.
Fill the cupcake cases and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, middle rack.
Step 7:
Let the carrot cupcakes cool before adding the frosting.
Let the carrot cupcakes cool before adding the frosting.
Step 8:
Mix the cream cheese, yoghurt, icing sugar and zest to make the frosting. Top it on the cake and serve!
Mix the cream cheese, yoghurt, icing sugar and zest to make the frosting. Top it on the cake and serve!
*makes about 16 cupcakes
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