FRUIT & CARROT CAKE

Fruit & Carrot Cake image

"This is the best carrot cake I've ever made. It has all the texture, taste and denseness of regular carrot cake, but is much lower in fat." Ellie Rausch - Goodsoil, Saskatchewan

Provided by Taste of Home

Time 1h15m

Yield 16 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 21

Ingredients

2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup canola oil
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups shredded carrots
1/3 cup finely chopped dried apricots
1/3 cup dried currants
3 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger
GLAZE:
1 can (6 ounces) unsweetened pineapple juice
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons finely chopped dried apricots
1 tablespoon dried currants
4 teaspoons chopped pecans, toasted

Steps:

In a large bowl, beat the first six ingredients until well blended. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; gradually beat into sugar mixture until blended (batter will be thick). Stir in the carrots, apricots, currants and ginger., Coat a 10-in. fluted tube pan with cooking spray and sprinkle with flour; pour batter into pan. Bake at 350° for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely., For glaze, in a small saucepan, combine the pineapple juice, orange juice and honey. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes or until mixture is reduced to 1/3 cup. Remove from the heat; cool for 15 minutes. Stir in apricots and currants. Spoon over cake. Sprinkle with pecans.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 256 calories, Fat 5g fat (1g saturated fat), Cholesterol 27mg cholesterol, Sodium 173mg sodium, Carbohydrate 50g carbohydrate (29g sugars, Fiber 2g fiber), Protein 4g protein.