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Don’t be intimidated by this 2 layer, 99.9% organic cake! It is probably one of the easiest cakes to make – even my husband with is rudimentary baking skills can make this delicious dessert. And one of the best things about this recipe…it has half the fat of the typical carrot cake recipe, because it substitutes all-natural organic apple sauce for half of the canola oil. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

Dry Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups organic cane sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose, organic flour
• 2 tsp organic cinnamon
• 2 tsp organic baking powder
• 2 tsp organic baking soda
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 cup organic walnuts or pecans

Wet Ingredients

• 3 cups peeled and grated organic carrots
• 1/2 cup all-natural, organic applesauce
• 1/2 cup organic canola oil
• 2 free-range, organic eggs*

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 tbsp organic butter, chilled
• 1 (8 oz) package organic cream cheese (preferably Neufchatel cheese – also called 1/3 less fat cream cheese)
• 1 lb package organic powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp grated organic lemon rind

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using cooking spray, evenly coat 2 round, 8-inch cake pans and lightly dust with flour.
2. Mix all dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
3. Mix all wet ingredients together in a separate bowl. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix well (note: batter will be very stiff).
4. Spread the batter evenly into TWO round, 8-inch baking cake pans.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of each cake pan comes out clean. Let cool in pans for 5-10 minutes on a wire rack. Loosen cake layers from sides of pans using a narrow spatula or plastic knife; turn out onto wire racks; and let cool completely (about 30 minutes to 1 hour).
6. Meanwhile, prepare the frosting. Beat butter and cream cheese at high speed of a mixer in a large bowl until fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar, vanilla and lemon rind; beat at low speed until just blended (do not overbeat, or icing may become runny). Cover and chill.
7. To frost the cake, place 1 cake layer on a large plate. Spread about 1/3 the cream cheese icing on top of the layer; spreading carefully from the center out to just the edges of the cake layer (it is easiest to use a large knife). Top with the second cake layer and repeat, however this time use all the remaining icing and spread the icing over the sides/edges of the cake layer, making sure to evenly spread the remaining icing over the sides and top of the cake.