A Carrot Cake For My Mother

Dear Mom,

The carrot cake I made for you tonight is a thank you for so many things

For the countless hours on the phone listening

For the patience

For the sense of calm you bring

For the love you bring to my family

For being my rock when I’m off balance

For being my everything for so many years

Happy Mother’s Day, Mom

(And Happy Mother’s Day to all the Moms out there.)

xo

Robin

Healthy Carrot Cake

From Eating Well Magazine

Cake

1 20 ounce can crushed pineapple

2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour

2 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

2 t cinnamon

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup canola oil

1 t vanilla

2 cups grated carrots

1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

1/2 cup toasted chopped walnuts

Frosting

12 ounces reduced fat cream cheese, softened (Neufchatel)

1/2 cup confectioners sugar

1 1/2 t vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. Coat a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray. Drain pineapple, saving juice in a bowl. Whisk flour, soda, salt, cinnamon in a medium bowl. Whisk eggs, sugar, buttermilk,oil. vanilla and 1/4 cup pineapple juice in large bowl. Add pineapple, carrots and 1/4 cup coconut. Mix. Stir in nuts and scrap into prepared pan. Bake 45 minutes. Let cool.

Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in a bowl with an electric mixer. Spread on cooled cake. Sprinkle with coconut flakes.