Honey Carrot Cake

I often bake sweet goods for people who prefer not to eat processed sugar. It's hard to find or come up with good recipes that don't include white or brown sugar, the taste and texture are often lacking. Because recipes for baked goods are formulas, it's not that simple to substitute a liquid sweetener such as honey, maple syrup or molasses, because it changes the makeup and consistency of the dough and throws the recipe off. 

Sugar not only adds sweetness, it also adds tenderness and fineness to the texture; weakens gluten, making breads and cakes more tender; gives cookies, quick breads and cakes color; retains moisture for a longer shelf life; and provides food for yeast.

I have found that the moist cakes made with vegetables or fruit, like carrots or bananas, do well with honey. This carrot cake tastes as good as the real thing, and the cream cheese and honey frosting is as tasty as using powdered sugar. It's quick and easy to make too.

Honey Carrot Cake
(Serves 8.)

• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup sifted flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 cup grated carrots
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
• Cream Cheese & Honey Frosting, recipe follows

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Honey Carrot Cake

In a medium bowl, beat the honey and oil together until smooth and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, and mix until well blended.

In a separate small bowl, mix the flour with the salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and ground cloves. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture and stir until mixed. Fold in the carrots and nuts.

Pour batter into a greased 9-inch square or round cake pan. Bake for about 30 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool 10 minutes in the pan then reverse onto a cake rack. Cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese & Honey Frosting
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the honey and mix well. Add the vanilla and beat until frosting is light and smooth.