Low Sugar "Healthy" Zucchini Carrot Cake

Still working on the overflow of zucchini here, with two more giant zucchinis in the fridge!!  Going to have to get really creative soon.

In an effort to make my way through the zucchini I have actually made this recipe twice. Yes it is THAT good.  It is moist, healthy (in my mind!), has just a touch of sweetness in the frosting that but not so much that it will stop you from eating it for breakfast.  This is truly a cake that can be eaten any time of the day or night!

Zucchini Carrot Cake

adapted from Eat What You Love Everyday by Marlene Koch

2 cups flour
2  1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. Penzeys baking spice
1/4 c. applesauce, natural (no sugar)
1/4 c. oil
2 large eggs  
1 tsp. vanilla extract (I use KAF vanilla bean crush )                                                                    
5/8 c. Truvia Baking Blend
3/4 c. buttermilk, reduced or low fat
1 1/2 cup grated carrots
1 1/2- 2  cups grated zucchini, blotted dry with paper towels
1/2 - 3/4  c. raisins (based on your preference and optional)

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 13x9 inch pan with non stick coating spray..

Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice and ginger in a small bowl and whisk well.
In a large bowl, combine the eggs, applesauce, oil and vanilla and whisk well.  When mixed, whisk in the Truvia baking blend and buttermilk. Then fold in the grated zucchini and carrots and raisins and mix gently until the ingredients are well distributed.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
Pour the batter into the prepared pan.  Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick in the center comes clean. Let cake cool in the pan on a wire rack.  When completely cool, frost with the Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting (below) and store in the refrigerator.

This cake is moist and delicious!

Cream Cheese Whipped Frosting

1/3 cup reduced fat whipped cream cheese
2 oz. reduced fat  block cream cheese
6 packets (1/4 cup) Monk Fruit sweetener (Truvia or Stevia work as well)
1 1/2 cups light Cool Whip
1/2 tsp. cream cheese emulsion (optional but adds to the wonderful flavor)

Beat the two varieties of cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.  Add the monk fruit sweetener or Truvia and continue beating until well combined, about a minute.

On slow speed, beat in about half of the Cool Whip until fluffy and combined. With a rubber spatula, fold in the rest of the Cool Whip.  Will easily frost a 13x9" pan - and it's so good I would definitely use it for other cakes!

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"Healthy" Blueberry Coffeecake! - Low Sugar

I have so enjoyed experimenting this summer with fruits of the season and blueberries have been at the top of my list.  I needed a break from the muffin madness that has taken over my kitchen so decided to give this already healthy coffee cake recipe a try.  I substituted greek yogurt for sour cream and used sugar baking blends to make it even lower in sugar. I am really pleased with how it came out.  It is flavorful, soft, very moist and just plain delicious.... and it made my kitchen smell wonderful.

Now the one thing in question is why would I want to bake when the humidity is up and it's supposed to be 90 degrees today??  Well the answer is simple - why not?? I started relatively early so the heat inside would dissipate before the heat outside took over!  It's crazy but I don't claim to always make sense!  I have learned that during the summer I need to keep my baking to early in the day or late in the evening - anything else truly IS crazy!!

I hope you will try this and be as delighted with the results as I was.  I love the creations of Marlene Koch and have never had one of her recipes fail, even when I shift the ingredients a bit!

Can you see the size of those blueberries??  They were super-sized!!

BLUE RIBBON YOGURT COFFEE CAKE

adapted from "Eat What You Love" by Marlene Koch

Ingredients for the Cake:

3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt

1/4 c. applesauce

2 Tbsp. sugar

1  egg

1 egg white

1/4 c. Truvia baking blend

1 1/2 c. flour

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

3 Tbsp. butter

1 cup fresh blueberries

Gently mixed batter...

Ingredients for Crumb Topping:

1/2 c. flour

1 Tbsp. Splenda brown sugar blend

1 Tbsp.  Truvia baking blend

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

2 Tbsp. butter, melted

Cinnamon Crumb Topping

Preheat the oven to 350.  Lightly spray or grease an 8 inch square pan and set aside. (I use EverBake spray from King Arthur Flour - I love it!)

In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt, applesauce, egg, egg white, sugar and Truvia baking blend.  Whisk together.

In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking soda and baking powder.  Add the 3 Tbsp. butter and cut in with a pastry blender or fork until well combined and crumbly.  At this point I like to toss in the blueberries so they will get a light coating of flour and not sink to the bottom when baking.  Then make a well in the center of the bowl and add the yogurt mixture.  Gently mix with a spatula or wooden spoon just until the ingredients are combined. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.

Mix the dry topping ingredients together and then add the melted butter and mix with a fork until everything is crumbly.  Sprinkle over the top of the batter.

Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack and wait 10 minutes before cutting (if you can - the temptation is overwhelming!!)

I have been making a LOT of blueberry recipes this summer, and there are undoubtedly more to come, but so far this is my absolute favorite one!

This is one of those times I wish I could share the out of the oven smell.......Mmmmmmm!!

It's as good as it looks!!

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Low Sugar Blueberry Muffins

I am so loving baking this summer with all of the fresh fruit available while trying to make it a little healthier!  I am happily surprised that compromising fat and sugar does not necessarily make for a yucky tasting disaster! In fact, these muffins proved to be some of the most delicious and moist that I have made recently.

I think you will agree when you try them too!!

Simple and readily available ingredients!

They may look a little funny,  but looks are deceiving! These are DELICIOUS!!!

Good til the last bite!!!  Look at those blueberries bursting with flavor!!

EVERYDAY BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

adapted from Eat  What you Love by Marlene Koch

1 cup nonfat vanilla bean greek yogurt (Trader Joe's) or honey vanilla greek yogurt
1/3 cup orange pineapple juice  (orange is fine - use light for fewer calories and less sugar)
1 large egg
4 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup Truvia baking blend (or 1/2 cup Splenda or Truvia)
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 425.  Lightly spray a muffin tin (12 cups) with nonstick baking spray and set aside.

In a medium bowl, blend yogurt, juice, egg, melted butter and vanilla extract well. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together flour, Truvia baking blend, baking powder and baking soda with a whisk.  Add the blueberries and stir lightly to coat with flour (that will help distribute them through the batter and keep them from all sinking to the bottom!).  Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients.  Blend with a large spoon just until the dry ingredients are incorporated and moist.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each about 2/3 full.

Bake for 5 min at 425, then reduce the oven temperature to 375 and continue baking about 8-10 minutes.

Cool for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling.

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