Recipe: Date Sweetened Carrot Cake

Ingredients:

Cake layers:

1 1/4 chopped pitted dates
1/2 cup boiling water
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 1/2 c. grated carrot (about 4-5 medium carrots)
4 eggs
2/3 c. vegetable oil
1 tsp (5g) vanilla extract
1 c. toasted pecans , chopped

Light Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 package (16 oz.) light cream cheese , room temperature
1 ½ c. chilled whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 c. maple syrup

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350.
Grease three 8 in. round cake pans and line bottom with parchment paper.
Add dates to a food processor, add boiling water and process to a paste. In a medium bowl sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.
In the bowl of electric mixer add eggs and date paste and mix on medium for a few minutes until creamy and lighter in color. Add vegetable oil and mix until combined.
Slowly add dry ingredients to date mixture until combined. Remove bowl from mixer and fold in grated carrot and toasted pecans.
Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Bake for about 15-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let pans cool on a cooling rack for 10 minutes then remove cakes from the pan and let them cool completely on wire rack.
In a bowl mix the cream cheese with maple syrup and vanilla extract until smooth. Add cold whipping cream and continue mixing until stiff peaks form.