carrot cake-whole wheat

i have been making this carrot cake for almost 9 years and my whole family loves it...it is very healthy, (except for the the cream cheese frosting, but hey....what's a little cream cheese?)  this also makes excellent muffins. so go on, try this one if you want something moist, more on the healthy side and that has a good spice to it...my paper recipe is so well used, there are stains all over it. about time to type it up!


CAKE
2 3/4 cups whole wheat flour (I use white wheat, either hard or soft works great)
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1-2 TBS cinnamon (be flexible if you like)
1-2 TBS ground nutmeg
1 TBS allspice
1/4 tsp salt
5 eggs (or 4 egg whites whipped til foamy & 2 eggs)
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup plain yogurt (fat free or not-your choice)
1/4 cup canola or olive oil (Or substitute apple sauce, still great!)
2 cups grated carrots (I grate mine bigger than the tiny kind)
1 cup drained canned crushed pineapple
raisins if you like them. I don't like them in my cake, so they don't go there for me. :) I might blanch them if i were going to put them in.
walnuts if you like them.
any other kind of nuts, if you like them.

In mixing bowl, whip eggs til foamy. Add brown sugar, yogurt and oil and mix til creamy. Mix all dry ingredients in separate bowl and add to wet ingredients. Mix together and then add carrots, pineapple and anything else you want.
Preheat oven to 325. Makes two 9" rounds or a 9x13 or whatever shape you want. Bake for about 40-50 mins in a 9x13, adjust time for smaller ones. Knife will come out clean, but do not overcook or it will be too dry.
I ususally do this in two 9" rounds and then sometimes I use parchment paper, sometimes I just grease and flour the pans. Wait a few minutes and then remove from pans and let cool on cooling racks. After COMPLETELY cooled--make a layered cake.
A nice touch is to put slivered almonds around the sides of the cake and then put some shredded carrots on the top.... I need to find my pics! Have fun with it. No one will know it's healthy because the spices give it a nice flavor and it is moist and delicious. Ok, fine--some people might know that it's healthy, but who cares, it is good. :)

FROSTING
8 oz cream cheese, softened (I usually don't soften it, I just use the whisk attachment and whip)
16 oz powdered sugar (about 2 cups--or if you are only using to spread and not decorate, use less sugar)
2 tsp vanilla
Whip cream cheese, add sugar--one cup at a time after mixing and then add vanilla.

VARIATIONS:
So, this weekend, I decided to try putting no oil in the cake, since there is so little in it anyway. I put a little applesauce instead. It was still great and people still liked it. So, if you want to try that---have at it and actually fully enjoy your cake!