Carrot Cake With Lemon Frosting

If you wish, you can use just whole wheat flour and brown sugar, but choose a finely milled whole wheat flour for best effect.

SERVES: 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) soy margarine
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
• 3/4 cup fine-milled whole wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• Grated zest of 1 orange
• 2 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1 1/2 cups dried cranberries

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease 1 or 2 cookie sheets.
2. In a large bowl, beat the soy margarine, brown sugar, and white sugar together until light and fluffy.
3. Stir in the sifted all-purpose flour and fine-milled whole wheat flour, along with the salt.
4. In a small saucepan, bring the orange juice to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in the baking soda until dissolved.
5. Quickly add the orange juice mixture to the bowl, along with the grated zest of 1 orange, oats, and dried cranberries. Mix well to combine all the ingredients.
6. Drop the cookie dough by teaspoonfuls (or tablespoonfuls for larger cookies) onto the greased cookie sheet, leaving space between them to allow for spreading.
7. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges become a light golden brown.
8. Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for 3 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
9. Repeat the process with the remaining cookie dough until all cookies are baked.

VARIATIONS:

CARROT & PINEAPPLE CAKE WITH LEMON FROSTING 

• Prepare the basic recipe, replacing half the shredded carrots with 1 1/2 cups well-drained crushed pineapple.

CARROT & ZUCCHINI CAKE WITH LEMON FROSTING 

• Prepare the basic recipe, replacing half the shredded carrots with 1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini.

CARROT CAKE WITH PASSION FRUIT GLAZE 

• Prepare the basic carrot cake, but replace the frosting with a double quantity of passion fruit glaze.

CARROT CAKE WITH LEMON-COCONUT FROSTING 

• Prepare the basic recipe. Lightly toast 3/4 cup shredded coconut under a medium-hot broiler until the edges become lightly golden. Watch carefully as it quickly burns. Cool and lightly press into the frosting.