- 1 cup dried tart cherries, chopped
- Warm water
- 2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup refrigerated pasteurized egg product
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup SPLENDA® white sugar blend for baking
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 1/4 cup plain, nonfat yogurt (or vanilla yogurt)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups peeled and grated carrots
- Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 2/3 cup fat free cream cheese
- 2/3 cup Neufchatel cream cheese
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated SPLENDA®
- 1/3 cup dried tart cherries, chopped
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat 2 (8-inch) cake pans with cooking spray and dust with flour. Set aside.
- Place 1 cup cherries in a small bowl and cover with warm water. Let stand for 10 minutes, then drain.
- In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, and nutmeg. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, beat egg, egg product, and applesauce with an electric mixture until just combined. Beat in brown and granulated sugars, Splenda(R) sugar blend, canola oil, yogurt, and 2 teaspoons vanilla until thoroughly blended. Add sugar mixture, drained cherries, and carrots to flour mixture.
- Using a wooden spoon, stir just until flour mixture is moistened. Spoon batter evenly into cake pans and tap pans on counter to remove any bubbles.
- Bake at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into middle of cake layers comes out clean. Cool cake layers in pans for 10 minutes. Remove cake layers from pans and cool completely on wire racks.
- Frosting: In a medium bowl, beat cream cheeses with an electric mixer for 30 seconds. Beat in 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla until combined. Add powdered sugar and granulated Splenda(R) and beat until fluffy.
- Place one cake layer on plate, bottom side down. Frost top with 1/3 cup of the frosting. Add second layer, top side up. Frost sides and top of cake with remaining frosting.