Carrotinies

This new, delicious recipe comes from my Connect friend Mands (@mands5781).  It’s her third go at baking with beans: this time a light, fruity carrot cake which is as soft and squidgy as Blondies – hence the term “Carrotinies”.  They are 1 point each on No Count and WW Freestyle, or 2 pieces for 3sp.  I made these yesterday and they really are scrumptious – very light and fruity!  Thank you Mands for another fantastic recipe!

(Photos courtesy of Mands.)

Ingredients (makes 12):

For the ‘Blondie’ base:

• 400g tin of cannellini beans, drained and washed
• 3 eggs
• 28g Lurpak lightest
• 2 tbsp 0% Greek yoghurt
• 70g raw carrot, grated
• 25g sweetener to taste (depending on your preference and choice of sweetener. I use Sukrin Gold)
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 5tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp mixed spice
• 1tbsp Myprotein sugar-free golden syrup
• 30g Whitworths mixed fruit and peel
• zest and juice of an orange
• 27g Allinson’s wholemeal self-raising flour

For the topping:

• 185g quark
• 1/4 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 10g Canderel sugarly sweetener
• 20g chopped walnuts
• orange zest

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C
2. Line a square brownie tin with baking paper.
3. Put the beans, Sukrin, low fat spread, one egg and 2 tbsp Greek yoghurt in a food processor and blend until a puree.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk the remaining eggs. Fold the mixture into the bean puree. Add the vanilla extract, cinnamon, mixed spice, sugar-free syrup and fold well to combine.
5. Then add the fruit, carrot, orange juice and zest, the flour and baking powder and fold in.
6. Pour this mixture into the tin evenly and shake so it settles nicely and bake for 25-30 minutes: or until the top is golden brown and firm, and a toothpick inserted into the middle of the pan comes out clean.
7. While the cake is cooking, beat the quark and vanilla bean paste with the white sweetener and leave in the fridge.
8. Remove the cake from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack, remove the baking paper and leave to cool completely.
9. Once cooled, top with the cheese topping, walnuts and orange zest.
10. Cut into 12 slices and enjoy!!