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:
- Preheat the oven to 180C
- Line a square brownie tin with baking paper.
- Put the beans, Sukrin, low fat spread, one egg and 2 tbsp Greek yoghurt in a food processor and blend until a puree.
- 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.
- Then add the fruit, carrot, orange juice and zest, the flour and baking powder and fold in.
- 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.
- While the cake is cooking, beat the quark and vanilla bean paste with the white sweetener and leave in the fridge.
- 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.
- Once cooled, top with the cheese topping, walnuts and orange zest.
- Cut into 12 slices and enjoy!!