Carrot Applesauce Snack Cake

By contributing writer Andrea Green

So, we all know that “healthy” and “cake” don’t really belong together.  But when you use applesauce and grated carrot to make a snack cake, I think the word “healthier” can definitely apply.

I made this carrot applesauce snack cake recipe when I had my niece and nephew visiting. They are two of the pickiest eaters on the face of this good earth! After several days of not a single vegetable passing their lips, I baked this cake. I don’t really know how many nutrients they get out of the carrots, but I certainly felt better knowing that a vegetable had been consumed.

The resulting cake is deliciously moist from the applesauce. Using cinnamon and cloves as the spices definitely marries the apple and carrot flavors together.

Make this as an after-school snack. Then tuck the leftovers into lunch the next day. Snack cakes are perfect for lunchboxes!

Print Recipe

Carrot Applesauce Snack Cake Recipe

Course: Snack

Author: Toni Anderson

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 cup applesauce
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1/2 cup butter softened
• 1 cup packed brown sugar

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease an 8 x 8 inch baking pan.
• In a small bowl, stir together flour and baking powder.
• In another small bowl, stir together applesauce, cinnamon and cloves.
• In a mixing bowl, beat together butter and brown sugar until smooth and creamy.
• Add the flour mixture alternately with the applesauce, mixing well after each addition.
• Stir in the shredded carrots.
• Spread cake batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake for 45 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool.

Have you ever had to sneak vegetables into your kid’s diet?

You might also like…

• The Happy Housewife’s Guide to Dealing with Picky Eaters
• 20 Summer Snack Foods Your Kids Will Love
• Apple Wraps
• Apple Salsa
• Baked Zucchini Chips