Baking on Friday (Saturday Edition): Carrot Quick Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting

This recipe created by Robin Vitetta-Miller came to me via email from myrecipes.com and first appeared in the July, 2003, issue of Cooking Light magazine.

It goes together quick and easy (especially if you use a food processor to grate the carrots), and then it bakes for an hour, which gives you time to clean up and do some other things around the house before moving on to the next step:  frosting.  I actually had some cream cheese frosting in my freezer leftover from some cupcakes I made this summer.  My frosting was probably sweeter than what the recipe makes, but it was still good.

At nearly 400 calories per slice (eight slices per loaf), I wouldn't call this a low-calorie recipe, but it has a nice crumb and not too much fat or sugar.  To quote Cooking Light:

•   This bread is rich in protein.  Oats provide soluble fiber, and carrots contribute betacarotene.

I like it for how good it tastes.  It's a nice weekend breakfast bread or a nice afternoon snacking bread.  Or, if you're like me, you aren't choosy about what time of day you eat it.  (Right out of the oven suits me just fine.)

With thanks to Cooking Light and Robin Vitetta-Miller for coming up with such a tasty treat, here is the recipe:

Carrot Quick Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting

Recipe By:  Robin Vitetta-Miller
Servings: 8     

For the Bread:

3/4 cup  all-purpose flour
1/2 cup  whole wheat flour
1/2 cup  soy flour
3/4 cup  quick-cooking oats
2 teaspoons  ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons  baking powder
1/2 teaspoon  baking soda
1/4 teaspoon  salt
 3/4 cup  packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons  butter -- softened
1 large egg
1/2 cup  water
1 cup  whole milk
1 teaspoon  vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups  finely shredded carrot
1/2 cup  golden raisins
Cooking spray
 
For the Frosting:
1 cup  (4 oz.) block-style cream cheese -- softened
1/3 cup  powdered sugar
2 teaspoons  fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350°F.

To prepare bread, lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife.  Combine flours, oats, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Place brown sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended.  Add water and egg; beat well.  Beat in milk and vanilla.  Gradually add flour mixture, stirring just until blended.  Fold in carrot and raisins.  Spoon batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray.  Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan.  Cool completely on wire rack.

To prepare frosting, place cream cheese and powdered sugar in a bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until fluffy.  Beat in lemon juice.  Spread frosting over top of cooled bread.

Today I'm continuing on with my meal-making for my neighbor who is undergoing surgery in a few days.  On today's menu:  Beef Bourguignon.  But for now, I'm claim some much-coveted time in my sewing room.  How's your Labor Day weekend going so far?