COOKIN’ GREENS CARROT PUMPKIN CAKE WITH GREENS INFUSED FROSTING

Try this recipe with spinach, kale or BOTH!

1 box Carrot Cake Mix (any brand)

1  cups steamed Cookin’ Greens Kale, Spinach, or combo of the two

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

¼ cup water plus 2 tsp water

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

2 large eggs

1 egg white

1 cup light sour cream or vanilla yogurt

1. Preheat oven to 350’ F.  Line a loaf pan with parchment paper, or spray thoroughly with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Steam or microwave Cookin’ Greens according to package directions.  Puree in food processor with 2 tsp of water.  Allow to cool. 
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, 1 cup cooled Cookin’ Greens, pumpkin puree, water, oil, eggs, egg white, and sour cream.  Beat until smooth, approximately 2 minutes. 
4. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted,  about 45 minutes. 
5. Allow to cool, and remove cake carefully from loaf pan.  If you plan to frost it, slice cake horizontally and add Cookin’ Greens infused cream cheese frosting between layers.  Cover reassembled cake with either plain frosting or Cookin’ Greens  Infused frosting.

 Greens Infused Cream Cheese Frosting

1 package (8oz) light cream cheese, at room temperature

4 Tbsp (1/2 stick) butter, at room temperature

½ cup cooked, cooled and pureed Cookin’ Greens

2  ½  cups icing sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Place the cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl.  Blend with electric mixer on medium speed until combined  (1 minute).
2. Add pureed Cookin’ Greens and mix for another 30 seconds to incorporate greens in batch. 
3. Stop the mixer and slowly add the icing sugar and vanilla. Mix on low speed until all sugar is incorporated. 
4. Increase speed to medium for another minute to ensure frosting is fluffy. 
5. Add frosting between cake layers and use to cover entire cake.

 Note:  If you wish, for the finished cake to appear white on the outside, you may also make the frosting without the Greens, and then remove ¾ of the cream cheese frosting to reserve for covering the cake.  Then add the prepared Greens to the remaining ¼ of the batch in the mixing bowl and mix well so the greens combine with the frosting.  Use this batch for the inner cake layer and the plain white frosting for the outer coating .

Enjoy.