Carrot Cake Extraordinaire

Step 1

To make cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a tube pan or Bundt pan (10- to 12-cup capacity) with cooking spray. Dust pan with flour, tilting to coat and tapping out the excess.

Step 2

Whisk flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Stir in toasted nuts. Whisk 2 cups sugar, fruit puree fat replacement, oil, eggs, egg whites and vanilla in another bowl until well mixed. Fold in carrots. Add the flour mixture and mix just until completely blended.

Step 3

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the top springs back when lightly touched in the center, 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack, right-side up. Let cool slightly, but not completely, while preparing glaze.

Step 4

To make caramel-buttermilk glaze: Mix 1 cup sugar, buttermilk, corn syrup and baking soda in a heavy saucepan. Place over medium-low heat and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until glaze turns a light caramel color and foaming starts to subside, 10 to 12 minutes. Watch carefully; the mixture can scorch easily.

Step 5

Place the still-warm cake on the rack over a baking sheet. Poke cake all over with a long skewer. Spoon warm glaze over cake, letting it drip down the sides. Transfer to a serving platter and spoon any glaze that has dripped onto the baking sheet over the cake. Let cake stand for 30 minutes to set glaze.