Snackin' Cake and a Photography Discovery

Do you like that picture? Don't you agree it's much better, lighting-wise, than my others? I realized today that I've had a great photography light all this time, and never used it. It's a tabletop craft light, similar to Ott lights, that casts a whiter light on yur work than a normal lightbulb. I don't have to go buy a fancy photography light now!

This recipe originally came from Light and Tasty magazine, and I changed it a little to make it even healthier. I found the dried cherries at Whole Foods, but I know you can get them at Trader Joe's, too.

Whole Wheat Cherry Almond Snack Cake

⅔ cup reduced-fat stick margarine, softened
3/4 cup Splenda Granular
¼ cup honey
1 egg
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 c whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup fat-free milk
⅔ cup ground almonds
½ cup dried cherries, finely chopped

In a large mixing bowl, beat the margarine, Splenda and honey. Beat in the egg and almond extract (mixture will appear curdled). Combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with milk. Stir in almonds and cherries. Batter will be thick.
Spread into a 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake at 325° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. 15 servings.

Question: Why is my cake so crumbly? The only change I made from the Light and Tasty recipe was substituting 1 cup of whole wheat flour for 1 cup of the all-purpose. Should I have added something else or taken something else out to compensate? What makes a cake "stick together?"

food & drink