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Best Gluten Free Carrot Cake

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A healthier version of the classic carrot cake, incredibly moist with just the right amount of sweetness and spice. Loaded with carrots, and topped with a tangy cream cheese frosting you can easily make dairy free.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 eggs room temperature (see tips above)*
  • 2 1/2 cups, peeled and shredded or grated, carrots (295 grams)
  • 1/3 cup coconut oil melted and cooled (69 grams)
  • 1 1/4 cups blanched almond flour (140 grams)
  • 1/4 cup coconut flour (28 grams)
  • 1/3 cup tapioca flour (43 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • Pinch nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened nut milk
  • 1 Tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup currants or raisins

For the Frosting:

  • 8 ounces organic butter, at room temperature (or sub vegan butter)
  • 8 ounces organic cream cheese, at room temperature (or sub dairy free cream cheese)
  • 1 ½ cups organic powdered sugar
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the Decoration (optional)

  • 1/4 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped

Instructions

  1. Peel and shred the carrots. Set aside.
  2. Melt the coconut oil and let cool to room temperature.
  3. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line the bottom of two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper. Grease the sides of pan with coconut oil. 
  4. In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients – almond, coconut, and tapioca flours, baking soda, salt and spices, set aside.
  5. In a larger bowl, with an electric hand mixer, beat together the eggs, maple syrup, almond milk, cider vinegar, coconut oil and vanilla on low/med speed.
  6. Add the dry mixture to the wet and beat on low speed until fully combined. You will have a thick batter.
  7. Add the carrots and currants. Mix by hand with a rubber spatula until evenly combined.
  8. Evenly pour the batter into the prepared pans.
  9. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 mins or until toothpick comes out clean.
  10. Cool in the cake pans for 30 minutes, then carefully remove from cake pans. Transfer to a wire rack and cool in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before frosting.*
  11. While the cake is cooling, make your frosting: In a large bowl using an electric mixer, whip the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add in the vanilla extract, salt, and powdered sugar* and whip to combine, about 2 minutes more.
  12. Place the first cake on a plate, then top with 1/3 of the frosting. Put the second layer on top and either frost the top and the sides of the cake with the remaining frosting or do a crumb coat for a more professional look.
  13. How to CRUMB COAT: After adding the second layer, coat the sides and top of the cake with a very thin layer of frosting and place in the fridge for 30 minutes before you finish frosting. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting
  14. Decorate the top and bottom edges with finely chopped pecans or walnuts (see photos).
  15. Chill for 30 minutes. Serve, and enjoy!
  16. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Equipment

Notes

To make vegan:  Make 4 flax eggs: mix 4 tablespoons ground flax seed with 12 tablespoons water. Let sit 5 minutes and add to the liquid ingredients.

You can make the cake 1-2 days ahead of time and then frost it the following day. I find it easier to bake one day and frost the next. Remove the cakes from the pan wrap them separately in plastic and store in the refrigerator until ready to frost. They can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days before frosting.

If your powdered sugar has lumps, sift it first.

PREP TIME DOES NOT INCLUDE COOLING TIME BEFORE FROSTING. It does include the time it takes to make the frosting. (10 minutes)

Find it online: https://eatwellenjoylife.com/best-gluten-free-carrot-cake-paleo/