Finally, a fantastic Paleo carrot cake with non-dairy cream cheese frosting! This cake is alive with flavor! Fresh carrots, apple, and orange zest add nutrition and keep it lusciously moist. It goes perfectly with my dairy-free Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting! Great for birthdays, special occasions, or just a snack, the cake is free of tree nuts, gluten, grains, dairy, sugar, and will not raise blood sugar or cause weight gain if you use one of the suggested non-carb natural sweeteners. Hint: You can make this as a round layer cake like the photo above, or a sheet cake, or cupcakes! I’ve tested this recipe so many times. For the most delicious flavor and texture, I suggest you follow it exactly the first time you make it. After that, feel free to make changes – at your own risk. The nuts are optional, so just skip them if you’re tree nut-free. Yield: One 9 by 13-inch sheet cake or one double-layer 8-inch round cake or many cupcakes. Equipment: You will need a food processor. A digital scale is helpful, as carrots and apples vary in size.
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups Just Like Sugar Table Top natural chicory root sweetener, or Swerve sweetener, or 7/8 cup raw honey, or your favorite sweetener.
- 1 1/3 cups shredded unsweetened coconut flakes (not coconut flour)
- 1/4 cup arrowroot flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon unprocessed salt
- 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast (optional)
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 cup chopped nuts, soaked and toasted if possible (Optional. For a tree nut-free cake, skip these.)
- 1/2 cup raisins (Optional. Beware! Raisins are extremely high in sugars)
- 2 1/2 carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 250 grams)
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tart apple, unpeeled, cored and cut into chunks (c. 100 grams) (If using honey to sweeten, omit this)
- Zest of 1 orange
- 2 inches fresh ginger, chopped or grated (about 20 grams)
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon maple flavoring (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and lightly dust with coconut flour or almond meal one 9 x 13- inch pan or two 8-inch round cake pans, or any cupcake pans.
- In a dry food processor with the “S” blade, grind the sweetener to a very fine powder.
- Add the shredded coconut to the sweetener in the food processor. Spin it for a minute until a very fine powder. Open the lid, stir the bottom, replace the lid, and grind again until the powder is uniformly fine.
- To the ingredients in the food processor, add the arrowroot, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutritional yeast, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice. Mix well and pour into a large mixing bowl. Add the nuts and raisins (if using) to the bowl, and stir.
- Place in the empty food processor the carrots, eggs, apple, orange zest, ginger, vanilla, and maple flavoring (if using). Mix well, until the carrot and apple are well liquefied.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture. Stir briefly to incorporate.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan(s). Bake two 8” layers 35 to 40 minutes, 9 x 13 sheet cake 30 - 35 minutes, regular cupcakes 18 to 23 minutes, or mini cupcakes 14 to 18 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan(s) or on a rack. This is easier to slice cleanly when chilled slightly.
No Replies to "Best Paleo Carrot Cake"