Finally, a fantastic natural carrot cake with non-dairy cream cheese frosting! This cake is flourless, yet it’s 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 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.
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