Paleo Carrot Cake with "Cream Cheese" Frosting
Recipe from Paleo Baking at Home by Michele Rosen
Servings: 10
Ingredients
For the Frosting:
- 2.5 cups unsalted cashews soaked in water for a minimum of 2 hours
- 2/3 cup coconut cream chilled
- 3 tbsp coconut oil solid
- 3.5 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup raw honey
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
For the cake:
- 2 3/4 cups blanched almond flour
- 1/2 cup tapioca flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp aluminum free baking powder or homemade baking powder
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 cup melted refined coconut oil
- 2/3 cup coconut sugar
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup crushed pineapple drained and excess juice squeezed out
- 2 cups grated carrots (3 to 4 large carrots)
- 1.5 cups chopped pecans divided
Instructions
- Prepare the frosting: in a high speed blender or food processor, blend all the frosting ingredients until smooth and creamy. Chill the frosting for at least an hour before using it.
- Prepare the cake: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper on the bottom, then spray the bottom and sides with coconut oil spray.
- In a medium sized bowl, combine the almond and tapioca flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves, then set aside.
- In a larger bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat together the coconut oil, coconut sugar, maple syrup, eggs, vanilla, and pineapple on medium-low speed. Add the dry mixture to the wet and beat on low speed until fully combined and a thick batter forms. By hand, gently fold in the grated carrots and half of the pecans.
- Divide the batter equally among the prepared cake pans. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the cetner of each layer comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then carefully remove from the cake pans and transfer to wire racks to cool completely to room temperature before frosting.
- Frost the cake with the chilled frosting between the layers and over the top. Garnish with the remaining pecans.
- Store leftovers, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
In addition to chilling the frosting overnight, you can also refrigerate the cake layers for easier frosting. I found it easier to have them chilled before frosting!