Grain-Free Carrot cake with Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting

“Freedom is... not to be bound by my wounds. And to be able to eat cake every day.”

— Amanda de Cadenet

CARROT CAKE IS BACK IN BUT WITH A MODERN TWIST

Well, it seems carrot cake is back in style! Every time I go on social media lately, I see dozens of versions of carrot cake resurfacing from the 1970’s. It’s as if the millennial generation is just discovering the deliciousness of carrots in desserts while my generation is finally understanding why our parents were so keen on it. I wonder, why didn’t it survive the 2000’s? Ah, yes… the Rise and Fall of the Cupcake fad.

But like many other classic recipes, it was time to bring Carrot Cake into 2021 in due fashion: by omitting gluten and dairy! Yes, its beyond do-able and yes, its so, so delicious. While we didn’t pipe little carrots and their tops around the border, we did pile on a confetti of heirloom carrots on as ribbons, shavings, and coins, and added a seasonal garnish- local bee pollen!

WHY I LOVE THIS RECIPE:

This gluten-free + dairy-free carrot cake is ridiculously tender, perfectly spiced, lightly sweet, and is super easy to make.

• I LOVE that I can take it to a party, knowing that most dietary restrictions and allergies are covered being free from gluten, dairy, soy, corn, refined sugar, and lectins.

• Clean-up is a breeze as you will not need an electric mixer!

• You can eat it for breakfast. And I did. Many times! This carrot cake recipe is low in sugar but high in protein and fiber, thanks to my gluten-free flour blend of almond meal + coconut flour and reduction of sugar from most cake recipes. Instead, we highlight the natural sweetness of carrots, dried fruit, and pure maple.

• The icing is made with an amazing almond-based cream cheese by Kite Hill. It mixes easily with coconut cream, vanilla, and sweetener to taste. Most haven’t heard of the newly available soy-free cheeses, so its a great conversation piece.

• You can make an art project out of it. Use shavings of rainbow carrots in their myriad of colors, seasonal edible flowers like pansies or marigolds, and local bee pollen for a honey crunch. Kids, especially, love this part.

Whenever I test a recipe for a new dessert, I start with half the amount of sugar as the base recipe ratio. Our palates are so accustomed to sweetness - addicted, really - that we rarely think of omitting it. While many recipes need a certain ratio of sugar to achieve a specific texture, cakes are more forgivable. The sweetener used - maple syrup- is naturally sweeter and therefore you will not need to add as much to please the palate. Additionally, in its liquid state, it keeps the cake moist for longer. Win, win!

PRO-TIPS:

Bring ingredients to room Temperature. This ensures your batter wont cease up when mixing dry + wet ingredients

• Vegan eggs. The recipe calls for chicken eggs but you may use flax eggs: 1 flax egg = 1 Tbl ground Flax seed + 2.5 Tbls water. Let sit 5 minutes. You may also use an egg replacer that includes a binder, but I prefer not adding unnecessary starches.

• For carrot ribbons and coins, use a Benriner mandoline and store in ice water; for shredded, use a box grater. As always, use caution with these tools.

• As with all GF baking, silicone is best. Silicone pans and molds are best for my gluten-free recipes as it allows the higher-protein almond + coconut flour batter to properly rise and I prefer the lighter texture resulting from that.

• Binders are optional. Many gluten-free flour blends contain gums and starches to bind (more on gluten-free flour blends further along in the blog). While this may be preferred with vegan baking, this recipe has eggs and will not need it. If you choose vegan baking, add 1/2 tsp xanthan gum to your dry ingredients.

Grain free Carrot Cake recipe