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–+ servings
Mini carrot cake slices on parchment paper.

Paleo Carrot Cake (Nut Free)

What's not to love about this Paleo Carrot Cake?! It's incredibly moist, has a kick of your favorite warming spices, and it's topped with a simple, dairy-free frosting! It's a great way to enjoy the classic flavors of carrot cake without grains, dairy, or refined sugars!
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 8
Calories 126 kcal

Equipment

  • Large Grater
  • 10x6 Glass Baking Dish or 2, 6" Cake Pans
  • Spatula
  • Hand Mixer or Whisk

Ingredients
  

Dry Ingredients

  • ½ Cup Cassava Flour
  • ¼ Cup Coconut Flour
  • 2 Teaspoons Cinnamon
  • 1+½ Teaspoons Baking Powder
  • ½ Teaspoon Nutmeg
  • ½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
  • ¼ Teaspoon Clove
  • ¼ Teaspoon Ginger
  • ¼ Teaspoon Salt

Wet Ingredients

  • 3 Eggs, Room Temperature
  • 1 Cup Shredded Carrots About two small carrots!
  • ⅓ Cup Unsweetened Applesauce
  • ⅓ Cup Coconut Sugar Sub with Lakanto Golden Monkfruit or any granulated sugar.
  • ⅓ Cup Coconut Milk
  • 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Dairy-Free Frosting (Optional)

  • 1 13.5 Ounces Full Fat Coconut Milk, Chilled I use the brand Native Forest.
  • 1 Small Ripe Banana
  • 2-3 Tablespoons Lakanto Powdered Sugar You can sub with regular powdered sugar, 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup, or skip it altogether!

Instructions
 

Making the Cake Batter

  • Start by adding the cassava flour, coconut flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a small mixing bowl. Whisk together until the mixture is blended evenly.
  • Next, add the coconut sugar, coconut milk, shredded carrots, apple cider vinegar, vanilla extract, applesauce, and eggs into a bowl. Whisk together until blended - do not over mix.
  • Pour the dry mixture into the wet mixture, and use a spatula to fold together until a thick cake batter forms.

Baking

  • Grease your baking pan with a non stick cooking spray or use a paper towel with some coconut oil. (Make sure the pan is fully coated.) You can also cut a piece of parchment paper to line the bottom of the baking pan.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes. *Depending on the pan size.*

Cooling & Cutting

  • The cake should be firm yet springy when you touch the top. Use a fork or toothpick to check if it's baked through thoroughly. If it comes out clean, you'll know it's done! (The top should get a little golden brown.)
  • Let the cake cool completely before trying to remove it from the pan. I like to pre-slice the pieces, and remove them one by one. You can also frost them prior to slicing and removing them!

Dairy-Free Frosting

  • For the frosting, make sure your coconut cream has be refrigerated for at least five hours. (Ideally overnight.) The colder it is, the thicker it will get. I also pop my mixing bowl in the freezer for a few minutes before I add the coconut cream into the bowl.
  • Add the thick part of the coconut cream from the top of the can into your chilled mixing bowl. Do NOT add the liquid part at the bottom or it will not thicken up into a whipped cream. Whip the mixture on high with an electric hand or stand mixer for a few minutes until it becomes thicker.
  • Next, add in the ripe banana and powdered sugar. Whip for a few more minutes. Place the bowl in the fridge for at least 15-20 minutes before frosting the cake. To frost the cake I like to use a spoon. Gently spoon on a small amount in the center of your bottom cake. Use the back of the spoon to spread it around until there is an even coating.
  • If you're making a layered cake - place your second cake on top. Spoon more frosting on the top and spread it around. Use the remaining frosting to cover the sides.
  • Place the cake in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to set before you slice and serve! Enjoy!

Notes

Baking Tips

  1. Don't over mix the wet mixture. Blend until it's combined, and then fold in the dry ingredients with a spatula.
  2. If you forgot to leave out your eggs, just add them to a small bowl with warm water. This will speed up the process!
  3. When measuring flours, scoop the measuring cup into the flour, and take a butter knife to push off the excess flour. Do NOT pack the flour.
  4. If you don't use parchment paper, make sure to grease the pan! I like using coconut oil, but any non-stick spray will work.
  5. Keep an eye on the cake, especially if you're using two smaller cake pans. The cakes will cook a little faster! If you use a smaller baking dish, it will take closer to 30 minutes.
  6. This Carrot Cake is meant to be moist, but not undercooked.

How to store leftovers

The cake with or without frosting stores best in the refrigerator. After about 5-7 days I would transfer any leftovers into an air tight glass container in the freezer. To defrost, just place the frozen cake in the refrigerator the night before.
See full post for more information and photos!

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 126kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 3gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 61mgSodium: 278mgPotassium: 115mgFiber: 3gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 2767IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 78mgIron: 1mg
Keywords dairy free carrot cake frosting, dairy free carrot cake icing, gluten free carrot cake, gluten free carrot cake no nuts, paleo carrot cake
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