Here is a gluten-free, wheat-free, moist, and delicious paleo carrot cake that you will love!! Made with blanched almond flour and dairy-free cashew and coconut ''cream cheese'' frosting, this cake is perfect to serve on special occasions such as Easter, Mother's Day, birthdays, or to simply enjoy for breakfast or brunch.
Before you skip to the recipe card, do not forget to read through the post so you do not miss out on useful tips relating to this post!
why you will love this recipe
- a great alternative - it is a great alternative, especially for those on a special diet. This gluten-free carrot cake recipe uses blanched almond flour and almond meal instead of regular wheat flour making it great for those with gluten sensitivities. It is also dairy-free and wheat-free.
- super moist - the grated carrots, orange juice, and coconut oil make this paleo carrot cake super juicy.
- spice - the spices make the carrot cake flavourful, and the walnuts add a wonderful crunch.
ingredients
Here are the ingredients you will need for this recipe. This is a summary, a detailed and printable recipe card has been provided at the bottom of this page.
- carrots.
- pure melted coconut oil - or use extra virgin olive oil.
- coconut cream - scoop out the top creamy part from a can of coconut milk (not the boxed kind).
- almond milk - or your preferred choice of plant milk, such as coconut milk.
- blanched almond flour.
- some almond meal.
- coconut sugar.
- eggs (separated into egg white and yolk).
- spices and condiments - nutmeg, cardamon, ground ginger and cinnamon, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt.
- leavening agents - baking powder and baking soda.
- nuts - some cashews, soaked for at least four hours. You will also require some chopped walnuts, to fold into thebatter and to garnish.
- apple cider vinegar.
- other - grated rind of half of an orange and some orange juice.
how to make gluten-free and paleo carrot cake
Making this paleo carrot cake basically involves two steps namely; making the dairy-free frosting and preparing the gluten-free cake.
Step 1: Start by making the dairy-free coconut cream cheese frosting.
- Clean an orange, and grate the rind of the entire orange. Then set it aside. Scoop out the coconut cream from the can (only the creamy part, you can preserve the water for use in other recipes). Add the coconut cream to a powerful food processor. To it add the soaked cashews (with the water drained off), cinnamon, coconut sugar, a pinch of salt, and vanilla extract. Process until smooth and creamy. Add halt of your grated orange rind (leave the other half for the cake batter), combine then transfer to an air-tight container and keep in the fridge so it sets.
Step 2: Prepare the paleo carrot cake
- Grease the bottom and sides of two 18cm cake tins (7-inch cake tins) or line them with parchment paper. Peel and wash the carrots, cut the orange into half and press the juice of one half, making sure to get rid of all seeds.
- Preheat the oven to 350° F / 175° C. In a bowl, whisk the egg whites until medium peaks form. Add the almond milk, coconut sugar, apple cider vinegar, vanilla extract, coconut oil, grated carrots, the rest of the grated orange rind, and the juice of half an orange. Whisk together. Carefully add the egg yolks to the bowl with the liquid mixture and whisk on medium.
- In a bowl sift together almond flour, almond meal, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cardamom powder, nutmeg, and the ground ginger and cinnamon. Carefully mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients then combine. Fold in the chopped walnuts except for 2 tablespoons then mix.
- Divide the mixture into halves and transfer to two baking tins. Bake for approximately 30-35 minutes or until the tops turn brown and a toothpick inserted at the center of the cake comes out clean. Once baked, remove the carrot cake from the oven and place it on a rack on the countertop. Let it cool completely, before removing it from the tin. Once cool, spread the cooled frosting on one cake. Place the other cake on top, then layer with some more frosting. You can also spread the paleo frosting on the sides of the cake if you prefer.
- Top with the walnuts previously set aside, and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.
variations
- honey and maple syrup are great paleo-friendly sweeteners that you can use, in place of coconut sugar.
- make this carrot cake vegan by replacing the eggs with flax egg.
- add half a cup of diced pineapple or applesauce for extra sweetness.
- make this recipe low-carb by using a suitable keto-friendly sweetener.
useful tips
- use a fine grater, but do not grate lengthwise as you will end up with a stringy cake. Rather, grate along the circumference or width.
- start with the cashew and coconut frosting and make sure to give it enough time to set in the refrigerator, as this allows to give it a better structure.
- once baked, allow the carrot cake to cool completely, before removing it from the tin.
- store this gluten-free and dairy-free carrot cake in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving, to allow all the flavors to come together. The cake tastes even better after one day! Also, the paleo coconut frosting sits better when chilled so make sure to transfer any remaining cake to the fridge, as soon as possible.
How long will the carrot cake keep?
This paleo carrot cake tastes even better one day after baking as this allows the flavors to set in. It will keep in the fridge for 4-5 days and can be frozen for up to 4 months. Just be sure to keep it in a suitable airtight container.
more tasty paleo recipes featuring carrots for you to try!
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📖 RECIPE
Delicious Paleo Carrot Cake with Almond Flour
Moist, delicious, gluten-free, and paleo carrot cake with almond flour, a coconut "cream cheese" frosting, and walnuts.
Equipment
Parchment paper
mixing bowls
a whisk and wooden spoons or spatula
food processor or powerful blender
two 18 cm (7-inch cake pans)
Ingredients
- 1 cup grated carrots
- ½ cup cup pure melted coconut oil (or olive oil)
- 1 cup almond milk
- 2 cups almond flour blanched
- ½ cup almond meal
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamon
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 eggs separated
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅓ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup orange juice (extracted from half of an orange)
- ½ cup chopped walnuts plus 2 tablespoon to use as topping
- grated rind of half of an orange
PALEO CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- 1½ cups cashews (soaked overnight or for at least 4 hours and with the water drained off)
- cream from one can of coconut cream
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ cup cup coconut sugar (or alternatively maple syrup)
- grated rind of ½ an orange
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Instructions
DIRECTIONS - PALEO CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- Clean an orange and great the rind of the entire orange. Then set it aside. Start by making the frosting. Scoop out the thick creamy part of coconut cream from the can (you can preserve the water for use in other recipes).
- Add the coconut cream to a powerful food processor. To it add the soaked cashews (with the water drained off), cinnamon, coconut sugar, a pinch of salt, and vanilla extract. Process until smooth and creamy. Add half of the grated orange rind then combine.1½ cups cashews, cream from one can of coconut cream, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¾ cup cup coconut sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, pinch of salt, grated rind of ½ an orange
- Transfer to an air-tight container and place in the fridge so it sets.
DIRECTIONS - PALEO CARROT CAKE
- Grease the bottom and sides of two 18cm cake tins (7-inch cake tins) or line them with parchment paper.
- Peel and wash the carrots. Cut the orange into half and press the juice of one half, making sure to get rid of all seeds.
- Pre-heat the oven to 350° F / 175° C.
- In a bowl, whisk the egg whites until medium peaks form. Add the almond milk, coconut sugar, apple cider vinegar, vanilla extract, coconut oil, grated carrots, half of the grated orange rind, and the juice of half an orange. Whisk together. Carefully add the egg yolks to the bowl with the liquid mixture and whisk on medium.1 cup grated carrots, ½ cup cup pure melted coconut oil, 1 cup almond milk, 1 cup coconut sugar, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 4 eggs, grated rind of half of an orange, ¼ cup orange juice
- In a bowl sift together almond flour, almond meal, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cardamom powder, nutmeg, and the ground ginger and cinnamon.2 cups almond flour, ½ cup almond meal, 1 teaspoon nutmeg, ½ teaspoon ground cardamon, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ⅓ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Carefully mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients then combine. Fold in the chopped walnuts except for 2 tablespoons then mix.½ cup chopped walnuts
- Divide the mixture into halves and transfer to two baking tins. Bake for approximately 35 minutes or until the top turns brown and a toothpick pointed at the centre of the cake comes out clean. Once baked, remove from the oven and place on a rack on the countertop. Let cool before removing from the tin.
- Once cool, spread a third of the cooled frosting on one cake. Place the other half on top of the cake and spread the rest of the frosting.
- Top with the walnuts previously set aside, and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
- The recipe calls for a lot of ingredients. I personally recommend you to use all of them, it will be worth it in the end. You can replace the coconut sugar in the recipe with honey or maple syrup.
- Prepare the frosting before you prepare the cake, to allow it to completely set.
Nutrition
Calories: 387kcalCarbohydrates: 30.5gProtein: 7.7gFat: 24.8gSaturated Fat: 10.8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4.5gCholesterol: 62mgSodium: 103.5mgPotassium: 329.1mgFiber: 2.3gSugar: 23.5gVitamin A: 31.8IUVitamin C: 5.3mgCalcium: 85.2mgIron: 1.3mg
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