Description
This gluten-free birthday carrot cake is the kind of celebration cake everyone looks forward to. Moist, fluffy, gently spiced, and topped with a creamy frosting, it just happens to be naturally gluten-free, sugar-free, and lower in carbohydrates than a traditional carrot cake. Made with almond flour, plenty of grated carrots, walnuts, pecans, and a few dried figs for natural sweetness, it’s full of flavor without being overly sweet.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 1/4 cups blanched almond flour, firmly packed
- 3 tablespoons coconut flour
- 2/3 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1 cup grated carrots (about 2 medium carrots)
- 1/3 cup chopped walnuts and pecans
- 3 dried Black Mission figs, finely chopped
- 1/3 cup avocado oil
- 2 pasture-raised eggs
- 2/3 cup unsweetened coconut milk
- 3 tablespoons allulose or monkfruit sweetener
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Frosting
- 8 ounces (225 g) organic cream cheese
- 5 tablespoons butter, softened
- 7 ounces (200 g) coconut cream (refrigerated overnight)
- 1 tablespoon allulose or monkfruit sweetener
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional Decoration
- Fresh berries
- Toasted walnuts or pecans
- Unsweetened shredded coconut
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease two 5-inch cake pans (or similar baking dishes) and line each with two strips of parchment paper arranged in a cross, leaving enough overhang to lift the cakes out after baking.
- Finely chop the nuts and dried figs. Toss them with a little coconut flour to prevent sticking.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, salt, spices, and shredded coconut.
- In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, coconut milk, avocado oil, vanilla, and sweetener.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir gently until combined.
- Fold in the grated carrots, chopped nuts, and figs.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
- Bake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cakes slightly before removing them from the pans.
- Beat together all the frosting ingredients until smooth and fluffy. Taste and adjust sweetness if desired.
- Spread frosting between the cake layers, then frost the top and sides. Decorate with berries, toasted nuts, and shredded coconut if desired.
- Refrigerate for several hours or overnight before serving for the best flavor and texture.
Notes
Pack the almond flour firmly into the measuring cup. This recipe was developed using packed cups, which gives the cake the correct structure.
Tossing the chopped figs and nuts with a little coconut flour helps distribute them evenly throughout the batter.
Refrigerating the coconut milk overnight makes it easy to separate the thick cream needed for the frosting.
This recipe makes a 5-inch two-layer cake, serving about 8 people. To make a standard celebration cake, simply double the ingredients and bake in two larger cake pans.
Like many carrot cakes, this one tastes even better after chilling overnight.