GF/VEGAN CARROT CAKE

Preparation Time:  4 hours (about 90 minutes active)
Serves 12 to 16

This is a two-layer cake requiring two 9-inch cake pans. It can also be made in a 9×13 baking pan.

For the cake batter
4 tightly packed cups of grated carrots (about 1.5 pounds of whole carrots)
7 tablespoons melted coconut oil plus some for oiling the pan
1½ cups sifted fine almond flour
1½ cups King Arthur Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon xanthan gum
1 tablespoon psyllium husks (whole flakes)
1 teaspoon Fine Ground Celtic Sea Salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups maple or coconut sugar
¼ to ½ cup plain unsweetened almond milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Vegan Frosting
8 ounces vegan cream cheese
8 ounces vegan butter
¾ cups maple sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
½ cup pecans or walnuts

Baker’s Tip: You don’t have to sift the almond flour, but doing so will develop a finer crumb and it only takes a few minutes of extra effort.

1. Lightly oil the cake pan(s). Cover the bottom with parchment paper and oil the top of the paper.  Lightly flour (about 1 teaspoon of King Arthur Flour for each pan) and invert the pans to tap out any excess flour. Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Scrub the carrots and grate them in a food processor or by hand. Measure out 4 cups and set aside. Place the coconut oil in a small saucepan to melt on a low heat and set aside.

3. In a medium mixing bowl, sift the almond flour. Remeasure and transfer 1½ sifted cups to a second mixing bowl. Add the King Arthur flour, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, psyllium husks, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg to the flour, and combine with a whisk.

4. Place the sugar in a separate mixing bowl. Add the oil, vanilla, and ¼ cup almond milk, and mix well with a spatula. Fold in the flour mixture and stir well to mix. Fold in the grated carrots, mixing until they are completely blended into the batter. Add additional almond milk if needed to ensure that the batter is moist, although this batter will not pour like some cake batters.

5. Spoon the batter into the prepared pans in equal amounts and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. (A few crumbs are OK.) Remove the cake pans from the oven and place them on wire racks for 10 minutes. Run a knife along the edges of the pans to loosen the cake before inverting the cake onto a rack to continue cooling. Remove the parchment paper.

If using a 9 x 13 pan: pour all the batter into the pan. After baking, leave the cake in the pan on a wire rack for about two hours until the cake is completely cooled. Once the cake has cooled, run a knife along the edge to loosen the cake from the pan. Invert the cake onto a cake board or serving tray.

6. Prepare the frosting. You can frost the cake once each layer (or the full 9×13 cake) has cooled at least 30 minutes and preferably 1 hour. Place cream cheese, vegan butter, vanilla, and maple sugar in a mixing bowl and beat with a mixer until the frosting is smooth. Chop the nuts in a food processor or by hand. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the nuts for the top of the cake. Apply the plain frosting to the top of cake; then sprinkle with nuts. Add the remaining nuts to the bowl of frosting to finish frosting the rest of the cake. Cover the cake in a domed container but do not refrigerate. The cake will keep unrefrigerated for at least three days.

Ayurvedic Note: Sweets always increase kapha. Eating too much sugar (even the unrefined sugars that I recommend) can cause inflammation in the body. To protect your good health, it’s best to save cakes and other desserts for special occasions or—if you must—once a week.