Paleo Carrot Cake with "Cream Cheese" Frosting (Gluten Free,

• servings: 16 servings
• active time: 15 minutes
• total time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

5 large organic brown eggs (at room temperature)

1 ½ cups coconut sugar

1 cup refined coconut oil (melted but not hot)

1 ½ tablespoons pure vanilla extract

2 8-ounce cans organic crushed pineapple (drained well, see Notes)

3 cups grated carrots (see Notes)

3 cups fine almond flour

6 tablespoons coconut flour

6 tablespoons tapioca flour

1 tablespoon fresh baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground ginger

1 ¼ cups finely chopped pecans (see Notes)

1 pinc salt

16 ounces dairy-free cream cheese (softened)

½ cup refined coconut oil (softened; or 4 ounces ghee, softened)

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

½ cup pure maple syrup

finely chopped pecans

Directions

For the Carrot Cake

Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Adjust oven racks as needed so cake pans will sit in center of oven.

Cut parchment paper to fit inside cake pans (see Notes below), then grease bottom and sides of each cake pan with cooking spray, ghee, or coconut oil. Fit parchment paper circle in bottom of each cake pan and set pans aside.

Crack eggs directly into large mixing bowl. Whisk eggs well until just combined, being careful not to over-whisk.

Add coconut sugar, coconut oil, and vanilla extract to egg mixture. Whisk until ingredients are just combined.

Add crushed pineapple, grated carrots, almond flour, coconut flour, tapioca flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger to bowl. Continue whisking until ingredients are well combined and batter is thick and mostly smooth. Be careful not to over-mix.

When batter ingredients are fully incorporated, add chopped pecans to mixture. Gently fold in pecans until just distributed.

Transfer cake batter into prepared cake pans, making sure to fill cake pans evenly.

Place filled cake pans in preheated oven. Bake cake layers 20 minutes. Note: if 3 cake pans won't fit on one oven rack, split pans between 2 racks. Bake 10 minutes, then rotate pans and bake 10 minutes more.

After 20 minutes, begin testing doneness of cake layers. Insert toothpick into center of each cake layer, then quickly remove toothpick. If toothpick does not come out of cake with very few crumbs, continue baking cake layers, checking doneness every 1 to 2 minutes.

Once toothpick can be removed from cake covered in few crumbs, remove cake pans from oven and set aside. Allow cake layers to rest in cake pans until layers are completely cool.

For the "Cream Cheese" Frosting

Add softened cream cheese, softened coconut oil, vanilla extract, and maple syrup to medium mixing bowl. Use hand mixer on medium-high speed to beat ingredients together until smooth, fluffy frosting forms.

To Frost the Carrot Cake

Run offset spatula or butter knife around inner edge of cake pans to loosen cake. Carefully flip one cake pan over and remove cake layer, tapping or shaking pan as needed.

Place first cake layer right-side up on decorating turntable, plate, or cake stand. Use offset spatula to dollop frosting onto top of cake layer, then spread frosting out evenly to edges of cake.

Remove second cake layer from pan and stack on top of first layer. Frost top of second layer with equal amount of frosting as used on first layer.

Remove third layer of cake from cake pan and place on top of second layer. Use remaining frosting to frost top of cake, spreading excess frosting down sides of cake to cover layers completely. Make sure to spread frosting uniformly around entire cake.

If desired, immediately sprinkle chopped pecans on top of carrot cake. Alternately, use wax paper to apply chopped pecans to sides of frosted cake, pressing pecans into frosting gently to stick.

Serve carrot cake immediately, or place cake in refrigerator, uncovered, until ready to serve.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 slice of carrot cake w
• Calories: 567 kcal
• Total Fat: 43 g
• Saturated Fat: 17 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
• Trans Fat: 0.01 g
• Cholesterol: 76 mg
• Sodium: 451 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 39 g
• Dietary Fiber: 7 g
• Total Sugars: 25 g
• Protein: 10 g