Is there a better Easter dessert than carrot cake? This version of everyone’s favorite spring dessert is gluten free and Paleo.
Ingredients
- CAKE
- 5 whole raw carrots, peeled
- 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon Grade B maple syrup
- ¹⁄3 cup plus 1 tablespoon water
- 10 Medjool dates, pitted
- ¾ cup coconut flour, sifted
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 10 pastured eggs
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup organic coconut oil, melted
- 1 cup organic walnuts, chopped, for garnish
- CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- 16 ounces full-fat cream cheese
- ½ cup Grade B maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons ginger root, grated
Directions
Place the carrots in a food processor and shred with the grating blade. Place carrots in a large Ziplock bag and pour 1 cup of maple syrup over them. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 325° F.
In a microwave-safe bowl, pour ¹⁄3 cup of water over the pitted dates and heat in microwave for 30 seconds. Mash with a fork and add remaining tablespoon water, microwaving for another 30 seconds. Mash again and add 1 tablespoon of maple syrup, continuing to mash and stir until mixture is an even consistency.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the sifted coconut flour, cinnamon, salt and baking soda.
In the large bowl of a stand mixer, blend the eggs, vanilla, melted coconut oil and date mixture. Add dry ingredients to wet and blend.
Remove carrots from the refrigerator, and drain the excess maple syrup from the carrots using a colander. Stir grated carrots into cake batter.
Grease two 9-inch cake pans with coconut oil.
Pour batter into pans.
Bake for 35 minutes. Test center with a toothpick—if the toothpick comes out clean, then the cakes are done. Remove cakes from oven and cool.
For the frosting, allow cream cheese to come up to room temperature.
Blend cream cheese, maple syrup, vanilla and ginger with a hand mixer or stand mixer.
Frost cakes with cream cheese frosting, garnish with walnuts, and serve.
Nutrition Analysis: 620 cal, 43 g fat, 195 mg chol, 520 mg sodium, 54 g carbs, 6 g fiber, 45 g sugar, 11 g protein.
Hayley Mason and Bill Staley are the authors of several bestselling cookbooks, including their newest, Make it Paleo 2. They can be found online at primalpalate.com.
