Paleo Carrot Cake Recipe
This Paleo Carrot Cake Recipe is refined sugar free, gluten free and dairy free. It’s moist, nutty and spicy, with a creamy frosting to pair it with.
Prepare ahead of time
Although this cake is not difficult to make, you will have to make sure you prepare some things ahead of time for your frosting.
You’ll need to refrigerate your coconut milk ahead of time for a thicker frosting; the cream and water will separate and you will be able to use the cream and discard the water, or use it for something else.
Also, you’ll need to soak the cashews in warm water for one hour or more to make the “cream cheese” frosting; after this, the cake preparation is pretty quick and totally worth your time!
What is a Paleo Cake made of?
A paleo diet is a diet based on foods eaten on the Paleolithic era.
Any paleo cake should be naturally gluten free, so you will find flours like almond, tapioca flour, arrowroot flour, coconut or cassava flour as ingredients.
It also should be refined sugar free. To achieve this, you’ll find that they normally have natural sweeteners like maple syrup, monk fruit or Stevia.
They will also have to be free of dairy. The use of coconut oil, olive oil, avocado oil -among others- will be used instead.
Ingredients you’ll need for these Paleo carrot cake recipe
- Eggs. At room temperature so they mix more evenly with the rest of the ingredients and give more volume to the baked goods; if pressed on time, soak the eggs in warm water, completely covered, for 5 minutes.
- Coconut sugar. To sweeten your cake in a healthier way
- Monk fruit sweetener. Use a 1:1 ratio with normal sugar type of sweetener
- Coconut oil. Moistens your cake without the need of refined oil
- Vanilla extract. Good quality vanilla extract for better results
- Almond flour and Coconut flour. A blend of the two gluten free flours will make the flavors more neutral; I like to use Bob’s Red Mill, but feel free to use your favorite flour. Used instead of all-purpose flour for a gluten free dessert
- Baking soda. Gives softness and airiness
- Apple cider vinegar. This is the acidity needed to activate the baking soda
- Cinnamon, All-spice and Nutmeg. These are all of the warm spices for your carrot cake
- Carrots. The main ingredient! shredded and use fresh carrots if possible
- Walnuts. Give crunchiness and flavor to your carrot cake and provide healthy fats
- Can of pineapples. Unsweetened. Moistens your carrot cake and give flavor
- Raw cashews. Soaked for 1 hour (or more) in hot water. They will make your cashew cream cheese frosting have a creamy consistency
- Coconut milk. You will need to chill it so the fat and water separate and you’re able to discard the water
- Pure maple syrup. To sweeten your maple cream cheese frosting and give a deliciously warm flavor
- Sea salt. Enhances flavors
- Lemon juice and zest. To make the frosting more acid, and have a more “cream cheese” flavor
How to make this gluten free cake
- Pre-Heat oven to 350 F. Grease the sides and line the bottom of 3 8-in cake pans with parchment paper
- Beat eggs, sugars, oil and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients: Almond meal and coconut flour, salt, baking soda, vinegar, cinnamon, all-spice, nutmeg and mix
- Fold in carrots the shredded carrots, walnuts and pineapple
- Bake 40-45 min or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool for 20 minutes, then remove it carefully from the cake pan and let it cool completely over a wire rack
- On a separate bowl, start making your dairy free cream cheese frosting. In a food processor, blend cashews until a smooth paste forms, between 3-5 minutes. Add coconut oil, vanilla extract, maple syrup, sea salt, lemon juice and zest and blend. Set aside
- With your refrigerated can of coconut milk, separate the liquid from the cream, and whip the coconut cream until fluffy. Fold into cashew mixture. Freeze for 30 minutes and whip again: you can either use it immediately or repeat this process 1-2 more times for a fluffier frosting
- Layer cake, adding maple frosting in between each cake layer. Use an ice cream scoop -and use the same amount of frosting for both layers- to make sure you have an even layer. Decorate with walnuts if desired, and refrigerate for 3 hours before serving.
Can I make Paleo Carrot Cake Cupcakes with this batter?
Sure you can! Just line 2 cupcake tins with cupcake liners 2/3 full.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a cupcake comes out clean. Remove from the cupcake tin as soon as possible and let cool completely over a wire rack. Frost and enjoy!
How to store this Paleo Carrot Cake
In case you have any leftovers, store this delicious Paleo Carrot Cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 1 week
Follow this link for more healthier dessert recipes, or click the links below to look at some of my favorite ones:
Chocolate Banana Marbled Bread
Healthier Chocolate Hazelnut Granola
Healthier Pumpkin Seed Chocolate Bars
Follow me on Instagram and tag #sweetfixbaker to see all the recipes you make!
If you make this recipe, please be sure to give it a rating and leave a comment!
Paleo Carrot Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 5 large eggs room temperature
- 1 Cup coconut sugar
- 1 Cup monk fruit sweetener 1:1 ratio with normal sugar
- 3/4 Cup coconut oil melted and cooled
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 Cups almond flour
- 1/2 Cup coconut flour
- 1 Tablespoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon Apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon all-spice
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 3 Cups shredded carrots
- 1 Cup chopped walnuts
- 4 ounces canned pineapples unsweetened, crushed and drained
Frosting
- 3 Cups raw cashews soaked for 1 hour (or more) in hot water
- 1/4 Cup thick coconut oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 Cup pure maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/2 Cups coconut milk chilled, water discarded
Instructions
Cake
- Pre-Heat oven to 350 F. Grease the sides and line the bottom of 3 8-in cake pans with parchment paper
- Beat eggs, sugars, oil and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients: Almond meal and coconut flour, salt, baking soda, vinegar, cinnamon, all-spice, nutmeg and mix5 large eggs, 1 Cup (160 g) coconut sugar, 1 Cup (120 g) monk fruit sweetener, 3/4 Cup (177.4 ml) coconut oil, 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract, 2 Cups (224 g) almond flour, 1/2 Cup (60 g) coconut flour, 1 Tablespoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) salt, 1 Tablespoon Apple cider vinegar, 1 Tablespoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) all-spice, 1/4 teaspoon (0.3 teaspoon) nutmeg
- Fold the shredded carrots, walnuts and pineapple3 Cups (384 g) shredded carrots, 1 Cup (117 g) chopped walnuts, 4 ounces (113.4 g) canned pineapples
- Bake 40-45 min or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool for 20 minutes, then remove it carefully from the cake pan and let it cool completely over a wire rack
Frosting
- In a food processor, blend cashews until a smooth paste forms, between 3-5 minutes. Add coconut oil, vanilla extract, maple syrup, sea salt, lemon juice and zest and blend. Set aside3 Cups (387 g) raw cashews, 1/4 Cup (59.1 ml) thick coconut oil, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1/2 Cup (118.3 ml) pure maple syrup, 1/4 teaspoon (0.3 teaspoon) sea salt, 2 Tablespoons lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) lemon zest
- With your refrigerated can of coconut milk, separate the liquid from the cream, and whip the coconut cream until fluffy. Fold into cashew mixture. Freeze for 30 minutes and whip again: you can either use it immediately or repeat this process 1-2 more times for a fluffier frosting1/2 Cups (118.3 ml) coconut milk
- Layer cake, adding maple frosting in between each cake layer. Use an ice cream scoop -and use the same amount of frosting for both layers- to make sure you have an even layer. Decorate with walnuts if desired, and refrigerate for 3 hours before serving.
Hi, I can’t have cashews, so is there a substitute? Thanks
Macadamia nuts should work as a substitute! I haven’t tried it myself yet, but they have a similar creamy texture when soaked and blended, so they might be a good alternative. Let me know if you give it a go!
I like Macadamia nuts, I’ll try. Thanks