Grain Free Carrot Cake with Coconut Cream Frosting (Paleo, SCD, GAPS)

Grain Free Carrot Cake with Coconut Cream Frosting (Paleo, SCD, GAPS)

Grain Free Carrot Cake with Coconut Frosting

Conventional carrot cake is actually filled with loads of refined sugars and rancid vegetable oils. Try this Grain Free Carrot Cake instead!

Conventional Carrot Cake is Not Healthy!

Adding to the sugar assault is the sickly sweet cream cheese frosting. Here is a recipe that is grain, sugar and dairy free and astonishingly satisfying without being cloyingly sweet.

The earthy taste of the dates and pecans combined with the mild sweetness of the carrots makes for a beautifully textured and warmly comforting food.

The thin layer of coconut cream icing adds another dimension to the experience. Your kids will love it!

Carrot Used in Desserts

Carrots have been used in sweet desserts since medieval times mainly because sweeteners were scarce and expensive, while carrots, which contain more sugar than any other vegetable besides the sugar beet, were much easier to come by.

The origins of carrot cake are disputed but it is thought to come from Gothenburg, Sweden. Because of rationing during World War 2 the popularity of carrot cake was revived.

Here, I used 3 tablespoons of honey, but you can experiment and probably use less because the dates and carrots also sweeten the cake. I also like to soften the grated carrots by cooking them first in ghee, but you can skip this step if you like a somewhat coarser texture.

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Grain Free Carrot Cake with Coconut Cream Frosting (Paleo, SCD, GAPS)

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups grated carrots (organic)
• 6 large eggs (pastured if possible)
• 3 tablespoon raw honey
• 1.5 teaspoon vanilla
• 8 pitted and pureed dates
• 3/4 cup pecan butter from 1 1/2 cup crispy pecans (where to buy crispy pecans) (how to make crispy nuts)
• 1.5 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg or freshly grated
• Pinch clove

Instructions

1. In the food processor grate about 6 – 8 medium organic carrots
2. Remove and place in a large pan and saute the grated carrots in ghee until somewhat soft (this can be omitted if you prefer and/or tolerate raw carrots)
3. While the carrots cook, place the pecans in the food processor and process until it is a nut butter
4. Place the eggs, ghee, honey, cooked carrots and vanilla in the food processor and mix
5. In a bowl soak the pitted dates until soft (about 30 minutes) (start this when you start preparing)
6. In a small processor, puree the dates until it is a paste (this will still have some chunks in it)
7. Add the date paste to the large food processor and mix
8. Add the coconut flour (start with 1/2 cup), baking soda, and spices and mix
9. The batter should be somewhat thick but still pourable
10. Pour batter into 3 small (7″) baking pans
11. Bake on 325º F for 25 – 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean
12. Cool on a rack

Icing

Variation

• Slice the cake in half horizontally and create a layer in between the two halves. Ice the top as well.

Original article and pictures take realfoodforager.com site