Carrot cake is a childhood favourite of mine. Store bought versions, however, are gluten and sugar laden, so don’t let the addition of a vegetable or two fool you! This version is gluten free, refined sugar free, dairy free and delicious! It makes the perfect birthday cake or office tea party treat, and you can even make individual cupcakes if you have trouble portion controlling. And it’s highly likely that you will. I dare you not to eat the icing off a spoon… Just kidding, you’d be silly not to. Enjoy.
Ingredients (Serves 8-10)
Base:
- 2 cups hazelnut meal/flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon nutmeg
- 1 large carrot, grated
- ½ cups chopped walnuts
- 4 eggs, free range
- ¼ cup rice malt syrup
- ¼ cup cold-pressed extra virgin coconut oil
Icing:
- ¾ cup cashews
- 200ml coconut cream
- The juice and zest of 1 large lemon
- 2 tablespoons rice malt syrup*
Method
- Preheat oven to 180°C.
- Add flour, baking powder, salt and spices to a large mixing bowl and combine.
- Stir through finely chopped walnuts and carrots.
- Beat eggs and add with rice malt syrup and melted coconut oil. Stir well.
- Pour into a lined cake tin and bake for 30 minutes, or until it passes the skewer test.
- To make icing, add all ingredients to a high-speed blender and blend until well combined and slightly thick. Store in the fridge until use. If you can wait until tomorrow to ice your cake, please do. Your icing will thicken up nicely overnight.
- Remove cake from the oven and allow to cool before turning from the pan. Do this as soon as it is cool to avoid the cake sticking to the pan. Cool completely on a wire rack or in the fridge if you are short on time.
- Ice cake and chill in the fridge until serving. Left over icing can be served with the cake and should last five days in the fridge.
* For paleo, swap rice malt syrup for honey or maple syrup, but keep in mind this increases the fructose content.
Leftover icing can also be used for additional cakes or any of my other gluten free and refined sugar free sweet treats. Just heavenly, don’t you think?
do you know of any egg replacements that would work in your recipes as I have an allergy to them. Thanks 🙂
Chia eggs are great. I just posted about them today, so check it out here: https://thenaturalnutritionist.com.au/chia-seeds-the-scoop/
Hi, Any suggestions on cake tin size?
Thanks
I use a standard square cake tin.
Hi,
Can you tell me if you need to increase the amount of baking powder you use when you are using the chia eggs? My cake did not rise and was very heavy when I used the egg substitute.
Thanks
Anne
Good question Anne. I haven’t made this cake egg free but you could definitely try doubling your baking powder, with a dash of apple vinegar vinegar to assist. I’d love to hear how you go!
Would almond meal work also instead of hazelnut meal?
Absolutely.
Hi, for the small tin of coconut milk in the icing recipe, is that 400ml?
Hi Steph
What size tin of coconut cream are you using?
Hello Sheridan, we used a 200ml tin. I’ve updated the recipe now! Enjoy.
Hello Gwen, 200ml. I’ve updated the recipe now, thank you!
hey i;m on a candida diet, any suggestions of what to use insteadof rice malt syrup? woudl stevia liquid work?
Yes I believe it would. I’m not sure of the ratio I’m afraid so start slowly, taste test and take it from there. Please pop back in and let us know how you go.