Paleo Carrot Cake with Almond Flour

This crowd-pleasing, gluten free Paleo Carrot Cake with Almond Flour has a luscious cashew "cream cheese" frosting and is easy to make!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 35

Decorating 2

Total Time 1

Servings Slices

Calories 519kcal

Author FoodFaithFitness

Ingredients

For the cake:

2/3 Cup Unsweetened coconut flakes + additional for garnish (optional)
1/2 Cup Raw pecans
3 Cups Almond Flour (270g) *
1 1/4 Cups Tapioca Starch (152g)*
1 1/2 Cups Coconut sugar
2 Tbsp + 1 tsp Cinnamon
2 tsp Baking soda
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Nutmeg
4 Large eggs, at room temperature
2 Large egg yolks
6 Tbsp Coconut oil, melted
1 Tbsp Vanilla extract
2 Cups Carrots, grated (200g)
1 Cup Crushed pineapple, drained

For the frosting:

2 1/4 Cups Roasted, salted cashews, soaked in water overnight (300g)
3/4 Cup Unsweetened vanilla almond milk
6 Tbsp + 2 tsp Honey
2 tsp Vanilla
3 Tbsp Coconut oil, melted

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spread the coconut and pecans on two separate baking sheets and bake until the coconut is lightly golden brown and the pecans darken and smell nutty, about 2-4 mins for the coconut (watch closely as it burns quickly) and 10-12 minutes for the pecans. Set aside.
Line the bottom of 2 9 inch cake pans with parchment paper and rub the sides with coconut oil.
In a medium bowl, stir together the almond flour, tapioca starch, coconut sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg.
Dice the pecans and stir them into the flour mixture, along with the toasted coconut.
In a separate large bowl, use an electric hand mixer to beat the eggs, egg yolks, coconut oil and vanilla until smooth and mixed. Add the dry ingredients and stir by hand until well mixed.
Place the grated carrot into a thin kitchen towel and ring out until you've gotten as much water out as possible. Do the same with the pineapple. You want them both to be nice and dry.
Stir the coconut and pineapple into the batter until well mixed.
Divide between the two cake pans (I like to use a digital kitchen scale for accuracy) and bake until deep brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30-32 minutes. Let cool in the pan COMPLETELY.
Once cooled, drain the cashews and place them in a large food processor (mine is 10 cups) along with the milk, honey and vanilla. Process for 1-2 minutes until everything starts to smooth out.
With the food processor running, stream in the oil. Blend, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary, until smooth and creamy. Place the frosting in the fridge for 1 hour to firm up.
Remove the cakes from the pans and place one, bottom-side up on a plate or cake stand. Spread 1 cup of the frosting in the middle and place the top cake on bottom side up.
Spread a very thin layer of frosting all over the cake and then place in the freezer until it just begins to set, about 45 mins to an hour.
Spread the rest of the frosting all over (I like to use an offset spatula) and garnish for more coconut if desired.
DEVOUR! **

Notes

*Please weigh your flour to ensure accurate results

**If you chill it again, let it come to room temperature to serve or the cake will be hard and not fluffy.

Nutrition