Carrot Cake with Tangy Vanilla Frosting

​It's probably no coincidence that I fell in love with carrot cake many years ago when it was served at a wedding I attended.  It's quite complex in an abundance of wonderful, rich flavors.  I'm sure that the wedding cake I ate was also made with refined sugar and white flour.  I've replicated that delicious cake here in this whole-food, gluten-free, lower-sugar recipe (paleo).  Take a bite, close your eyes, and take in the savory goodness. I'm certain you'll fall in love with carrot cake, too!

To shred/chop the carrots, I simply cut them into large chunks, then put them in my blender.  It worked great!  

​Carrot Cake Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup coconut flour (from Tropical Traditions, yum!)
• 1 cup almond flour or cashew meal (find Honeyville almond flour)
• 2 Tbsp allspice (a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves)
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt (Redmond Real sea salt brand is best)
• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 6 large organic carrots, finely shredded or chopped
• 1/2 cup raw, local honey OR REAL Grade B maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp organic molasses 
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce OR crushed pineapple
• 1 Tbsp vanilla 
• 1/4 cup melted butter/ghee OR coconut oil (Tropical Traditions is best)
• 6 eggs
• Optional: 3/4 cup chopped walnuts or raisins, or both

​Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients.
3. Add in wet ingredients and blend again with your mixer.
4. Mix in optional nuts and raisins.
5. Grease a 9X13 glass cake pan with coconut oil.  Or 2 round cake pans.
6. Then, line the pan(s) line with parchment paper.
7. Pour batter into your pan(s)
8. Bake times:  Large pan: approx 45 min.  (Check after 35 min.)  Round pans: 35 min.
9. Check with a toothpick.
10. Cool completely.
11. Top with Tangy Vanilla Frosting (below).
12. Store in fridge (no preservatives here!)

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​Creamy Vanilla Frosting 

This frosting has a lovely, mild flavor and texture.  It's not super-sweet, so add more of your favorite natural sweetener, if you wish.

Blend these ingredients until light & fluffy.  It will take several minutes on high speed with an electric mixer.

• 1 cup Spectrum palm oil shortening* or lightly chilled grass-fed butter 
• 2 Tbsp raw honey
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• ¼ cup tapioca flour
• For this Carrot Cake recipe, add in the juice of 1/2 a lemon, to make it tangy, like cream cheese frosting. 

Spread the frosting on any of your favorite sweet treats by Au Naturale Nutrition!  Try it in my N'Oatmeal Cream Pies recipe, too.  Oooh, la, la! 

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* To read more about the lovely health benefits of Palm Oil (and where to find it from Eco-friendly Sustainable Farms), see my article:  Tropical Fats for both Health & Beauty: Cacao Butter, Palm Oil, & Coconut Oil.

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