I love carrot cake. I don't know when it happened. It's full of things I can't have.. Maybe that's what did it. I want it because I can't have it. This is one thing England got right. No pineapple OR nuts in their carrot cake! I made a great traditional carrot cake a few months back using The Curvy Carrot's recipe, but today I wanted a version everyone could enjoy. Which meant making a gluten free and vegan recipe that everyone would love.. Challenge accepted!
I used baby cake's recipe (only slightly adapted) for the cake and a banana bakes original frosting.
Here's what you need:
-3 cups gf flour (I used the art of gluten free baking mix)
-1 tbsp baking powder
-1 tbsp baking soda
-1 tsp xanthan gum
-1 1/2 tsp salt
-1 tbsp cinnamon
-2 tsp ground ginger
-1/2 tsp nutmeg
-2/3 cup coconut oil (melted)
-1/2 cup maple syrup
-1/2 cup agave nectar
-1 cup coconut milk
-1 tbsp vanilla extract
-1/2 cup hot water
-2 1/2 to 3 cups shredded carrots (about four carrots)*
*You can buy pre-shredded carrots but I prefer to grate my own. It ends up being more moist and I can control the size of the carrot shreds.
Mix all your dry ingredients together and give it a whisk. Some days your counter top looks like this and you have a cake in the oven and you realize you don't have maple syrup OR agave nectar and have to run to the store and you still have MORE baking to do!! AH!! Good news is you can leave dry ingredients out on the counter during unexpected trips!
Add all the wet ingredients (except the water) and mix until a thick batter forms. Grate the carrots. Add the hot water until the batter thins out into a more cake batter like constancy. Fold in the shredded carrots.
Scoop into cupcake liners (makes about 20). Make sure to fill about 3/4 of the way. These really don't rise very much. Bake for 20 minutes at 325f. A cake tester/toothpick/ butter knife should come out clean.
Coconut cream frosting:
-1 can full fat coconut milk/ cream (I love the TJ's brand)
-2 1/2 cups icing sugar
-1 tsp vanilla
-1/8 to 1/4 tsp imitation maple flavor
Here's how:
Refrigerate the coconut milk over night. Open the can and scoop out just the coconut cream NOT the milk. This will RUIN your frosting. Some times it's easier to dump the can over a thin strainer to separate the milk from the cream. Whip the cream with a hand mixer or stand mixer. Not all of the chunks of cream will blend smooth. This is just something you have to get over. It will drive to mad trying to attack them all. Once smooth(ish) add the sugar slowly on a low speed. The add the vanilla and maple flavor. Taste. More sugar might be needed. This will be a little less stiff than traditional frosting. It can be piped but it will move more quickly than other frostings.
Colored coconut:
This was surprisingly easy. Just add a few drops of food coloring and a tsp of water to a ziplock bag with about a cup of shredded coconut. Shake it up and there you have it! I used gel colors for my frosting but I don't think it would really work for the coconut. I would stick with regular liquid food coloring.
**My family absolutely loved these! Even those who hated coconut enjoyed the unfrosted ones.**
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