Creamy Honey Carrot Cake 🥕🍯🐰 (Paleo, GF, and DF)

Carrot cake is one of my absolute favorite cakes to not only eat, but to make. I don’t love things that are too overly sweet, and we all know that I love some hidden vegetables in my desserts (it’s such an easy way to sneak in some nutrients).

Springtime bakes are also my favorite, as they are usually lighter, fruiter, and full of different flavors and botanicals. This carrot cake is grain-free and dairy-free and made to be super moist with the honey and the secret ingredient that blends it all together beautifully: tahini. It is the perfect light cake to bake for your family or church gathering for Easter this weekend if you’re looking to choose a less sugary option.

While most people indulge in chocolate, this has been my go-to this week, and I don’t feel heavy afterwards. I shared it with my friends and family, and they demanded for the recipe (especially the frosting).

I hope that your Easter, if you celebrate, is full of love, hidden eggs, carrot cake, and spring spritzers and festivities. I am currently staying away from alcohol this week, so I’ve been enjoying my carrot cake with a light ginger and lemon spritzer topped with mint and basil (recipe to come next week). It’s the perfect way to fully celebrate spring. 🌸

Enjoy and be well. 🤍

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Equipment needed: 3 mixing bowls, measuring cups and spoons, spatulas, 2 8-inch round baking pans, parchment paper, oven, knife, cutting board, spreading knife, decorative cake stand.

Time to prep: 25 minutes

Time to bake: 35 minutes

Time to finish: 40 minutes (since it has to cool)

Serves: 10-12 slices

*Note that the eggs do need to be at room temperature and the coconut oil does have to be cool, so melt and remove from the fridge an hour or two ahead of time.*

Ingredients:

• Dry :

  • 2 cups fine almond flour (I love Bob's Red Mill)

  • ½ cup coconut flour (do not pack)

  • ½ cup unsweetened finely shredded coconut (I also used Bob’s Red Mill)

  • 1 tsp baking soda

  • 2 tbsps ground cinnamon

  • 1 tsp ground nutmeg

  • 1 teaspoon salt

• Wet:

  • 4 large room temperautre eggs

  • 3/4 cup pure maple syrup

  • 1/2 cup smooth tahini

  • 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

  • 1/2 cup melted coconut oil, cooled

  • 2.5 cups coarsely shredded carrots

  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans (better if roasted), plus some for the topping

  • Sprinkle of cinnamon for the finishing

• For the frosting:

  • 1 container Kite Hill almond cream cheese (the absolute best)

  • 1/2 cup Forager unsweetened Cashew Milk Yogurt

  • 1/2 cup honey

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1/4 cup of almond flour (or maybe 1/3 cup, depending on how much you need to thicken it up)

Recipe:

• An hour or two before baking, get your eggs out at room temperature, melt your coconut oil so it will cool, and shred your carrots if you need to.

• Once all ingredients are prepared, preheat oven to 350*F.

• In one of the mixing bowls, whisk together all of the dry ingredients. Set bowl to the side.

• In another mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, honey, tahini, almond milk, vanilla extract until smooth. Once incorporated, add in the coconut oil and whisk again. Slowly add in shredded carrots, mixing together all the wet ingredients here once again.

• Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix with a spatula in batches until combined. Add pecans and mix again.

• Line your 8-inch pans with parchment paper, then evenly distribute the mixture between the two pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes in the oven.

• While the cakes are baking, whisk the ingredients, except for the flour, for the frosting in the last mixing bowl. Add flour slowly, adding more if the frosting is too runny. You want it to be a thick consistency so it holds on the cake.

• Once the cakes are done, let cool for at least 20-30 minutes in the fridge. Remove the cakes from the parchment paper and place one of them directly on the cake stand. Using a spreading knife (or butter knife), spread frosting (leaving some for the top), onto the cake. Place the second cake on top, then top with the rest of the frosting. Finish with pecans and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Optional to drizzle honey on the cake when served.

• Keep in the fridge, covered, for up to a week. Heat when served.

Enjoy. 🖤