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Oh my goodness! Are you ready for this Perfect Paleo AIP Carrot Cake? I know I am so ready to share it with you.
I love carrots. I love carrots in juices, steamed, roasted, sautéed, raw, and in baked goods.
But especially in baked goods.
I mean, who doesn’t like carrot cakes, carrot cupcakes, carrot cookies, or carrot bread? Seriously. Vegetables in my dessert goodies. I could get used to that.
How could you resist a vegetable in your dessert? It makes eating sweets and treats so much more justifiable when you can say, “Hey! Wanna try a salad? I baked it into this amazing dessert.”
And your friends say, “You’re crazy! That’s cake.” And you know you are just slightly crazy, but carrots in your dessert could be argued to be a salad. Because in reality, the definition of a salad is something that has a vegetable and is healthy for you.
Am I right????
In all seriousness, carrots are incredibly good for you. We know that carrots are packed with Vitamin A, but we shouldn’t discount that carrots have a decent amount of Vitamin B6, Biotin, Potassium, Fiber, and Vitamin K. The beauty of nature’s nutrients is that they are dense and packed into some beautiful food.
And, carrots are easy to cook and a perfect snack when raw. They don’t take a lot of prep time either!
I do want to warn you though, not to peel your carrots if you can stand it! Carrot peels contain a lot of the nutrients of the vegetable, and you lose that when you throw them in the trash. Instead, take a wash cloth and scrub them under running water. You’ll get rid of most of the gritty dirt that way, but improve the nutrient value of your meals.
And, when you bake them into a Perfect Paleo AIP Carrot Cake, then you will never even notice that you didn’t peel them. This cake has so many flavors in it that a little bit of peel won’t turn off its awesomeness. What flavors, you ask? I’ve packed this cake with vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, and maple syrup.
And it’s incredible when you top it with my cream cheese frosting.
So good.
Are you interested in converting your own recipes? Check out my Paleo Conversion Charts to see how you can modify any recipe!
Perfect Paleo AIP Carrot Cake & Cream Cheese Frosting
Carrot Cake Ingredients
- 1 cup of coconut flour
- 1/2 cup arrowroot powder
- 1 tbs cinnamon
- 1 tsp ginger
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup applesauce
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup melted coconut oil
- 2 tbs gelatin powder (you can find “Gelatine” here or Great Lake Gelatin here)
- 1/2 cup distilled water + 1 tbs
- 1 cup grated, organic carrots
Equipment: Rolling pin, large circle cookie cutter, parchment paper, small saucepot, 2 medium bowls.
Takes , serves four people.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking stone/sheet with parchment paper.
- Begin by sifting all of the dry ingredients (coconut flour, arrowroot, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, salt) into a medium size mixing bowl. Set aside.
- In the second mixing bowl, use a handmixer starting on low to combine maple syrup, applesauce, vanilla, apple cider vinegar, melted coconut oil. Increase handmixer speed to medium high for about 1 minute and then set aside.
- Prepare the gelation egg by pouring 1/2 cup water into the bottom of a saucepot. Slowly sprinkle gelatin powder over the water in the saucepot so that it all becomes wet and dissolves. If you have any spots on top that look dry, sprinkle the remaining 1 tbs of water over each spot. Set aside and let it “bloom” for five minutes.
- Using handmixer, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients on slow, then turn up the speed to high (you want to add air into the batter). Fold in the grated carrot. Set aside.
- When five minutes have passed, place the saucepot of bloomed gelatin on the stovetop. Turn the burner on to low and let the egg melt for about 1-2 minutes. Once it is liquid, mix it into the carrot cake dough with the handmixer on high. Dough will be slightly moldable, but still fairly wet.
- Use your hands to form dough into a ball, and then place in between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll out dough until about two inches thick. Use a large, circle cookie cutter, or cut into squares with a knife. Using a spatula, remove from counter and place onto the sheet of parchment over the baking stone. Repeat step 7 until all of your dough it cut out.
- Place the baking sheet into the oven, and bake for 40 minutes.
- Remove and cool for several hours on the counter. Decorate with the cream cheese frosting listed below.
Paleo Cream Cheese Frosting
Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
- 1/2 cup of coconut butter
- 1/2 cup of raw honey
- 1/4 cup coconut milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tbs lemon
- Put all ingredients in a blender and blend on high.
- Empty frosting into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and then place in fridge for 3-24 hours to solidify.
Enjoy!
- Cake
- 1 cup of coconut flour
- ½ cup arrowroot powder
- 1 tbs cinnamon
- 1 tsp ginger
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup applesauce
- 1½ tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup melted coconut oil
- 2 tbs gelatin powder (you can find "Gelatine" here or Great Lake Gelatin here)
- ½ cup distilled water + 1 tbs
- 1 cup grated, organic carrots
- Cream Cheese Frosting
- ½ cup of coconut butter
- ½ cup of raw honey
- ¼ cup coconut milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tbs lemon
- Equipment: Rolling pin, large circle cookie cutter, parchment paper, small saucepot, 2 medium bowls.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking stone/sheet with parchment paper.
- Begin by sifting all of the dry ingredients (coconut flour, arrowroot, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, salt) into a medium size mixing bowl. Set aside.
- In the second mixing bowl, use a handmixer starting on low to combine maple syrup, applesauce, vanilla, apple cider vinegar, melted coconut oil. Increase handmixer speed to medium high for about 1 minute and then set aside.
- Prepare the gelation egg by pouring ½ cup water into the bottom of a saucepot. Slowly sprinkle gelatin powder over the water in the saucepot so that it all becomes wet and dissolves. If you have any spots on top that look dry, sprinkle the remaining 1 tbs of water over each spot. Set aside and let it "bloom" for five minutes.
- Using handmixer, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients on slow, then turn up the speed to high (you want to add air into the batter). Fold in the grated carrot. Set aside.
- When five minutes have passed, place the saucepot of bloomed gelatin on the stovetop. Turn the burner on to low and let the egg melt for about 1-2 minutes. Once it is liquid, mix it into the carrot cake dough with the handmixer on high. Dough will be slightly moldable, but still fairly wet.
- Use your hands to form dough into a ball, and then place in between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll out dough until about two inches thick. Use a large, circle cookie cutter, or cut into squares with a knife. Using a spatula, remove from counter and place onto the sheet of parchment over the baking stone. Repeat step 7 until all of your dough it cut out.
- Place the baking sheet into the oven, and bake for 40 minutes.
- Remove and cool for several hours on the counter. Decorate with the cream cheese frosting listed below.
- Cream Cheese Frosting
- Put all ingredients in a blender and blend on high.
- Empty frosting into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and then place in fridge for 3-24 hours to solidify.
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How do you cook it without a stone? Why not roll it out on the parchment paper to begin with?
Hi Cherie! You can use a baking sheet, but move the rack as far away from the bottom heat element. I’ve noticed that Coconut flour desserts take longer to bake because of all the moisture, and the exteriors can burn. That’s why I use a cold baking stone! It takes longer to heat and thus doesn’t burn my goodies.
And about the parchment: I’m not sure I understand your question! Are you referring to the transfer process? Let me know!
Yes, it says to remove it from the counter and put it on the paper. Why not just roll & cut it on the paper? I was thinking of cutting it into squares, less work than the cooky cutter. I can’t stand long, so any way to shorten cooking time helps.
OK sorry, I re-read the directions. I got it. It’s already on the paper, not on the counter… what an idiot…
Wow..it smoked like crazy, we had to stop the oven and scratch the try. Have you ever had the oil come out of the cake so much that it caused a smoking issue?
We just got a new container of coconut oil (new brand), not sure if that is the issue.
Sonja!!! What happened??? I’ve never had oil come out of the cake (and I’ve made this dozens of times). I would say that yes, it is definitely your oil! I would return it and use the Nutiva brand, or if you are in the USA Costco has a great coconut oil. If you need to keep using the brand that you have, reduce the oven temp by 50 degrees and increase baking time by a lot. That might help. So sorry it didn’t turn out this time around!
OK. It was brand new Costco organic coconut oil container. It’s the not the same brand I’ve gotten there before. They’ve got a Kirkland brand now. Since Costco’s return policy is so good, I’m going to return it and give the recipe another try. thank you for the fast response.
I use the Costco Kirkland brand…hmm…I wonder if it’s your coconut flour? It might not be absorbing the oil. Where do you buy that from? I only use Nutiva, bob’s red mill, and the bulk from Whole Foods. All other brands/bulk just don’t absorb the same. Thoughts?
Was it wax paper instead of parchment? I’ve done that before 😜
Was it wax paper instead of parchment? I’ve done that before 😜 this is really good for AIP. I’m making it again, with some variations because I was lacking ingredients, and the kids were licking the bowl!
Your pictures show a triple layer round cake. Your instructions say to cut it squares. What do I have to do different to make the triple layer round cake? TIA
Hi Jaschira! You can A) cut the dough into circles with a knife using a parchment paper template or B) use a large metal cookie cutter to cut out the dough. Best of luck!
Will this recipe be enough to make the three layers or do I have to double or triple it?
It was enough for me to make 4-5 small layers (approx 4 inches wide, 1-2 inch thick)
Have you made this recipe into cupcakes?
I’m wondering the same thing…
What measurements would I use for different flours? I’m sensitive to coconut. I have cassava flour, tigernut, arrowroot, and tapioca.
Ashley, So sorry this response is SO late! I actually have a set of conversion charts you can purchase to help you with the measurements. You can find them here: http://www.ourgrainfreelife.com/paleo-baking-conversions-chart/
Hi! I am new to AIP and am dying t try some baking….just wondering if I can eliminate the gelatine? Or substitute it for something else? Thanks!
The gelatin is the egg replacement. It is the standard replacement for eggs on the AIP protocol.
Is there a way to know when the carrot cake layers are finished baking? I’m not a fan of just putting something in for a specific amount of time without knowing how it should look or feel if it is baked (since everyone’s oven is different). Thank you!
Yum this is good! I just made a sheet of this on my air bake cookie pan- it didn’t stick, and I cut in squares. I will likely try half honey half maple syrup for the frosting if I make this again. The honey is so sweet! My kids loved it, too. Thanks a bunch!
This recipe sounds delicious.. Thank you for sharing. Do you think it would ok if I make it a day before? Thank you!
Yes! I would just cover it to make sure it doesn’t dry out. 🙂