Ingredients
- Cake
- 1 cup quinoa flour
- 1 cup Alison's GF Baking Mix (see related articles below)
- 2 teaspoons guar gum or xanthan gum
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 eggs
- 1 3/4 cups unrefined sugar
- 1 cup canola oil (plus more for brushing pans)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
- 2 cups grated carrots (about 2 large carrots)
- 1 16-ounce can crushed pineapple (undrained)
- 1 cup finely chopped walnuts
- Frosting
- 3 8-ounce packages Neufchâtel (low-fat) cream cheese (room temperature)
- 4 1/2 tablespoons agave nectar
- 1 1/2 cups shredded coconut
- Zest of 1 medium lemon or orange
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon or orange juice
- 1/3 cup toasted or candied walnut halves
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- Dash ground cinnamon
Carrot Cake with Coconut-Cream Cheese Frosting
Alison Anton | Delicious Living- Serves: 16 people
- Calories per serving: 521
Rich and moist, this decadent treat is a hit for birthday parties and autumn potlucks. Prep tip: Because each ingredient goes into the mixer in a specific order and at a precise time, be sure to have all items ready to go before you start. Serving tip: Arrange brightly colored autumn leaves around the plate edge for a beautiful presentation.
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350˚. Cut two pieces of parchment paper to fit bottoms of two round 9-inch cake pans (do not skip this step or cakes will stick). Brush parchment and sides of pans with a little oil.
- Mix dry ingredients (quinoa flour through cinnamon) in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, whip eggs and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Drizzle oil and vanilla into egg mixture; blend 1–2 minutes to fully incorporate. Add dry ingredients, 1/4 cup at a time, scraping bowl sides while blending. Stir in coconut, carrots, pineapple (with juice), and walnuts.
- Pour batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake for about 1 hour, switching pan positions halfway through baking time. Cakes are done when a deep, rich golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in pans for 30 minutes.
- Place two pieces of parchment paper side by side on a cooling rack (to help transport cakes when cool). Run a knife around pan edges. Carefully invert cakes onto parchment; peel away cooking parchments. Let cool completely, at least 2 hours, before transporting and frosting.
- For frosting, whip cream cheese, agave nectar, coconut, zest, and juice in a food processor or with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Leave at room temperature.
- To assemble, slip a hand under one parchment and carefully invert cake onto a serving plate. Frost, then invert remaining cake on top. Frost top and sides. Decorate with walnut halves and sprinkle with lemon zest and cinnamon.
PER SERVING: 521 cal, 62% fat cal, 37g fat, 13g sat fat, 72mg chol, 9g protein, 42g carb, 4g fiber, 531mg sodium
