Paleo Vegan Carrot Cake
Coconut flour is an amazing ingredient to achieve naturally grain-free and gluten-free moist desserts. I use flaxseed eggs, and lacto-fermented carrots for a boost of goodness, and to make these vegan-friendly as well, but you can use eggs and regular shredded carrots instead. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
1 cup coconut flour
1 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup melted coconut oil
8 flaxseed eggs at room temperature
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups lacto-fermented carrots (or substitute, below)
1/3 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
1/4 cup raisins (optional)
Substitute:
If you do not have lacto-fermented carrots, you should! But if you just ran out, or haven't dabbled into making it yet, you can use these ingredients instead:
1 teaspoon ginger
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cups shredded carrots (about 4 carrots)
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350F and generously grease a 9-inch pan.
Combine the coconut flour with dry ingredients in one bowl. In another bowl, mix the maple syrup, coconut oil, eggs, and lemon juice, and whisk well. If any of your ingredients are cold the mixture will be thicker than traditional cake batter, but don't worry, it will still bake just fine! Stir in the shredded carrots, walnuts, and raisins (if using). Add in the dry ingredients and mix well to create a uniform batter.
Pour the batter into your prepared pan(s) and bake at 350 until the center is firm, about 35-40 minutes. 45-50 minutes for bundt cake pan.
Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Allow to cool completely before adding frosting (if using). For best shelf-life, store the cake covered in the fridge for up to one week.
Preparation Tips: To properly measure coconut flour, dip the measuring cup into the bag of flour, then use the back of a knife to level-off the top. Don’t use a heaping measure, as it will result in a dry cake. The secret with coconut flour is to add a lot of extra moisture! A little coconut flour goes a long way, so even an extra Tbsp will make a difference in consistency!
Add a square of parchment paper on the bottom for easier removal later.
Why room temperature eggs? Cold will harden the coconut oil, creating chunks of oil in the batter, rather than cream consistency.
Coconut flour can be difficult to work with. It absorbs moisture like a sponge! I prefer to mix all wet ingredients together first, then add coconut flour last, but not everyone does it this way it it works out fine.
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