Gluten-Free Carrot Cake with Coconut Butter Icing

by Julie Bhosale

GF/NF

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time:

Makes: one cake

As many of you know I have a real weakness for cake! Here is a great healthier alternative to your traditional carrot cake and I have played around a bit to create an icing free of refined sugar!

This cake is made from coconut flour and therefore is gluten-free. Coconut flour is made from coconut solids which have been ground into a very fine powder. This product is increasingly being sold in health food shops and your local supermarkets. It is more expensive than your normal flour but it also has a number of considerable health benefits:

*Gluten and wheat free

* Higher in fiber (5g/tbs compared to 2g/tbs in whole-grain flour or 0.8g/tb in white flour)

* Higher in protein

* Higher in beneficial fats – remember your body NEEDS fat for your immune system, vitamin absorption (of fat soulable vitamins), as a long lasting fuel source and to add the removal of toxins and cholesterol from the body!

Due to the high fat, protein and fiber content coconut flour will help to control your blood sugar levels better than other flours – so is a much more nutrient dense option for those with high blood sugar/diabetes/gestational diabetes.

As a busy mum myself I do not always get a lot of time for baking (definitely not as much as I would like!). So do not feel any guilt if this is not a product you use regularly. We carry enough guilt around with us as mums! However, I am a firm believer that knowledge is power and it is always good to know the benefits of products available out on the market!

Ingredients:

Cake

2 medium carrots

1 whole orange (skin included)

1/2 cup of coconut flour

4 eggs

3 tablespoons of honey

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1 teaspoon of Chinese five spice (or nutmeg)

Coconut Butter Icing

80 grams butter, room temperature

2 cups of desiccated coconut

1-2 tablespoons of honey (if required, based on your preference)

1-2 tablespoons of coconut oil (if required)

Method
Pre-heat the oven to 160 and line a cake tin - square or circular is fine, approximately 20cm by 20cm or 8 inch.

Grate the carrot and cut the orange into quarters (skin and all), place into a food processor. If you have a super fancy blender you will probably be able to just chuck the carrot in chopped up.

Pulse the blender to combine the carrot and orange together.

Add the remaining cake ingredients into the food processor.

Blend all together, and place into the cake tin, smoothing the top with the back of a spoon. Bake in the oven for approximately 30-40 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.

Allow to cool in the pan before turning onto a cooling rack. Meanwhile make the coconut butter icing. In the food processor place the butter, coconut and honey together. Pulse until well combined. Mix in the coconut oil just to hold a bit more.

Spread the coconut butter icing on the cake and....enjoy!!

This is a perfect cake for Easter time and has been taste-tested by our in house food critic!

xx Dr Julie

Gluten-Free Carrot Cake with Coconut Butter Icing

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