I'm usually disappointed with carrot cake I encounter out in the world - too sweet, no cream cheese etc. I've learned to skip carrot cake in the moment then make this satisfying version within the next week. A tangy cream cheese honey frosting finishes off this flavorful almond flour cake.
1 1/2 cups Almond Flour
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
1/4 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
3 Eggs
1/4 cup Maple Syrup
2 tablespoons Coconut Oil (melted)
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 cups Grated Carrot
1/2 cup Walnuts (chopped)
1/4 Navel Orange (zested)
Preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Grease an 8x8 baking pan with coconut oil.
In a large bowl, add the almond flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, sea salt and baking soda. Whisk together to combine.
In a separate medium sized bowl add the eggs, maple syrup, coconut oil and vanilla. Whisk together. Then add the carrots, walnut and orange zest and whisk again.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Pour into your prepared pan and bake for 25 to 27 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let them cool before slicing evenly into bars. Enjoy!
Substitutions for special meal plans
Recipe is already grain free, low FODMAP and meets other gut friendly diets like GAPS or Cedars Sinai for SIBO or gut health.
For a nut allergy you can use rice flour instead of almond flour and omit the walnuts. I'm allergic to walnuts so I'll use pecans instead.
Any other oil or butter can be used in place of coconut oil if you're sensitive or not a fan.
For a vegan or egg allergy option - mix 3 tablespoons finely ground flax seed with 1/2 cup of water and let it sit until it's thick and gelatinous then add in place of eggs. It will taste good, but may be more flat and crumbly than the egg version.
For Frosting - mix together 8oz of cream cheese, 1/4 cup of honey and a dash of orange zest.
Health Benefits
Almond Flour is much more nutrient dense than any grain flour so this recipe will be nutritious filling and tasty.
Almond flour is very high in copper and low in zinc, so using almond flour regularly may require additional zinc in your diet or supplements.
Maple Syrup is extremely high in minerals. When maple syrup is made, sweet part and the minerals are concentrated instead of refined, like most sugars that remove minerals while concentrating sweetness.
