Healthier Carrot Cake: gluten-free, no white sugar

Healthier Carrot Cake: gluten-free, no white sugar

A delicious not too sweet healthier carrot cake that is gluten-free and has no white sugar. After the success of my healthier banana bread, I have been testing a few recipes for a healthier carrot cake that's gluten-free and with no white sugar. This carrot cake is moist and not too sweet; made with ground almonds, white rice flour, eggs (or flax eggs), desiccated coconut, grated carrots, maple syrup or date syrup (or similar), oil, baking powder, baking soda and topped with cream cheese sweetened with maple syrup.

Can you make this carrot cake vegan?
I tested this and without the eggs and gluten the cake has no structure and will result in a flat cake.

Takes = 15 minutes
Bakes = 35-45 minutes
Makes = 16 squares
Baking tin = 20cm square or round 23cm

Ingredients

  • Carrots – 300g  (3 cups, 6 medium carrots cups)
  • Maple Syrup or date syrup – 60ml (1/4 cup)
  • Non-dairy milk, I use oat milk – 65ml (about 1/3 cup)
  • Coconut Oil or other neutral oil – 3 tablespoon
  • Ground cinnamon – 2 teaspoons
  • Vanilla powder or extract – 1 teaspoon
  • Ground almonds tightly packed – 100g (1 cup)
  • Rice Flour, oat flour, tapioca or gluten-free flour –40g (1/4 cup)
  • Desiccated coconut (unsweetened) –  40g (1/2 cup)
  • Baking powder – 1 tsp
  • Baking soda – 1/2 teaspoon
  • Eggs – 2
  • *Cream cheese for topping – 280g
  • Extra maple syrup for topping – 2 tablespoons (or more for a sweet tooth)

Method

Step 1
PREHEAT oven 180˚C, 160˚C fan-forced. Grease and paper line a 20cm square or 23cm round cake tin.

Step 2
Peel and grate carrots. Mix the wet ingredients, maple syrup, milk, eggs, vanilla and oil (don't forget this as I did in my video).

Step 3
WHISK almond flour, baking powder and spices. Combine all together and stir until combined.

Step 4
Pour into the baking tin, smooth the top and bake for 40-45 mins (the round tin may take 50 mins) or until the cake skewer comes out clean. Cool in the tin completely before serving or adding cream cheese frosting.

Step 5
Beat room temperature cream cheese and maple syrup for a few minutes until fluffy. Add the top of the cake. Store in the fridge for about 3 days. I haven't tried freezing this yet. It never lasts that long.

Sue Maree P Baking Tips

  • I tried making a version of this vegan and it turn out flat like a slice.