Carrot Cake (gluten free)

By MaryEllen

Plan on doubling the frosting recipe. See notes below directions.

Ingredients

• For the Cake:
• 3 cups Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour 420g
• 3 cups Granulated Sugar or organic cane sugar
• 1 tsp Sea Salt
• 1 Tbsp Baking Soda (yes 1 tablespoon)
• 1 Tbsp ground Cinnamon
• 1-1/2 cups Walnuts chopped
• 4 large eggs room temperature
• 1-1/2 cups Canola Oil
• 1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract
• 1-1/3 cups pureed cooked Carrots
• 1-1/2 cups Shredded Coconut
• 8 oz. canned Crushed Pineapple drained
• For the Frosting:
• 8 oz. dairy-free Cream Cheese can use regular
• 1/4 cup shortening [See Note 1]
• 1/4 cup vegan butter
• 4-1/2 cups Powdered Sugar
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 2 tsp fresh Lemon Juice [See Note 2]

Details

Servings 12
Adapted from bobsredmill.com

Preparation

Step 1

Instructions

To Make the Cake:

Preheat oven to 350°F and spray three 9-inch cake pans with non-stick spray.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Mix in the walnuts to coat them with the flour and set the bowl aside.
In a medium bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Whisk in the oil, vanilla, and pureed carrots and mix until well combined.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently mix until there isn't any dry flour. Fold in the coconut and crushed pineapple. Pour the batter evenly between the 3 cake pans.
Bake on the center rack [see Note 3] for 50 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let the cakes cool for 15 minutes in the pans before inverting onto wire racks to cool. Cool completely before frosting.

To Make the Frosting and Frost the Cake:

Add the cream cheese and shortening to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat together until smooth, about 1 minute.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the vegan butter. Beat about 30 seconds or until the butter is incorporated. Add the powdered sugar and mix on the lowest speed until the sugar is incorporated. Add the vanilla and lemon juice and mix an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute until the frosting is smooth and creamy.
To frost the cakes, place one cake layer on a cake stand or flat plate. Add a thin layer of frosting, just enough to cover the cake, and spread it evenly over the cake. Add a second layer of cake and repeat the frosting step. Add the third layer and evenly spread the frosting over the top and around the sides of the cake.
The cake can be kept at room temperature until ready to serve or it can be refrigerated. I suggest refrigerating the cake if your house is warmer then 70-72 degrees or it's humid. Bring the cake to room temperature before serving.

Recipe Notes

1. 1/2 cup of regular, room temperature butter can be used in place of the shortening and vegan butter. You can also use 8 oz. regular, room temperature cream cheese in place of the dairy free cream cheese.

2. The lemon juice will not make the cream cheese frosting taste like lemon. The acid helps cut the sweetness of the powdered sugar and really shouldn't be omitted.

3. If you can only fit two cake pans on your center rack, bake the 3rd pan on the bottom rack. If it needs to bake a few minutes longer then the other two cakes, move it to the center rack to finish baking when the other two cakes are removed. 4. This frosting recipe makes enough frosting to have a very thin layer of frosting between each layer of cake and on the top and sides. If you want a thick layer of frosting, double the frosting recipe.

Recipe adapted from The Silver Palate Cookbook