A moist, naturally sweet carrot cake made with almond flour and unsweetened applesauce.
Ingredients
- 2 cups finely grated carrots
- 1 cup almond flour
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 3 large eggs
- ¼ cup melted coconut oil or unsalted butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- Pinch of salt
- ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- ⅓ cup unsweetened shredded coconut, optional
- ¼ cup raisins, optional
Sugar-Free Cream Cheese Filling/Frosting
- 225 g (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Cinnamon to taste
- Optional: a little monk-fruit or stevia sweetener
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C. Grease and line an 8-inch round cake pan.
- In a bowl, whisk the eggs, applesauce, melted coconut oil and vanilla until smooth.
- Stir in the grated carrots.
- Add almond flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix just until combined.
- Fold in the chopped nuts, coconut and raisins if using.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Bake for 30–40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean.
- Cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then transfer to a rack and allow it to cool completely.
- Beat together the cream cheese, Greek yogurt and vanilla until creamy.
- For a layered cake, slice the cooled cake horizontally and spread some frosting in the center. Cover the top with the remaining frosting.
- Sprinkle generously with chopped walnuts or pecans.
Serving
Chill for 30–60 minutes before slicing for the best texture.
Storage: Keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Note: This recipe contains no added sugar and no wheat flour; carrots and applesauce naturally contain some sugar.