Paleo Grain-Free Carrot Cake

Ingredients

For the Spiced Grain-Free Carrot Cake:

• 2 cups freshly grated organic carrots (grated on fine-medium box grater; do not use dry pre-shredded packaged carrots)
• 2.25 cups superfine blanched almond flour (spooned and leveled)
• 0.33 cup tapioca starch or arrowroot flour
• 3 tbsp organic coconut flour (sifted)
• 1.5 tsp baking powder and 0.75 tsp baking soda
• 1.5 tbsp ground Ceylon cinnamon, 1 tsp ground ginger, 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg, and 0.25 tsp ground cloves
• 0.5 tsp fine Celtic sea salt
• 4 large pasture-raised eggs (room temperature)
• 0.5 cup pure Grade A maple syrup or coconut sugar
• 0.33 cup unrefined virgin coconut oil or melted grass-fed ghee
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract and 1 tsp raw apple cider vinegar
• 0.5 cup raw pecans or walnuts, toasted and finely chopped (plus extra for topping)

For the Tangy Cashew Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1.5 cups raw cashews (soaked in boiling water for 30 minutes, then drained thoroughly)
• 0.5 cup full-fat culinary coconut cream (solid cream from top of chilled canned coconut milk)
• 0.33 cup pure maple syrup or raw honey
• 3 tbsp virgin coconut oil or grass-fed ghee, melted
• 2.5 tbsp freshly squeezed organic lemon juice (gives essential cream cheese tang)
• 1 tsp raw apple cider vinegar, 1.5 tsp pure vanilla extract, and pinch of fine sea salt

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prep Pans & Oven: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 8-inch round cake pans (or one 9x13-inch baking pan) with coconut oil and line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds.
2. Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together almond flour, tapioca starch, sifted coconut flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and Celtic sea salt until completely uniform and lump-free.
3. Whisk Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, vigorously whisk pasture-raised eggs, maple syrup, melted coconut oil/ghee, vanilla extract, and apple cider vinegar for 2 minutes until frothy.
4. Fold Batter & Add Carrots: Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Stir with a rubber spatula just until combined. Gently fold in freshly grated carrots and chopped toasted pecans until evenly distributed throughout the thick, fragrant batter.
5. Bake to Golden Spring: Divide batter evenly between the two prepared 8-inch pans. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 24 to 28 minutes (or 30 to 35 mins for a 9x13 pan) until the tops are golden, springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean. Cool in pans for 15 minutes, then invert onto wire racks to cool completely to room temperature.
6. Blend Tangy Cashew Frosting: In a high-speed blender (like a Vitamix), combine soaked drained cashews, coconut cream, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, lemon juice, cider vinegar, vanilla extract, and pinch of sea salt. Blend on HIGH for 90 to 120 seconds until ultra-velvety, creamy, and completely smooth without any cashew grit. Chill frosting in refrigerator for 20 minutes to firm up slightly.
7. Frost & Decorate: Place the first cooled cake layer onto a cake stand. Spread one-third of the chilled cashew cream cheese frosting across the top. Place second cake layer on top. Frost top and sides with remaining frosting using an offset spatula. Garnish perimeter with toasted chopped pecans and a light dusting of cinnamon. Chill for 30 minutes before slicing for clean, bakery-quality slices!

Nutritional Breakdown (Per Slice - 1/10th of Cake)

Chef's Paleo Nutritional Science

Freshly grated carrots deliver dense concentrations of beta-carotene and lutein that support optical retinal health. Raw soaked cashews provide heart-healthy monounsaturated oleic acid and magnesium, while Ceylon cinnamon and ginger aid metabolic glucose regulation.

Frequently Asked Questions