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Low Carb Carrot Cake!

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Guys. This recipe is amazing. 

That's why I'm keeping the exclamation at the end of the title. 

It's not just "Low Carb Carrot Cake."

Its...

LOW CARB CARROT CAKE! 

For two years in a row, this has been my birthday cake of choice. Yep. I just took another trip around the sun and hit the big 42. 

In preparation for this cake - since I don't make dessert often-  I bought a new cake pan which is gorgeous but huuuuge.  This cake ended up being 25 cm (nearly 10-inch diameter).

Although I made two layers last year in my old 9-inch pans, which are now sadly in the garbage, it was still glorious as a single layer 10" diameter x 2"+ cake this year.

On the plus side, I was able to get by without doubling the recipe for frosting as I had to last year. Those are the trade-offs, I suppose!

The original recipe is available here from Preheat To 350. It's good, but I always make some modifications to the recipes I try. If you make the cake as stated in the original, you're going to have a much higher carb content than in my version.

My reduced-carb recipe is amazing - and you'd never know the difference. 

Here goes: 

Double layer in 2017!

Double layer in 2017!

Low Carb Carrot Cake!

Makes : 2 thinner cakes in 20-23 cm (8-9" diameter) pans or 1 thicker cake in 25 cm (10") round pan

Cake Ingredients:

  • 2 cups almond flour - the finer the better. Avoid almond meal.

  • 3/4 cup coconut flour

  • 4 teaspoons baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

  • 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

  • 1 teaspoon ground allspice

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 6 large eggs

  • 1/2 cup powdered stevia -- or other low carb granular sweetener such as erythritol or xylitol (test for your preferred sweetness)

  • 8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

  • 1 1/4 cups whole-fat cream

  • 4 ounces (approx 113g) shredded carrots

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:

Note: if making a layer cake, doubling this  frosting recipe will give you just enough

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened

  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1/4 cup powdered stevia -- or other low carb sweetener such as erythritol or xylitol (test for your preferred sweetness)

  • 1/2 - 2 Tablespoons cream (optional) if frosting is too thick to spread

CAKE INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Place oven rack in the middle position of the oven and preheat to 350° F / 180° C

  2. For a layer cake: Line the bottom of two 8-9" diameter cake pans with parchment paper (or one 10" diameter or sheet cake pan). Butter and dust almond flour on the sides of the pan.

  3. In a large bowl, beat eggs until fluffy. Add sweetener, melted butter, and cream. Mix thoroughly to combine.

  4. Add all dry ingredients to the wet ingredients (almond flour, coconut flour, spices, salt baking powder and baking soda) and mix thoroughly to combine.

  5. Add carrots. Fold in with a rubber spatula, until the mixture is fully combined. Do not use a whisk or beaters because the carrots will get tangled.

  6. Transfer batter to prepared pan(s), dividing evenly, and smooth the surface. Bake until center of cake is firm to the touch, about 40-50 minutes.

  7. Let cakes cool completely before frosting.

FROSTING INSTRUCTIONS:

Note: if making a layer cake, double the frosting recipe.

  1. Using a standing mixer with paddle, or a hand-held mixer, beat cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and sweetener on low speed until mixed.

  2. Increase speed to medium and beat until slightly fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed.

  3. Chill slightly before frosting the cake. Frosting will be much softer at room temperature.

Frost Cake:

  1. For a Layer Cake: Invert 1 cake onto serving plate and carefully remove parchment paper.

  2. Spread about 1/3 of the frosting evenly over cake. Invert 2nd cake onto a small un-rimmed baking sheet. Slide gently on top of 1st layer. Frost sides and top of cake with remaining frosting.

  3. For a single layer cake: Frost top and sides of the cake with all the frosting.

Keep cake refrigerated. If you find that your sweetener has a bitter taste or cooling effect, try using a combination of sweeteners such as stevia and erythritol and experiment with your preferred quantities. 

Please leave a comment below to tell us how you liked the recipe.

We'd love to hear from you!