Paleo Carrot Cake without Nuts

This Paleo Carrot Cake tastes like an old-fashioned carrot cake just without nuts. It has a classic flavor and texture that will shock you friends when you tell them that it’s grain free.

Ingredients

• Palm Shortening or Butter: If you are trying to keep this recipe dairy free, make sure to use palm shortening.
• Coconut Sugar: Maple sugar is a good substitute to keep it completely nut free.
• Vanilla Extract: You’re welcome to use vanilla powder. You won’t need as much so reduce the amount to 1/2 teaspoon.
• Orange Juice: Pineapple Juice is a good and more traditional substitute.
• Coconut Milk: This ingredient can be substituted with a milk of your choice, just make sure it’s full fat
• Eggs
• Nut/Cassava Free Beth Blends Grain Free Flour: This flour blend contains tigernut flour which has a graham cracker flavor that goes well with the cinnamon, ginger and cloves required for this recipe.
• Salt: Make sure to use sea salt. Other types of salts have different levels of saltiness. Using the wrong salt could mean that your cake may turn out tasting salty.
• Ground Cinnamon
• Ground Ginger
• Ground Cloves
• Carrots: The carrots need to be shredded for this recipe.

How to make Paleo Carrot Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare 8” cake pan by lining bottom with parchment paper and adding shortening to the sides.

2. Combine the sugar, vanilla extract, orange juice, coconut milk and eggs into a large mixing bowl.

3. Next add the flour, salt, cinnamon, ground ginger, ground ginger and ground cloves into the bowl. Stir until combined.

4. Fold in the shredded carrots then pour batter into the prepared bake pan.

5. Bake 45 minutes or until inserted knife comes out clean.

6. Let cake cool on wire rack and then transfer to serving platter for frosting. Make sure to remove parchment paper before frosting.

Tips for making the best carrot cake without nuts

• Use your favorite vanilla or cream cheese frosting.
• The Nut/Cassava free Grain Free Flour Blend is ideal. However, the Grain Free Flour Blend can be used. You’ll need to add 1/2 cup pumpkin puree to the wet ingredients. The texture of the cake with be slightly different but it’s a good substitute. Just keep in mind that the Grain Free Flour Blend has coconut which would mean that it would no longer be nut free.
• If you’re looking for an eggless version, try this AIP Carrot Cake (coming soon).
• Make sure to remove parchment paper before frosting.
• You'll need an 8" round cake pan for this recipe.

Is carrot cake healthier than regular cake?

Not exactly. The presence of sugar, even unrefined, means that you need to consume this in moderation. However, using high quality ingredients, including unrefined nutritive sugars is much healthier than heavily processed refined sugar. If you want to skip the cake and just do a Carrot Cake Smoothie, I get it.

What can I substitute for crushed pineapple in carrot cake?

In this recipe, I decided to forgo the more traditional crushed pineapple for pineapple or orange juice. Crushed pineapple is conveniently found in cans. However, it usually includes other ingredients like corn syrup or sugar. I’d much prefer to use fresh pineapple but that is very seasonal. Ironically, this recipe is traditionally made in the spring which isn't the season for pineapple. I found orange juice much easier to find, anytime of the year. I use orange in the AIP Baked Cassava Cake and Fruit Filled King Cake, as well.

Why is butter not used in carrot cake?

You may be surprised to hear but butter is not traditionally used in carrot cake. Oil is more common in carrot cake. This recipe calls for neither. However, the coconut milk used is full fat which allows us to forgo any added oil. If you are substituting coconut milk for another type of milk, make sure it’s full fat.

If you like this recipe, you’ll love these desserts.

• Carrot Cake Smoothie
• Chocolate Caramel Bars
• AIP Mango Dessert Bars
• AIP Lace Cookies (Super easy to make and incredibly decadent!!!)
• AIP Chocolate Chip Cut Out Cookies
• Gooey Apple Cake (recipe includes eggs which are an AIP reintroduction)

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Helpful Info for All Recipes

• I always use extra virgin olive oil in all of my recipes unless stated otherwise.
• I always use Himalayan sea salt or Celtic sea salt, unless otherwise noted.
• The majority of my recipes are strict AIP or include notations for reintroductions. However while I make every effort to label non-AIP ingredients and recipes sometimes they slip past me. If you have questions, please ask in advance.

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