Desserts Recipes

Gluten-Free Carrot Cake with Goat Cheese Icing #Recipe

This week I celebrated 10 years smoke-free! Yay me! In celebration, hubs made me a gluten-free carrot cake. The original recipe from Elana’s Pantry called for agave nectar, but we prefer honey as a healthier and less processed sweetener. I’m also not a fan of raisins, so we nix those and add extra walnuts and/or pecans instead.

This gluten-free carrot cake is made with almond flour for moist, delicious cake! Pair with goat cheese icing for a decadent allergy-friendly treat. Nobody will know it's gluten-free unless you tell them!

To make the carrot cake, combine 3 cups almond flour, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon nutmeg, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 teaspoon sea salt. In a separate bowl, combine 5 eggs, 1/2 cup honey, 1/4 cup olive oil, 3 cups grated carrots, and 1 1/2 cups chopped nuts. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well. Pour the batter into two greased 9-inch cake pans and bake at 325 for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool before icing.

This goat cheese icing recipe comes courtesy of my sister-in-law. Mix one package (1 pound) of soft, unripened goat cheese and half a pound of butter in a large bowl. If you’re very sensitive to cow dairy, feel free to use goat butter in lieu of cow butter. For easier mixing, cut the goat cheese and butter into smaller pieces before using the hand mixer. Mix in 2 cups of icing sugar, about one third of a cup at a time. The icing will become smoother as you add more sugar. When all the icing sugar is mixed in, add 2 teaspoons of lemon or orange juice and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Mix just until the icing is smooth and glassy, but be careful not to overmix or it’ll get runny. If you want to try this with chocolate goat cheese icing, mix in half a cup of cocoa powder. Mmm… heavenly!

Spread a generous amount of icing on top of one cake and gently place the second on top. Ice the top and sides, then garnish (or not) as you like. We like to use raspberries because the tartness contrasts nicely with the tangy sweet icing.

Gluten-Free Carrot Cake

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups almond flour
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 5 eggs
  • ½ cup liquid honey
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 3 cups carrots grated
  • 1 1/2 cup chopped walnuts and/or pecans

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease two round 9-inch cake pans.
  • In one bowl, combine almond flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
  • In a second bowl, mix eggs, honey, and oil together, then add in grated carrots and nuts.
  • Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix well.
  • Pour batter into greased cake pans and bake for approximately 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
  • Let cool and ice with goat cream cheese icing.

Notes

Adapted from Elana's Pantry

Susie's Goat Cheese Icing

Susanne La Plante

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound soft unripened goat cheese
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 2 cups icing sugar
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon or orange juice
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla

Instructions
 

  • In a large bowl break up the goat cheese and butter into smaller pieces and mash slightly with a fork to prepare for blending.
  • Mix in 1/3 cup of icing sugar with hand mixer. Continue mixing in 1/3 cup of icing sugar at a time.
  • Add juice and vanilla to icing and mix until smooth.

Notes

For chocolate goat cheese icing, add 1/2 cup of cocoa.
This post is linked up to some fantastic recipe link parties. Check out my Link Parties page to see where I’m linking up and to find some wonderful blogs and more amazing recipes!

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