Heavenly Carrot Cake

By Susan Arruda

YIELD: 16 Slices

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups spelt flour
1/4 cup oat flour (grind your own oat groats, rolled oats, or steel cut oats)
2 tbsp. ground flax
2 tbsp. ground chia or amaranth
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
3 eggs
3/4 lightly packed brown sugar
1/4 high quality cooking oil
3/4 cup buttermilk or plain kefir (you can create your own buttermilk by starting with 1 tbsp. of vinegar and adding milk; let sit for several minutes)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup canned pumpkin, unsweetened
2 cups finely grated carrots
Optional: 1/2 cup each, chopped walnuts and shredded coconut

PREPARATION:

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Beat eggs in a separate bowl. Add the cooking oil and brown sugar and mix together using a mixer or whisk. Add the remaining wet ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir to combine using a large mixing spoon. Add the grated carrots and walnuts and coconut, if desired, and stir to combine.

Grease two cake pans and divide and pour the mixture into the pans.
Bake in center rack in a pre-heated 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick, skewer, or spaghetti piece inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let cool completely before icing. Ice the top of the bottom cake layer. Stack the other cake (without icing) layer over the iced layer and spread the cream cheese icing over the top and sides evenly.

Refrigerate leftovers, if there are any 🙂

CITRUS CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

INGREDIENTS:

400 g light cream cheese
2-4 tbsp. butter
2/3 – 3/4 cup sifted icing/confectioner’s sugar
1 tbsp. freshly squeezed orange juice (or lemon)
2 tsp. grated orange zest (or lemon, or combination of both)

PREPARATION:

Combine the cream cheese and butter and whip together with an electric mixer. Slowly add the icing sugar intermittently and blend together well. Add the remaining ingredients and mix to combine together well.

Nutrition information of Heavenly Carrot Cake with nuts and coconut:

Please note; calories for icing are not included and must be added to below information for an accurate count.