This moist and delicious carrot cake with coconut flour is paleo diet friendly, gluten free, vegan, and refined sugar free. It’s warmly spiced and loaded with carrot flavor. This paleo carrot cake is easy to make and perfect for a nutritious dessert or snack.
Main ingredients in this paleo carrot cake
This recipe calls for grated carrots. You can either use a food processor or any type of grater to grate the carrots.
This paleo carrot cake recipe calls for coconut flour. Coconut flour has a subtle coconut flavor that doesn’t compete with the flavors of the carrots and spices in this recipe. Coconut flour is a nutritious alternative to conventional flours as it’s high in both fiber and protein. It’s perfect for paleo baking and adds a slight sweetness that works well in cakes, muffins, and cookies.
This cake is sweetened with maple syrup. You can substitute agave if you prefer.
Almond butter gives this cake richness and structure. If you need to avoid nuts, you can substitute pumpkin seed butter instead. Regardless, choose a nut or seed butter that is smooth as opposed to crunchy and doesn’t contain added sugar or salt.
Ground flaxseed acts as a binder in this coconut flour carrot cake recipe. It improves the texture of the cake and adds structure, so I don’t recommend omitting it.
How to make carrot cake with coconut flour
Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Next you’ll add the coconut flour, ground flaxseed, and baking soda to a mixing bowl, then mix well.
Add the unsweetened almond milk, almond butter, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt to a second mixing bowl, then use a whisk to mix well.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, then stir to combine.
Add the grated carrots, then stir to combine.
Transfer the batter to a medium sized loaf pan lined with parchment paper (mine is 9.25 x 5.25 x 2.75 inches). Wet a spoon with cold water, then use the back of the spoon to smooth the batter into an even layer.
Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake looks clean upon removal. Let the cake cool to room temperature before removing from the pan and serving.
Optional additions
To add an extra layer of flavor and texture to this paleo carrot cake, stir in 1/2 cup each of chopped pecans and/or raisins to the batter.
Storage and freezing
Store this cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days or freeze it for up to three months, then thaw at room temperature before serving. I like to slice it up before serving so it’s easy to defrost the exact amount I want.
More coconut flour recipes
- This vegan coconut oil cookies are quick and easy to make.
- This paleo fruit cake is nutritious dessert that’s perfect for the holidays.
Carrot Cake with Coconut Flour Recipe (Paleo and Gluten Free)
Equipment
- Medium sized loaf pan
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups grated carrots
- 1 cup coconut flour
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1/2 cup smooth almond butter
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup ground flaxseed
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Add the coconut flour, ground flaxseed, and baking soda to a mixing bowl, then mix well.
- Add the unsweetened almond milk, almond butter, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt to a second mixing bowl, then use a whisk to mix well.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, then stir to combine.
- Add the grated carrots, then stir to combine.
- Transfer the batter to a medium sized loaf pan lined with parchment paper (mine is 9.25 x 5.25 x 2.75 inches).
- Wet a spoon with cold water, then use the back of the spoon to smooth the batter into an even layer.
- Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake looks clean upon removal.
- Let the cake cool to room temperature before removing from the pan and serving.
Notes
-
Optional additions to this paleo carrot cake include 1/2 cup each of chopped pecans and/or raisins.
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Store this cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days or freeze it for up to three months.