Traditional Carrot Cake (Regular or Gluten Free)

My take on the traditional Carrot Cake has a tender texture that's filled with spices, shredded carrots, chopped apples, pecans and walnuts. This is not a super sugary cake and can be made Gluten and Dairy Free!

I'm a fan of Carrot Cake, but I often find them overly sweet. Therefore, in my recipe, I let the spices shine, complemented by the carrots and apples. Adding nuts is entirely up to you, but I recommend including chopped apples for an extra layer of flavor.

Traditional Carrot Cake

Yields: 1 layered cake or 2 separate cakes

Pre-heat oven: 350 degree F

Prep-time: 10 minutes

Bake-time: 35-40 minutes

Ingredients

Cake Batter

2 cups plus 2 tbsp all purpose flour, or GF flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp ground cinnamon, I use Ceylon cinnamon
1/2 tsp all spice
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
3/4 cup rough chopped walnuts (not small bits)
1/2 cup rough chopped pecans (not small bits), plus more for topping
2 1/2 cups shredded carrots
1 1/2 cups chopped apples, peeled and cored
1 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
3/4 cup coconut sugar, or brown sugar
1/4 cup cane sugar
1/2 cup real maple syrup, room temperature
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup shredded coconut (optional)

Frosting

1 cup cream cheese, room temperature (or dairy free cream cheese)
4 tbsp unsalted vegan butter, room temperature (or regular butter)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp pure almond extract
1/4 tsp salt
2-4 tbsp oat milk, or whole milk
4 cups powder sugar

Directions

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degree F.
Lightly coat two cake pans with non stick spray and flour, to prevent any sticking. Set aside.
Using a stand or hand mixer to beat the butter until creamy. Then, add in the coconut sugar and cane sugar. Beat until well blended, scrapping the bottom as you go.
Then, add in the applesauce, vanilla extract and maple syrup. Blend. Make sure to scrap the sides and bottom of the bowl, then set aside.
In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder, nuts, spices, shredded carrots and chopped apples. Use a spatula to bring the ingredients together and leave a well in the center.
Add your wet mixture to the dry ingredients. Use the spatula to fold the wet ingredients into the dry. Try avoiding over mixing the batter. (If the batter seems a bit dry, you can a couple more tablespoons of non-dairy milk).
Carefully split the batter between the two cake pans. Pat the pans gently on the counter to release any air bubbles and to smooth it out.
Bake for about 35-40 minutes, or until a tooth pick comes out clean.
Allow the cakes to cool in the pan for about 30 minutes or until the cakes are cool enough to touch.
Then, transfer the cakes to a cooling rack. Let them cool completely before adding frosting.

Frosting Directions

While the cakes are cooling, you can begin to the frosting.
Clean the mixer bowl and then use it to make the frosting. Beat together the cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Add in the vanilla and almond extract, salt and milk, and blend. Then, start adding the powder sugar 1 cup at at time. Start the mixture on low to avoid a cloud of sugar. Keep adding the powder sugar until you reach a somewhat thick consistency. If it's too thick, you can add more milk to thin it out.
The frosting can be stored in the refrigerator until you are ready to frost your cake. If you choose to keep in the fridge, allow the frosting to to room temperature, about 20-30 minutes, so it's easier to frost.
Use an off set knife to frost your cake. If you are layering your cake, add several dollops of frosting to the top of your bottom cake, then smooth out with the knife. *This can be a thin layer or a thick layer, it depends on your preference. Add the second cake on top. Then, frost the entire cake, or just the top, whatever you desire.
If you are feeling fancy, you can use a zip lock bag or piping bag to add a more decorative look to your cake. Sprinkle with more nuts and enjoy!