Who doesn’t love a yummy, moist carrot cake?!

I love carrot cake and so does my mom. I make it for her every Mother’s Day and Birthday. I took a basic carrot cake recipe and made it just a bit healthier, clean and Gluten Free!

I am always trying to make recipes healthy and delicious and after playing around with many different combinations, this was the keeper. This cake is so delicious you would never know the difference. Even my picky family members that do not like regular carrot cake loves this cake. You will never use a boxed cake again! Besides the fact that you can’t recognize the ingredients in the boxed cake, this cake takes just a few extra minutes and only one bowl! Win, win in my book! If you use a Cuisinart for the carrots that saves even more time.

The only thing that I changed in the frosting was the fat. I opted for low fat cream cheese instead of the full-fat variety. I found some other versions using Greek yogurt and I will play around with those and keep you guys posted!

Ingredients

• ¾ Cup Raw Honey
• 1 Cup Melted Refined Coconut Oil or Walnut Oil (Can also use ¾ Cup Unsweetened Apple Sauce and ¼ Cup Mashed Banana in place of oil-you won’t taste it) See bottom of recipe
• 3 Eggs
• 2 Cups of Unbleached All Purpose or Gluten Free Flour Blend or Whole Wheat Flour
• 2 Generous tsp. Ground Cinnamon
• 1 tsp. Baking Soda
• 1 Generous tsp. Vanilla
• ½ tsp. Salt
• 4 Cups Shredded Carrots
• 1 3/4 Cup Coarsely Chopped Walnuts or Pecans (optional)

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 Package (8oz.) Cream Cheese, Softened
• ¼ Cup Butter, Softened
• 2 to 3 teaspoons Milk (add more if frosting is too thick
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 3 to 3 ½ Cups Powdered Sugar (to your taste) I don’t like it really, really sweet

Directions

• Heat oven to 350F.
• Spray Bottom and sides of 9×13 Casserole pan with nonstick spray (I use coconut oil spray). Then sprinkle a dusting of flour and shake around to add extra protection from sticking.
• In a large bowl or Kitchenaid, beat honey, oil, and eggs until blended. This is also where you would add the applesauce and banana if using in place of oil.
• Next, add flour, cinnamon, baking soda, 1 tsp. Of vanilla and salt and mix on low for about 1 to 2 minutes. Finally, add carrots and 1 cup nuts.
• Pour into pans and cook for approximately 40 minutes.

I began checking mine at 30 using a convection oven because I used Gluten Free flour and it can be touchy. It is done when toothpick comes out clean. Make sure to let cake cool completely before adding frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• In a large bowl or Kitchenaid, beat softened cream cheese, butter and vanilla on low until smooth and mix-occasionally using a rubber spatula to scrape sides of bowl.
• Slowly, a cup at a time, beat in powdered sugar on low speed and add milk if needed. Frost cake and sprinkle the extra ¾ cup of nuts on top of cake.
• Refrigerate after frosting
• IF using the applesauce version, add an extra tsp. Of Vanilla. The fats bring out the flavors in the cake so without the fats, you may need more Vanilla and/or Cinnamon.

Adapted from the Betty Crocker Carrot Cake Recipe