Carrot Cake???

topic posted Wed, April 9, 2008 - 3:13 PM by  Aura
I need a recipe for a wheat free and naturally sweetened carrot cake that is really easy, as baking is not my forte'...my son's fifth birthday is this week, and he asked me to make a carrot cake with pink frosting...the catch is that I don't bake with sugar, I only will use agave or honey, or maple syrup...also, several of his friends can't eat wheat, so I want to use spelt flour(they can all eat spelt)...I am sure that I could wing it if I must, but maybe someone has a tried and true recipe to meet this very specific need of mine...Thank you!
BTW...I know I can whip up a frosting, I just need the help with the cake part!
posted by:
Aura
Oregon
  • Re: Carrot Cake???

    Wed, April 9, 2008 - 4:00 PM
    I've used this, read it through and see my notes at the end.
    carrot-pineapple cake - from Baking Without Fat, by George Mateljan, Health Valley Foods.

    2.5 cups whole wheat pastry flour
    1.5 teaspoons baking soda
    1.5 teaspoons cream of tartar
    1.5 teaspoons cinnamon
    1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
    1.25 cups honey
    1/3 cup pineapple juice concentrate
    2 teaspoons vanilla
    2 egg whites, unbeaten
    1 8-oz can juice-packed crushed pineapple, drained
    2 4-oz jars baby food carrot puree
    1 cup raisins
    2 egg whites, lightly beaten

    Preheat oven to 325. In large bowl, mix flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.

    In medium bowl, mix honey, pineapple juice, vanilla, 2 unbeaten egg whites, pineapple, carrot puree.
    Stir into flour mixture until just blended. Stir in raisins, then gently stir in the lightly beaten egg whites. Do not overmix.

    Spoon batter into 2 9-inch round nonstick baking pans. Bake at 325 for 40-45 minutes or until toothpick in center comes out clean.
    Avoid overbrowning. Cool on wire racks 30 minutes, remove from pans.

    Notes: I don't see why spelt flour would make too much difference, but perhaps someone else has more wisdom.
    I've made this with fresh grated and lightly cooked carrots instead of baby food.
    Also used the juice from the crushed pineapple instead of concentrate, I didn't miss the additional sweetness.
    I think nuts help, if you don't have allergy issues with them.
    I don't use nonstick pans, I grease and flour.
  • Re: Carrot Cake???

    Wed, April 9, 2008 - 4:06 PM
    as a sub for wheat flour try barley flour. Similar protein content, but lower gluten. Great for cakes!! Also, you can sub an equal amount of maple syrup for the white sugar.
    • Re: Carrot Cake???

      Thu, April 10, 2008 - 1:56 PM
      The easiest, and usually tastiest, way to make a gluten-free cake is to buy a mix.

      Gluten Free Pantry usually has the best cake mixes (if you ever need pizza dough, get Namaste).
      • Re: Carrot Cake???

        Thu, April 10, 2008 - 1:57 PM
        Or, you could get a GF baking mix* (GF Pantry is one I use, Bob's Red Mill also has one) and use the recipe posted (which sounds terrific!).


        *It is for substituting equal parts, ie, if the recipe calls for one cup flour, use one cup of the gf flour mix
        • Re: Carrot Cake???

          Sun, April 13, 2008 - 11:28 AM
          Thanks for the recipes and suggestions...I actually ended up using a recipe for honey sweetened carrot cake, using agave instead, and using half whole spelt and half white spelt instead of wheat, and turning them into cupcakes...everyone loved them, and one adult friend said they were everything he would ever want a cupcake to be, healthy, but not healthy tasting( I would call them healthier, as opposed to actually healthy)! I frosted them with a whipped up mixture of cream cheese with a little milk added, agave, vanilla and beet powder to make it pink, as per my son's request...I would be happy to post the recipe if anyone is interested...I also made a coconut milk, xylitol sweetened strawberry ice "cream" that everyone gobbled up...I was so happy with my experiment, it was all actually really easy...
          • Re: Carrot Cake???

            Mon, April 14, 2008 - 6:42 PM
            can you post the recipes as you altered them?
            • Re: Carrot Cake???

              Mon, April 14, 2008 - 8:16 PM
              please post! mmm, i love the idea of carrot cupcakes~ sounds like the y were lighter than your regular carrot cake, yes?
              • Re: Carrot Cake???

                Tue, April 15, 2008 - 3:40 PM
                sift together: 1 c whole spelt flour, 1 c white spelt flour, 1/2 t baking powder, 1 t baking soda. 1/2 t salt, and 1 t cinnamon
                blend: 3 eggs, 3/4 c agave, add 10 T melted butter, 1/4 c lemon juice, blend, then add 2 c finely grated carrots
                mix wet into dry, beat on low speed until moist, then med. speed until well mixed
                fold in: 1 c raisins
                bake in well greased muffin tins, or muffin cups at 350 degrees F for 20-30 min, until a toothpick come out clean
                Frosting...cream 16 oz.room temp cream cheese with 1/3 c agave and 1 t vanilla extract...I added a splash of milk because it was too thick to whip, as well as beet powder dissolved in a little water to make it pink...
                I made about two dozen cupcakes...
                • Re: Carrot Cake???

                  Wed, April 16, 2008 - 8:53 AM
                  Sounds really great! Is brown rice syrup the same sweetness as agave? And would another type of flour change it very much?
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                    Re: Carrot Cake???

                    Tue, May 6, 2008 - 8:58 AM
                    Just out of curiosity, where does one buy agave? Is this a health food store item? or like a farmer's market thing?

                    I don't even really know what I'm looking for…
                    • Re: Carrot Cake???

                      Tue, May 6, 2008 - 9:35 AM
                      >>where does one buy agave? Is this a health food store item? or like a farmer's market thing? <<

                      Here in Austin, yes to both. I prefer the darker, less refined I can get at my co-op.
                    • Re: Carrot Cake???

                      Tue, May 6, 2008 - 11:07 AM
                      duckie -- it looks like corn/maple syrup. I noticed it at the Bev Mo the other day when I was perusing the tequila aisle! Apparently, agave was the magic word, and they just stuck it there. But I've seen it at TJ's and in the health food aisle of my local Raleys.

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