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Low Carb Carrot Cake

This Low Carb Carrot Cake is sugar free, yet sweet and moist with lots of warming spices, nuts and a lush creamy frosting thats also sugar free..
Course Snack
Cuisine American
Type Grain Free, Low Carb, Sugar Free
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 15 squares
Calories 220kcal
Author Kim

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup butter softened
  • ½ cup granulated sweetener that measures like sugar
  • 4 large eggs at room temperature
  • 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups finely shredded carrots
  • 3 tablespoons coconut flour
  • 2 ½ cups almond flour
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon all-spice
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup roughly chopped pecans

Frosting

  • 1 ½ cups /12 oz cream cheese
  • cup butter for a very cheese frosting, I would use ⅓ cup, softened
  • cup powdered sweetener
  • Optional: ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Pre-heat the oven to 350F and prepare a 9’’ x 13’’ baking tray with baking paper. Set aside.
  • Add softened butter and granulated sweetener into a large bowl. Mix until creamy. Then incorporate one egg at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla extract and combine.
  • Add two cups of shredded carrots and stir to combine. Then add dry ingredients: almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, salt, and spices. Stir until well combined.
  • Then add roughly chopped pecan nuts, stir to incorporate into the batter.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared baking tray, extend evenly.
  • Bake the sheet cake for 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly golden in the edges. When inserting a toothpick, this should come out clean.
  • Let the cake cool for 10-15 minutes before unmolding.

Frosting

  • Meanwhile, prepare the cream cheese frosting. Add cream cheese and softened butter into a bowl and use an electric mixer to combine them. Once the mixture is very creamy, add powdered sweetener and mix again. Start with ¼ cup and adjust sweetness to taste. *Optional: add ½ teaspoon vanilla extract.
  • Once the cake has cooled down, spread the frosting on top. Refrigerate for ½ hour before serving. *Optional: add some chopped pecans, pumpkin seeds, and orange zest as a garnish on top of the frosting.
  • Divide your cake into 15 squares and serve.

Notes

  1. Almond Flour: Blanched or unblanched almond flour will work. Sometimes almond flour is also called almond meal depending on where you live and for this recipe, almond flour and almond meal can be used interchangeably.
  2. Coconut Flour: Coconut flour helps to give the cake more bulk and fibre.
  3. Granulated Sweetener: Its important to use a granulated sweetener that measures like sugar. I love use granulated monkfruit sweetener, however granulated stevia would also work. I wouldn't recommend using liquid sweeteners for this recipe as they would require different ratios.
  4. Spices: The spices used in this low carb carrot cake are combination of ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, and all spice
  5. Cream Cheese: Its important to use the cream cheese that comes in blocks as opposed to the spreadable cream cheese. I like the creaminess of the full fat cream cheese, but using a low fat or light cream cheese is an option to keep it lower in calories.
  6. Powdered Sweetener: using a powdered sweetener in the cream cheese is better than using a granulated sweetener which may result in a slight grittiness if not mixed properly. Powdered sweeteners are easily available in the supermarket with granulated sweeteners. If all else fails, use a mortar and pestle to grind down granulated sweetener into a fine powder.
  7. Baking Powder: If you haven't used your baking powder in the last 6 months, I'd suggest buying a new one as it looses its effectiveness as a rising agent over time. Using old baking powder may mean your cake doesn't rise.
  8. Nutritional information  includes frosting
  9. CARROT CAKE VARIATIONS

    1. Add half a cup of drained, tinned pineapple along with the carrot
    2. Add half a cup of dried blueberries to the batter and stir in by hand
    3. Add ¼ cup peanut butter to the batter and mix in with the carrot
    4. Instead of the lemon cream cheese frosting, try swapping espresso for the lemon juice

Nutrition

Calories: 220kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g