By Rose Zellmer @GimmeTasty.com
Carrots! Carrots everywhere!
The first time I went to a local market in Suzhou, China (stayed there for 8 years), I was overwhelmed. The carrots there were larger and of exceptional quality. Plus, they were smooth and brilliant orange. Something that you’d like to bite into and munch right away.
I am not a carrot fan myself. Nope, I don’t like raw carrots! But, my mouth started to water when I saw them. Since they were so inexpensive, I bought a bag full, wondering the whole way home what I’d do with all of them. Then it hit me, “Let’s make a carrot cake with a twist… gluten-free!”
What Are the Health Benefits of Carrots?
Carrots are always present in the list of vegetables that are healthy to eat (since I can remember, Kindergarten?). Let us check our memory if it still works great!
- With high soluble fiber content from pectin, they are effective in helping to lower cholesterol.
- Full of alpha-carotene and bioflavonoids, carrots are known aid in lowering the risk of cancer, especially cancer of the lungs.
- With its beta-carotene supply, it helps with eye health. Our body is very good at converting beta-carotene into Vitamin A. It keeps your vision sharp!
- Beta-Carotene slows the central nervous system aging thus prevents memory loss.
- Carrots help lower insulin levels so it helps prevent diabetes.
Let me share with you the recipe that I have mastered from the years I stayed in a foreign country. This is the first recipe I taught my girls when they were growing up and the cake that I usually served when friends came over.
RECIPE: Gluten-Free, Low-Sugar Carrot Cake
Time Needed: 1 hour
12 Servings
Ingredients:
- 3 cups flour (preferred: almond)
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp cinnamon, ground
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 5 eggs
- ½ cup honey (agave nectar or maple syrup)
- ¼ cup oil (canola or grapeseed)
- 3 cups shredded or grated carrots
- 1 cup dried raisins
- 1 cup pecan nuts (walnuts are perfect too!)
How to do it?
- Pre-heat oven to 165 degrees Celsius.
- Prepare your two round 9” cake baking pans and thoroughly grease it.
- Mix all dry ingredients (except carrots, raisins and nuts) together in a big mixing bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk eggs and all the wet ingredients together.
- Into the egg mixture, blend in the carrots, walnuts and dried raisins and mix well.
- In the middle of the flour mixture, make a well and add the carrot mixture, stir it to form a batter.
- Carefully pour them into well-greased cake baking pans.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes.
- Check. Insert a toothpick and when it comes out clean, it is done.
- Turn off the oven, let the pans stay inside to cool for another 10 minutes.
- Pull it out from the oven and let it cool completely preferably on a wire rack.
If you’re avoiding sugar, this cake recipe is delicious all on its own, without icing or frosting. When I take this cake to church to share I don’t frost it. But, when I invite friends for my kids’ birthday party, I decorate it to the max! Help yourself with this Cream Cheese Frosting, and don’t worry, it is gluten-free, too!
Fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting, Gluten-Free, Low-Sugar
Ingredients:
- 2 ounces softened reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1-½ cups frozen light whipped dessert topping
How to do it?
- Thaw 1-1/2 cups frozen light whipped dessert topping.
- In a medium bowl, beat reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel) with an electric mixer on medium to high speed until smooth.
- Beat in vanilla.
- Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until smooth.
- Fold about 1/2 cup of the topping into the cream cheese mixture to lighten.
- Fold in the remaining whipped topping.
Makes about 1-3/4 cups of fluffy, delicious frosting.
There it is, my favorite Gluten-Free, Low-Sugar Carrot Cake recipe. It’s not originally mine. I picked it up years ago when I was in panic over what to do with my bag carrots. I don’t even recall where I got it, but I made a few small adjustments to the ingredients to perfect the recipe to my taste. A little love in healthy baking!
About the Author:
I’m Rose, your ultimate food buddy! I decided to create GimmeTasty.com to showcase what I know, what I want you to know, and what I need to learn more about the fantastic world of food. I will accompany you on your delicious adventure of discovering happiness through food.