Samantha's Scrumptious Carrot Cake (made gluten free!)

The wheat version of this recipe was given to me (somewhat reluctantly) by our oldest sister Samantha. She makes the most AMAZING carrot cake. (Even if you HATE carrot cake, you have to admit there is something about hers.)

But alas, wheat and I are no longer friends. So I set out to make this cake free of gluten and dare I say... I think I succeeded??

Cake

1 1/4 cups finely grated raw carrots

1 cup gluten free all-purpose  flour (I used Living Now Gluten Free brand, it's great!)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 large eggs

3/4 cup white sugar (I used beet sugar)

6 tablespoons brown sugar (I used unrefined coconut sugar)

1/2 cup oil

1/4 cup crushed pineapple (the canned kind)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (the good stuff)

1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

1/4 cup flaked, sweetened coconut

1 teaspoon psyllium husk powder

1 tablespoon chia seeds (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease two 8 inch round cake pans and line the bottoms of the pans with a circle of parchment paper. (Don't skip the parchment paper! It'll stick to the bottom of the pan otherwise.)

Peel and finely grate carrots, set aside.

In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon. Set aside.

With an electric mixer, beat the eggs until frothy (about 1 minute). Gradually add sugars and beat until the batter is thick (about 3-4 minutes). Add the oil and pineapple in a steady stream and beat in vanilla. 

Gradually add flour mixture and beat until just incorporated. With a rubber spatula fold in the grated carrots, nuts, etc. Evenly divide the batter between the two prepared pans and bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove the cakes from the oven and let cool on a wire rack. After about 5-10 minutes, carefully run a knife around the outsides of the cake, invert the cakes onto the wire rack, remove the pans and parchment paper, and cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter, on low speed, just until blended with no lumps. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar and cinnamon and beat, on low speed, until fully incorporated and smooth. Beat in the vanilla extract. Frost your delicious, homemade, gluten free, carrot cake! (Refrigerate any unused frosting.)

(Note: This cake freezes wonderfully! Make as directed, cool, frost, and freeze in an airtight container! Let thaw to room temperature and serve. Just as moist and flavorful!)