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GF Vegan Carrot Cake with Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting

(recipe, Katie Hickey)

Introduction

Next time, I will try this recipe without Bob's Red Mill, because the tapioca flavor was there. This cake freezes very well, and I liked it even better out of the refrigerator.

Ingredients

  1. 3 cups gluten-free baking flour (Note: I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour per cookbook recommendation.)
  2. 1 Tbsp. baking powder
  3. 1 Tbsp. baking soda
  4. 1 tsp. xanthan gum
  5. 1½ tsp. salt
  6. 2 Tbsp. cinnamon, grated
  7. 3 Tbsp. ginger, powdered
  8. ½ tsp. nutmeg, grated
  9. ⅔ cup canola oil or coconut oil (melted)
  10. 1 cup agave nectar
  11. 1 cup almond milk
  12. 1 Tbsp. vanilla
  13. ½ cup hot water
  14. 3 cups carrots, shredded
  15. ¾ cup raisins (optional)
  16. ¾ cup walnuts (optional)
  17. A handful of shredded coconut (optional)
  18. Cinnamon Frosting:
  19. Vegan Vanilla Buttercream
  20. 2 cups confectioner’s sugar (original recipe called for 3 cups, but I used way less. Jsut whip the butter and add sugar until it reaches a good consistency)
  21. ⅓ cup (5 tbsp) nonhydrogenated vegan margarine or shortening (softened)
  22. 2 Tbsp. almond milk
  23. 1 Tbsp. vanilla or almond extract (I used Almond)
  24. Cinnamon to taste

Steps

  1. 1) Preheat oven to 325°. Grease 9” × 13” baking pan with oil or cooking spray.
  2. 2) Combine all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
  3. 3) Mix in oil, agave nectar, almond milk, and vanilla. You will have a thick batter. Gently stir in hot water. Fold in carrots.
  4. 4) Pour batter into 9” × 13” baking pan or fill cupcake cups with ⅓ cup of batter. Bake cake for 35–45 minutes or until a toothpick comes clean. Bake cupcakes for 20–30 minutes. Depending on your oven, you may want to turn the pan and/or cover with foil halfway through baking. The former prevents uneven cooking; the latter keeps the top from burning before the insides are good and done.
  5. 5) Allow cake to cool before frosting
  6. For Frosting:
  7. 1) Cream butter in a stand mixer. Gradually add sugar until you've reached your desired consistency. Add almond milk to get creaminess and help it along.
  8. 3) Add vanilla or almond extract and cinnamon to taste. Whip a lot to incorporate air and get it light and fluffy.