Equipment
Ingredients
Cake Batter
- 10 g unsalted butter, softened
- 200 g granulated sugar
- 140 g coconut sugar
- 3 eggs
- 125 g applesauce, unsweetened
- 455 g carrots, peeled and grated
- 236 ml coconut oil, melted
- 45 ml lemon juice
- 170 g teff flour
- 70 g sweet rice flour
- 60 g oat flour
- 5 g ground cinnamon
- 1 g ground nutmeg
- ½ g ground cloves
- 12 g baking soda
- 5 g fine salt
- 45 g shredded coconut
- 180 g walnuts, chopped
Frosting
- 225 g cream cheese, room temperature
- 85 g unsalted butter, cool room temperature
- 360 g powdered sugar, sifted
- 45 ml lemon juice
- 1 g fine salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 940 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbohydrates
- 104 g
- Fat
- 56 g
- Fiber
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 75 g
- Sodium
- 691 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 31 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 10 g
- Cholesterol
- 99 mg
- Potassium
- 401 mg
- Calcium
- 107 mg
- Iron
- 2.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 82 mg
- Phosphorus
- 243 mg
- Zinc
- 1.9 mg
- Vitamin A
- 539 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 9 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.3 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 9 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.23 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.25 mg
- Niacin
- 1.6 mg
- Folate
- 40 mcg
- Water
- 88 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F).
Grease two 9-inch cake pans with butter, line the bottoms with parchment paper, and grease the parchment.
Whip the granulated sugar, coconut sugar, and eggs in a stand mixer with a whisk attachment until the mixture is thick and light, approximately 4 minutes.
Mix in the applesauce, grated carrots, liquid coconut oil, and lemon juice until combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the teff flour, sweet rice flour, oat flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, and salt.
Fold the dry flour mixture into the wet ingredients using a rubber spatula until just combined.
Gently fold the shredded coconut and chopped walnuts into the batter.
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes at 175°C (350°F).
Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes, then invert them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Beat the cream cheese and butter in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, lemon juice, and salt, mixing until the frosting is smooth.
Place one cake layer on a platter, spread half the frosting over it, top with the second layer, and spread the remaining frosting over the top.
Chef's Notes
- Ensure your grated carrots are finely grated for a more integrated texture within the cake batter. Excessively large shreds can lead to pockets of moisture.
- Teff flour can absorb liquid differently than wheat flour. If the batter seems unusually thick, a tablespoon of milk or water can be added to achieve the right consistency.
- For the frosting, using cream cheese and butter that are at the same cool room temperature is crucial for achieving a smooth, emulsified, and lump-free frosting.
- Toast the walnuts lightly before chopping and adding them to the batter for an enhanced nutty flavor and a more pleasant crunch.
- Don't overmix the batter once the dry ingredients are added. Overmixing can develop gluten in any residual gluten-containing flours (like oat flour, if not certified gluten-free) and result in a tougher cake.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Store in an airtight container to prevent the frosting from absorbing odors.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze individual slices wrapped tightly in plastic wrap.
Reheating: Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Troubleshooting
Cake texture is gummy or dense
Cause: Underbaking or excessive moisture from carrots
Fix: Cannot be fixed once cooled.
Prevention: Ensure the toothpick comes out completely clean and grate carrots finely to release less water.
Frosting is too thin or runny
Cause: Butter or cream cheese was too warm
Fix: Chill the frosting in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before spreading.
Prevention: Use cool room temperature butter and do not over-mix.
Cultural Context
Carrot cake, while its exact origins are debated, gained significant popularity in American cuisine during the mid-20th century. Often associated with comfort food and home baking, it's a dessert that has evolved to embrace various dietary needs, including gluten-free adaptations like this one using teff flour. The addition of warm spices and cream cheese frosting is a classic American pairing.
