Carrot Almond Cake

I've made a gluten free dessert. And it actually tastes good. Sometimes you waste time, energy and expensive ingredients when you experiment. Not today. Today is a day of cake that kinda tastes like Grandma's Impossible Pie, because it has layers - magical layers that you never created, but just exist in the final product.  The bottom layer is kinda custard-ey and the top layer is spring-ey and cake like. It gets more kick from cardamom (ah, the Swedes) - a lot of it, a whole tablespoon. I wasn't sure about that measurement, but it works so well with carrots. My hubby said it reminded him of Indian food. There is no flour and you can avoid sugar all together if you can get your hands on some vegetable glycerine (what is that, anyway?). If you like your cake less sweet I would recommend taking out a 1/2 cup of sugar - it was a little sweet for me. Not having vegetable glycerine, I used a combo of honey, sugar and coconut oil. It doesn't really need frosting, but I put some on to make it more appealing to the cuties in my house. The original recipe called for cream cheese frosting, but never having cream cheese in the house, I did a powdered sugar and coconut oil frosting.

Printable Recipe Here

Carrot Almond Cake
serves 8-10

1 1/2 c. steamed, pureed carrots
6 eggs, separated
1/2 c. vegetable glycerine (or 1 1/2 c. honey or sugar w/ 1/2 c. coconut oil)
2 T. ground almonds (can substitute almonds for 2 T. flour)
1 t. grated orange zest
1/2 t. almond extract
1 t. sea salt
1 T. ground cardamom
1/4 t. cream of tartar
frosting, optional

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter a 9-inch spring form cake pan. Combine pureed carrots with egg yolks and glycerine (or honey and coconut oil). Mix in ground almonds, orange zest, salt, almond extract and cardamom. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar in clean, separate bowl until stiff and fold into carrot mixture. Spread in pan. Bake until springy, about 45-55 minutes. Cool. Release from pan. Frost, if desired. Store in refrigerator.

Coconut oil Frosting
1/3 c. coconut oil
2 c. powdered sugar
2-4 T. almond milk
1/2 t. almond extract

Whip coconut oil in stand mixer until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Gradually add powdered sugar. Add milk, a tablespoon at a time. Add extract. May need to add extra milk depending on consistency desired.