Healthy Carrot Cake

This is my ultimate carrot cake, packed with antioxidants and superfood goodness ! It’s loaded with protein and essential minerals and scented with cinnamon, vanilla bean and a little honey. This is a purely delicious and simple one bowl cake to make and it keeps for about 1 week in the fridge. I love to frost my cake with a simple vanilla frosting or top with thick Greek Style yoghurt.
What’s great about it:
Carrots are the richest source of beta-carotene, which converts to vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A is essential for tissue growth and repair, thyroid function and iron mobilsation. Carrots are also a great source of vitamin C, B6, potassium and fibre and their consumption has been linked to lower rates of cancer, heart disease, stoke and cholesterol related illnesses. I’m also using ground almond meal which replaces traditional white refined flours that make up most store bought carrot cakes. The almond meal is also gluten free and adds moisture so I just need to add a small amount of macadamia nut or olive oil to make it complete. Almonds are packed full of protein + heart healthy fats that can help lower cholesterol as well as keep blood sugars stable.
500 g (17 1/2 oz) grated carrots
3 organic eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract or paste
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
300 g (10 1/2 oz) almond meal
60 ml (2 fl oz) macadamia nut oil or your choice or cold pressed coconut oil or quality butter
160 g (5 1/2 oz) organic maple syrup or honey or date syrup
1 cup raisins
2 teaspoons gluten free baking powder
Greek style yoghurt or vanilla frosting to serve
Preheat your oven to 160 C / 320 F.
Combine carrot, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, almond meal, oil, honey, raisins and baking powder.
Mix well until combined.
Pour into a prepared 20 cm baking tin.
Bake for 1 – 1½ hours or until cooked through.
Cover if necessary with foil.
Remove from the oven and cool completely in the tin then turn out.
Serve alone or topped with Greek Style yoghurt or vanilla frosting.
Keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days – it freezes well too!
Serves 16.