Sugar-Free HEAVENLY Walnut Pear Carrot Cake is packed with grated carrot, pear (or apple), dried fruit, walnuts and spices. Can be made Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free.
- FOR THE CAKE:
- 2 cups peeled and grated carrot
- 1 cup grated pear or apple (skin on)
- 1/2 cup mixed raisins
- 1 cup pitted dates , chopped small
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 3/4 cups wholewheat flour , or almond flour
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- Pinch Himalayan pink salt
- 1/2 cup walnuts , chopped small
- 1/2 cup coconut oil or butter, melted
- 2 eggs , beaten
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- FOR THE FROSTING:
- 230 g plain cream cheese (medium or full-fat is best)
- 1/4 cup butter , softened
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 1/2 tbsp raw honey
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp lemon zest
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TO MAKE THE CAKE:
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Preheat oven to 180°C (356°F), grease and flour two 8 inch round cake tins, or two loaf tins, or one sheet pan.
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In a bowl, place carrot, pear, raisins, dates, baking soda and boiling water, stir and set aside for 20 minutes until dates are soft. Stir once or twice.
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In another bowl, mix flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, coconut sugar, salt and walnuts together.
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Once carrot mixture has cooled, stir in coconut oil, eggs and vanilla.
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With a metal spoon, fold flour mixture gradually (about 4 tablespoons at a time) into carrot mixture until all the flour is combined. Divide mixture evenly between cake tins (about 8 heaped tablespoons per cake tin) and level out.
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Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cakes comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in tins before turning out and cooling the undersides completely before frosting.
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TO MAKE THE FROSTING:
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With an electric beater, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth, beat in lemon juice, honey and vanilla. With a metal spoon, stir in lemon zest.
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Place one cake on a serving platter or cake-stand. Spread on a layer of frosting (using about 1/3), top with second cake and spread with remaining 2/3 frosting. Decorate with lemon zest, chopped walnuts and berries if desired, slice and serve!
If making dairy-free frosting, replace cream cheese and butter with coconut cream and follow above instructions.
If making a sheet cake, allow to cool completely in sheet pan, frost, slice and serve.
