Do-it-Yourself Sugar free cake with carrots

I was reading "Little Women" the other day where the family maid, Hannah, was preparing a cake recipe made from really obsolete ingredients. Afterwards, there was a scene where the four sisters: Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy were all tending their respective plots in their tiny garden of their small rented house. My train of thought switched over to my own garden in Castleville (a Zynga game) and I remembered the withered plants I had forgotten to harvest. Most of them were carrots, which are truly worth their weight in gold in terms of health and nutrition. So then, you guessed it, I had this craving for a carrot cake recipe. I am not enamored with carrots, I must admit, but I've always been curious about them. And you know what, this sugar free carrot cake recipe actually turned out to be fantastic!

Ingredients:

- Cake flour - 2 cups
- Cinnamon - 1 teaspoon
- Baking soda - 1 teaspoon
- Salt - 1/2 teaspoon
- Baking powder - 1 teaspoon

Directions:

- Using a strainer, sieve together all the ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.

Carrot Mixture:

- Grated carrots - 2 cups
- Crushed and drained pineapple - 1 cup
- Finely chopped cashew nuts - 1/2 cup
- Sesame seeds - 1/4 cup
- Pure coconut milk - 1 cup

Directions:

- Combine all the carrot mixture ingredients in a bowl and mix well until thoroughly incorporated. Set aside.

Egg Mixture:

- Eggs - 3
- Canola oil - 1/2 cup
- Pure orange juice - 1/2 cup
- Cold water - 1/2 cup

Directions:

- Set your oven to 350°F. Spray with non-stick oil or brush lightly with melted butter a 9-inch baking pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, use a fork and beat the eggs until frothy.
- Add in the oil, orange juice and water.
- Switch to a hand mixer and beat on low speed.
- Add the carrot mixture next while still beating at low speed.
- Follow with the sieved dry ingredients, one tablespoon at a time, and switch the mixer to medium speed.
- Pour into the baking pan and bake for 45 minutes or until the cake springs back when lightly touched.
- Remove the pan from the oven and cool for about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Remove the cake from the pan and cool on a wire rack.
- Serve with your favorite Barnes and Noble classic such as "Little Women".

Delicious and Healthy Carrots in a Mouth-watering Dessert

Yummy desserts mark the perfect end to a tasty meal. However, it is not always necessary for the dessert to be sweet and fattening. The combination of healthy and yummy is easily possible. Carrot cake recipe are a great healthy option that you can prepare at home and serve with delicious frosting. Here is a delicious and healthy carrot cake recipe for you.

Items needed:

- 3 eggs at room temperature
- 175 grams of unrefined sugar
- 175 grams of olive oil
- 100 grams of dried figs (chopped)
- Grated orange zest of one orange
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
- 175 grams of wholemeal flour
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
- 2 grated carrots

To prepare:

- Grease and flour a 9-inch cake pan and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 180C.
- Beat the eggs, sugar and olive oil in a bowl to get a smooth emulsion.
- In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and orange zest.
- Add this mix to the egg mix slowly and blend well after each addition.
- Add the dried figs and mix.
- Now add the grated carrots to the mix and fold gently.
- Pour the prepared batter in the greased cake pan.
- Bake on 180C for about 35-40 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and cool before cutting in slices to serve.

Note: This recipe uses olive oil to keep it dairy free, but you can use butter in place of oil.

Frosting Recipes

Butter Cream Frosting

Items needed:

- 1/4 cup of melted butter
- 2 cups of powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons of cream
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla
- 3-4 drops of pink food coloring

To prepare:

- Blend the butter and powdered sugar in a bowl.
- Add the cream and mix to get a smooth frosting.
- Add the vanilla and pink food coloring and mix.
- Spread a thick layer of frosting on the cake and cool before serving.

Toasted Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting

Items needed:

- 1/2 cup of butter at room temperature
- 1 cup of cream cheese
- 1 cup of confectioner's sugar
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 2/3 cups of toasted coconut shavings (you can prepare these at home by roasting grated coconut at 110C for about 15-20 minutes)

To prepare:

- Beat the butter, cream cheese and confectioner's sugar to get a fluffy smooth mix.
- Add the vanilla extract and toasted coconut.
- Spread the frosting on top of the cake and decorate with toasted macadamia nuts and crystalized ginger before serving.