Carrots, Again??? A sugar-free, low carb carrot cake

We didn't think about taking a pic, this time. Everybody just dove in.
Therefore, this is from the day after Easter dinner.

 I keep coming back for variations on a theme: the carrot cake. Well, then, and why not? It's tasty, satisfying, and relatively difficult to ruin, especially when you slather on a mass of cream cheese frosting.

My most recent version is sugarless, gluten-free, and nearly keto-friendly (between the carrots and the chopped dried Montmorency cherries, the carbs get bumped up a bit more than most strict keto diets would allow, so keep this in mind. It's no-sugar-added, not totally carb neutral). And it's tender and tasty enough to share with just about everyone – excluding any friends or family who might have nut allergies. Nobody will guess what isn't in it.

I recommend toasting the pecans ahead of time for this cake. Put about 2 cups of pecan halves on a cookie sheet and pop them in the oven at 350º F for about 5 – 7 minutes, until they begin to look a little dry. After you chop up what you need for the cake, you might have some left over to nosh, or to put into an apple salad for tomorrow's dinner…

Also, for a bit more complex, nutty sweetness without adding extra sugar substitute, I suggest browning your butter for the cake (but not so much for the frosting).

For sugar substitute, I stock up on erythritol & baking blends – Swerve produces some truly fine replacements, especially for brown sugar and confectioner's (powdered) sugar. You may decide you prefer a different sweetener, though, so check proportions if you want to go your own way.

This makes two 9-inch round cake layers.

Sugarless, Flourless Carrot Cake

 
Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, melted and browned (browning optional)
1 cup granulated sugar substitute (I prefer erythritol)
1/2 cup brown sugar substitute
8 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or powder
3 cups fine-ground almond meal or almond flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups coarsely grated carrots
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans
1/2 – 1 cup coarsely chopped unsweetened dried tart cherries (like these)

Directions:

Grease two 9-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with greased or non-stick parchment.

Preheat oven to 350º F.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle (not whisk or dough-hook), combine granulated and brown sugar substitutes, add melted butter, and mix at medium-high speed until creamed and fluffy (this may take 10 minutes or so).

In a separate medium mixing bowl, whisk (or sift) together almond meal, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.

In another bowl, combine grated carrots, chopped pecans, and chopped cherries.

When the butter and sweeteners have begun to turn fluffy-ish (the artificial sweeteners don't cream as easily as regular sugars do, but they bake nicely, even so), begin adding in the eggs, one by one, making sure to mix thoroughly before adding the next egg. When the last egg is added and the batter is smooth, mix in the vanilla.

On low speed, stir in the bowlful of dry ingredients until completely mixed, then fold in the carrots, pecans, and cherries.

Divide batter between the two 9-inch cake pans, bake on center rack of 350º F oven for 30 – 35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center of cake comes out clean.

Cool on racks on counter 20 to 30 minutes – until only slightly warm to the touch – before removing from pans.

Allow to completely cool before applying frosting (recipe below).

Sugar-Free Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

1 lb. (2 8-ounce bricks) regular full-fat cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
finely grated zest of 1 small lemon
3 – 5 Tablespoons fresh, strained lemon juice
1/2 cup confectioner's sweetener
1 Tablespoon heavy (whipping) cream (optional)

Directions:

Bring ingredients to room temperature.

In medium mixing bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, and lemon zest and whip until light and fluffy. 

Add in lemon juice and confectioner's sweetener in alternating portions, 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice and then a couple of tablespoons of the sweetener, until you have the thickness and tang you desire. If the frosting is too thin, add a little more sweetener. If it's too thick, add either a small amount of lemon juice or a bit of cream.

This will easily cover a 2-layer 9-inch cake or very generously cover a single 9" x 13" rectangular cake.

The thing I like about this kind of frosting is that you can easily adapt it to your own preferences, whether you want a hint of lemon or a great big bite of it.