Hearty slice of life
GLUTEN-FREE CARROT CAKE WITH MAPLE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING GO GLUTEN-FREE WITH AN OLD FAVOURITE FOR A TOP SPRING SWEET
INGREDIENTS
• 2 cups gluten-free buckwheat flour
• 1 ⅓ cups almond meal
• 1 ½ tbs gluten-free baking powder
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon • ½ teaspoon ground allspice • ½ cup pistachio kernels, finely chopped
• 2 cups grated carrot (see notes) • 6 fresh medjool dates, pitted, finely chopped
• 3 eggs
• ⅔ cup sunflower oil
• 1 ⅓ cups reduced-fat milk
MAPLE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
• 250g cream cheese, chopped, softened
• ¼ cup gluten-free icing sugar mixture, sifted
• 2 tbs pure maple syrup, plus 2 tbs extra to serve
METHOD
1 Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan-forced. Grease two 7cmdeep, 20cm round cake pans. Line bases and sides with baking paper.
2 Place flour, almond meal, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon and allspice in a large bowl. Stir well to combine. Reserve 1 tbs pistachios. Add carrot, dates and remaining pistachios to flour mixture. Stir well to combine (see notes).
3 Whisk eggs, oil and milk together in a large jug. Add to flour mixture. Stir to combine. Pour mixture evenly between prepared pans. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centres comes out clean. Stand in pans for 10 minutes to cool. Transfer cakes to a wire rack. Cool completely.
4 Make maple cream cheese frosting: Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, icing sugar mixture and maple syrup until smooth and creamy.
5 Place 1 cake on a serving plate. Spread with half the frosting. Top with remaining cake. Spread top with remaining frosting. Sprinkle with reserved pistachios. Drizzle with extra maple syrup.
Notes: You’ll need 3medium carrots. Ensure the dates don’t all stick together when stirring the mixture