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keto carrot cake, ice cream on white plate.

Keto Carrot Cake

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  • Author: Deb Belsha
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Total Time: 55 minutes
  • Yield: 9 servings 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

Description

This easy carrot cake is a moist, tender cake filled with the light crunch of pecans, barely sweetened with coconut and brown sugar substitute and finely shredded carrots. Baked in a skillet, this keto, sugar free dessert could not be simpler.


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar substitute ( I used Swerve)
  • 2 eggs, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup canola or grapeseed oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup sifted fine almond flour
  • 2 tablespoons sifted coconut flour
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/2 cups finely shredded carrots, approximately 2 medium carrots
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 3/4 cup chopped toasted pecans *
  • carrot curls, optional garnish
  • 1 tablespoon toasted coconut chips, optional garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 
  2. Heat a cast iron skillet on low-medium and toast the chopped pecans.  Stir and cook for a minute or two.  You will just begin to smell the toasty aroma and they are done.  Don't over brown them.
  3. chopped pecans toasting in a fry pan.
  4. Wash, peel and grate carrots, using the fine shredding side of a box grater. Or use a food processor.
  5. eggs, shredded carrots, almond flour, oil, spices, coconut, nuts.
  6. Zest the lemon (avoiding the white pith) into a large bowl.
  7. Add the sugar and eggs.  Whisk together about 1 minute until mixture combines and becomes foamy.eggs, sugar, orange zest in glass bowl with whisk.
  8. Pour in the oil and whisk together until combined.
  9. Sift together the flours, spices, salt and baking powder and soda.
  10. Pour into the egg/sugar/oil mixture and stir with a spatula until batter is smooth.  Fold in the carrots,  coconut, and 1/2 cup of the toasted pecans.
  11. Butter the sides and bottom of a 9" cast iron skillet.  Pour in the batter, smooth it with an offset spatula or butter knife.  Sprinkle the remaining pecans over top.
  12. keto carrot cake in cast iron skillet.
  13. Bake in oven for 30 - 40 minutes.  Test with a toothpick in the center at 30 minutes. If not completely clean, bake for another 5-10 minutes.  Test again.
  14. Cool skillet or pan on a cooling rack.
  15. baked keto carrot cake in cast iron skillet.
  16. Serve with whipped cream, sugar free ice cream or powdered sugar substitute.

Notes

*You can use a 9" round or 8" square pan instead of the skillet.  Use non stick baking spray and parchment paper to prevent sticking.  Bake for the same amount of time, test with a toothpick at 30 minutes.

*I buy whole, shelled pecans which are less expensive.  Either pulse a handful in your food processor.  Or place nuts in a plastic bag, put bag on top of folded towel  and use a meat mallet or the side of a potato masher to break up the nuts to the size you prefer.

*Recipe inspired by 'Snacking Cakes', by Yossy Arefi.