Equipment
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 180 g all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 5 g baking powder
- 3 g baking soda
- 4 g ground cinnamon
- 2 g ground ginger
- 1 g ground nutmeg
- 3 g fine sea salt
Wet Ingredients
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 160 ml maple syrup, pure, preferably dark or amber
- 80 ml coconut oil, melted and slightly cooled
- 120 g unsweetened applesauce, room temperature
- 5 ml vanilla extract
Mix-ins
- 200 g carrots, freshly grated
- 60 g walnuts, chopped and toasted
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 225 g full-fat block cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 60 g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 60 ml maple syrup, chilled
- 5 ml vanilla extract
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease a 9-inch round cake pan with a small amount of coconut oil and line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt until thoroughly combined.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, applesauce, and vanilla extract until completely smooth and emulsified.
Pour the dry flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to gently stir until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
Fold the grated carrots and chopped walnuts into the batter until evenly distributed.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes at 175°C (350°F).
Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before running a knife around the edges and inverting it onto a wire rack. Let the cake cool completely to room temperature before frosting.
While the cake cools, prepare the frosting. Using an electric hand mixer, beat the softened cream cheese and butter in a bowl on medium speed until smooth, creamy, and free of lumps.
Gradually pour the chilled maple syrup and vanilla extract into the cream cheese mixture while beating on low speed. Once incorporated, increase speed to medium and beat just until fluffy.
Spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the top of the completely cooled cake. Slice and serve.
Chef's Notes
- Always grate your carrots fresh using a box grater. Pre-shredded carrots from the grocery store are too thick and dry, which prevents them from softening properly and releasing their natural moisture into the cake during baking.
- Substituting maple syrup for refined white sugar adds liquid to the batter. The applesauce balances this by providing pectin and structure without requiring excess oil, yielding a perfectly tender crumb.
- For the frosting, it is absolutely crucial to use block-style cream cheese. Cream cheese sold in tubs has higher water content and air whipped into it, which will cause your naturally sweetened frosting to break and become soup.
- Room temperature eggs emulsify much better with the oil and syrup, ensuring an even rise. If you forget to take them out of the fridge, submerge the whole eggs in warm water for 5 minutes before cracking.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Store in an airtight container to prevent the frosting from absorbing fridge odors and the cake from drying out.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze the cake unfrosted wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before frosting.
