Wheat-Free Carrot Cake

Autumn is my favorite season. I love the subtle downturn in temperatures, though the air isn’t quite cold enough to prevent people from still wanting to be outdoors just yet. That smell in the air of something sharp, crisp, of leaves and chill.

The foliage- don’t even get me started. At least 20% of why I came back from Europe when I did. Sure, the leaves turn elsewhere around the world of course, but they don’t quite catch flame with the same vibrancy as here in New England. Leaf peppers are onto something (for those who haven’t heard that term, these are people who travel from all over the US during fall to revel in and spectate over the changing colors here in New England). I have yet to encounter anywhere else where the shades are as vivid as they are here. Guess I’ll have to do some more traveling to find such a place, or, just accept that back home is where it’s at in terms of autumn.

Autumn is the perfect time for thick books. A towering, layered, gripping plot, allowing it to suck you in and keep you hooked, blowing through the pages while (ideally) sitting in a cozy café, cuddling up on your couch in front of a roaring fire, or lounging in a park somewhere as red and orange leaves dance in the air above.

More awesomeness about autumn: the re-emergence of boots, scarves and wool coats (especially cute red ones- my top pick). A welcoming back of comfort foods- macaroni and cheese, butternut squash soup, carrot cake, pumpkin pie, stuffing, oh man. Don’t even get me started.

Speaking of carrot cake, this recipe is subtly spiced, fluffy and light, scrumptious to be sure.  All while it’s wheat/gluten-free, and lower in sugar than usual carrot cakes. It’s also easy to whip together.  Happy autumnal baking!

Raw Carrot Cake with Maple Mascarpone Frosting

Drum roll for my second raw recipe…#25…and seriously?  Its a GOOD one.  One of the people I live with sampled it and said it was his “favorite thing” out of all the recipes I have made thus far!!!!  I don’t know if its the best but I have to say, its among the top.  This one came out shockingly great.  The flavors together are just awesome.  The texture is fun, the carrots giving it a nice crunch.  The coconut and coconut flour lend the cake a slightly hearty feel.  The sweetness just right.  This is a pretty bomb dessert if I do say so myself.  And it was all the result of an experimental whim.  The best part?  Its HEALTHY!!!  The recipe is refined sugar-free and gluten-free.  AND its raw!!!

(The cake itself is lactose free, though the frosting is not).

The recipe may look like a lot of steps.  It isn’t.  Half of the steps are simply regarding how to assemble it once the cake mixture is made.  So do not be intimidated!  This is one of the easiest desserts you will ever throw together, and with major taste payoff.  The actual making of the cake is just steps 1-5 in the recipe below.