Carrot Cake so good....no one would ever guess it's gluten, dairy, soy, nut, & egg free

Last year, in addition to Tony accepting his Celiac diagnosis & finally going gluten-free, my father was diagnosed with a plethora of food allergies.  You name it - and he could not eat it.  My parents stay at their home in Florida throughout the fall, winter, and most of spring - so when they come home, we cannot wait to see them.  Upon their arrival home last season, we all got together at my sister's home in New Jersey & I was put on dessert duty.  Given that my father's diet restrictions were similar to a Celiac diet combined with a Candida diet; my skills were put to the test!

The following Carrot Cake was the end result of this labor of love & I highly recommend it as my husband & father act like food critics at the table so if they say it's good; it's good.

Carrot Cake Ingredients:

• 2 cups Gluten-Free all purpose flour 
• 2 tablespoons ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• a couple shakes of pumpkin spice or allspice
• 1 teaspoon xantham gum
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup ground flaxseed meal
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (or use Agave Nectar if sugar-free is desired)
• 1 1/3 cups canola oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups peeled grated carrot (~ 4 large carrots)
• 1 1/2 cups raisins (I like to mix raisins such as regular & golden)
• top with (1) recipe Vanilla Buttercream Frosting (below)

Directions for Carrot Cake:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Lightly grease (3) eight inch round cake pans & line bottom with parchment (grease parchment too)
• In a large bowl, whisk together the following dry ingredients: GF flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, xantham gum, & salt.
• In a small bowl, combine the water & flaxseed meal and allow 3-5 minutes to sit in order to thicken.
• In standing mixer bowl, cream together the sugar (or Agave) & oil.
• Add vanilla & then flaxseed/water mixture - beat for 1 minute
• Stir in the dry ingredients - let aerate
• Remove from standing mixer & fold in the shredded carrots along with the raisins
• Pour batter into prepared cake pans; smooth top with baking spatula (or back of a spoon)
• Place in oven & bake for 30 minutes or until golden & when toothpick is inserted it is dry upon removal
• When finished baking - let cakes cool completely in their pans on a cooling rack.  Then flip out of pans (remove parchment paper) & invert (to original side) on the cooling racks
• Frost with Buttercream recipe below

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:  
This frosting is so versatile it can work with a number of cakes as well as cinnamon buns.  Use frosting immediately & store leftover in air-tight container up to one week.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups organic palm oil shortening
• 2 cups Marshmallow Cream (recipe to follow)
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar; sifted
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

• In standing bowl mixer, beat together the shortening  & marshmallow cream on medium-high speed for 3 minutes
• Scrape down the sides of bowl & add the confectioner's sugar; beat until the mixture is light & fluffy
• Blend in the vanilla & salt until thoroughly combined

Marshmallow Cream:

This is the most amazing component to the frosting!  Since I prefer to use Lyle's Golden Syrup instead of corn syrup when making this, the color is a tad off-white.  If this bothers you, go for the corn syrup.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup cold water
• 3 packages unflavored gelatin
• 2 cups Lyle's Golden Syrup (or corn syrup) ***I actually just made this cake & was short on the Lyle's & substituted/supplemented (1) C.Lyle's with (1) C. Agave Nectar - it was perfect
• 2 cups confectioner's sugar; sifted
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions for Marshmallow Cream:

Marshmallow Fluff

After sitting in air-tight container - the marshmallow is thick enough to invert & won't fall out/drip.

• In a small saucepan, add the cold water & sprinkle gelatin over it.  Let stand for 5 minutes
• Add the Lyle's Golden Syrup & heat the mixture over medium heat stirring constantly for 4-5 minutes or just until gelatin is completely dissolved
• Pour the gelatin-syrup mixture into the bowl of your standing mixer & beat for 3 minutes on medium speed -- and then 12 minutes at medium-high speed (I time this).  The mixture should become thick, fluffy, & very sticky (just like fluff)
• Stir in confectioner's sugar, vanilla, & salt until combined; then beat on medium-high speed for another 2 minutes.  
• Scape down sides & beat another minute or so
• The longer this sits at room temperature, the stickier (more like marshmallow) it becomes
• Store in an air-tight container up to 3 days on shelf or in freezer up to 3 months.

This cake does take time to prepare all of the components that make it so delicious, however the end result is a dessert you gladly serve anyone that came to dinner without quantifying that it was gluten, dairy, soy, nut, & egg free.

Ciao,
Maryanne

100% Gluten-Free...100% Made with Love