Super Moist Carrot Cake (sugar-free)

Super Moist Carrot Cake

Make this one! Carrot cake is my all time favourite cake, more than chocolate. It took me forever to find a sugar-free version that I was 100% happy with. But I got there in the end! The secret was to use a little molasses to give the cake the colour and lovely caramelly brown sugar flavour that I always associate with a good carrot cake. If you’re watching your carbs, the carrots do contribute significantly, so best to stick to dainty slices. Or replace the carrots with zucchini.

Enough for: 6-8
Takes: 1 hour
300g (10.5oz) carrots
300g (10.5oz) almond meal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons molasses (optional)
1/4 teaspoon pure stevia powder*
250g (8.5oz) oil
3 eggs
large handful pecans (optional)

1. Preheat your oven to 180C (350F). Line a 20cm (8in) spring form cake tin with baking paper. Grease the base and side with a little oil.

2. Grate carrots using your food processor or a box grater.

3. Add almond meal, baking powder, cinnamon, molasses (if using), stevia, oil, and eggs to the food processor bowl or a mixing bowl. Stir using a spoon until just combined.

4. Scoop cake mixture into the prepared tin and level off with a spoon. Arrange pecans on top (if using)

5. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until the top is golden and feels firm to the touch and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out without any gooey cake on it. Cool in the tin.

Variations

* important note about stevia! – there are 4 types of stevia:
1. Pure Stevia Powder – looks like icing (powdered / confectioners) sugar. It’s expensive but a tiny amount goes a long long way. We’re talking 1/4 teaspoon to sweeten a whole cake. This is what I use.
2. Granular Stevia (like Natvia or Truvia) – looks like regular white sugar. It’s a blend of erythritol and stevia. Usually 1/4 teaspoon = 4-6 tablespoons granular stevia.
3. Fresh or Dried Stevia Leaves – from a real stevia plant! I haven’t baked with them but they will behave similar to the pure stevia powder. Just add to taste.
4. Liquid stevia – I haven’t used this. If you want to use it just add to taste.

granular stevia – replace pure powder with 4-6 tablespoons granular stevia.

sugar-lovers / no stevia – use white or brown sugar. You’ll need at least 100g (3.5oz) but taste and add more if you prefer a sweeter cake.

nut-free / budget – my first choice would be ground sunflower seeds. Or use regular flour and reduce the baking time to about 30 minutes.

no molasses – the molasses gives that lovely caramelized flavour you’d normally get from brown sugar. It’s so so good! But you could substitute some honey or maple syrup for extra flavour – just be careful of the sugar.

completely sugar-free – skip the molasses.

lower carb – replace carrot with zucchini.

extra pretty – top cake with pecan halves, sliced almonds or walnuts before baking.

different nuts – pecans are my fave but walnuts, macadamias or almonds are all good choices.

spiced! – double the cinnamon and add a teaspoon ginger or 1/2 teaspoon baharat (Lebanese spice blend).

loaf – bake in a loaf pan 24cm x 12cm (approx 9in x 5in). Will take about the same time.

muffins – makes 10-12 muffins. Reduce baking time to 20 minutes.

frosted – use a cream cheese frosting sweetened with a little stevia or maple syrup.

Shelf Life / Storage

One of those cakes that keeps really well. Still edible for about 2 weeks in the fridge. Keeps for months in the freezer, I slice before freezing so it defrosts more quickly.