To help save on time (and your knuckles) with shredding or grating the carrots, try putting baby carrots in a food processor, or roughly chop your carrots and let the food processor take it from there. You can also buy your carrots pre-shredded, but they will likely be a bit dryer and less flavorful than fresh carrots.
Start by combining the dry ingredients in one bowl, then beat the wet ingredients using a large standing mixer. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until a batter forms. Gently fold in the shredded carrots and raisins. Tip: You can also add a cup of diced pineapple here, or a tablespoon of shredded coconut for extra flavor.
Pour the batter evenly into two eight-inch round pans if you want to do a layer cake, or you can use one 9-10" cake pan for a single layer cake. Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes. Let the cakes cool in the pans completely before removing them.
Meanwhile, make the frosting. Use a food processor to combine soaked cashews, coconut cream, lemon juice, coconut oil, almond extract, vanilla extract, and maple syrup. The frosting may be thin – let it chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to help it firm.
To assemble the cake, set one of the completely cooled cakes on a plate and top with a small amount of the frosting. Set the second cake on top and cover it with the remaining frosting. Top with chopped pecans, then slice and serve!
Tip: To save time, make the cake a day in advance, then make the frosting right before serving.
For hundreds of pure Paleo recipes be sure to check out The Real Paleo Diet Cookbook and Real Paleo Fast and Easy.
PaleoFLEX™ Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache
By Jess Case
