I created this cake one summer for a bride who wanted to offer carrot cake to her guests, but was nervous it would be too heavy on such a hot day. It was such a hit that it’s now a favorite among my clients. It still has the rich, dense texture of a traditional carrot cake, but it’s much lighter without the usual spices, brown sugar, coconut flakes, and nuts. Pair this orange delight with creamy Madagascar Vanilla Bean Icing (page 66).
Orange-Carrot Cake
Makes four 6-inch cake layers
- 1 tablespoon golden flaxseed meal
- 3 tablespoons warm water
- Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups | 300 grams Lael Cakes Gluten-Free Flour (page 11)
- 1 cup | 210 grams evaporated cane juice
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon arrowroot
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Wet Ingredients
- 1¼ cups | 454 grams carrot juice
- ¾ cup | 180 ml safflower oil
- 1 tablespoon orange oil or extract
- ¼ teaspoon white rice vinegar
- Grated zest of 1–2 oranges
- 1 large carrot, finely grated
- 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
Preheat the oven
to 350°F.
Grease four
6-inch round cake pans (or other pans, see Note on page 73) by spreading non-hydrogenated palm
shortening with a pastry brush or spraying with coconut cooking
spray (available at your local health food store). Trace and cut
out four 6-inch circles of parchment paper and place on the bottom
of each greased pan.
In a small bowl,
combine the flaxseed meal and warm water. Set aside.
In the bowl of a
standing mixer with a paddle attachment, combine the dry
ingredients. Mix on low speed until incorporated.
In a separate
bowl, combine the wet ingredients. Add the flaxseed meal
mixture.
With the mixer
on medium speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry
ingredients. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix on
medium-high until all the ingredients are incorporated and the
batter is smooth, about 2 minutes.
Fold in the
orange zest, carrot, and ginger to ensure they are evenly
incorporated. (I’ve found that if you add these ingredients any
sooner, they clump in balls.)
Divide the
batter among the cake pans and smooth the tops with a flat spatula
or spoon.
Bake for about
20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into one of the cakes comes
out clean. If there is still batter on the toothpick, continue to
bake for another 5 to 10 minutes. (Baking times will vary depending
on your oven and the thickness and size of the cake
layers.)
Let the cakes
cool completely in the pans. Cover the pans tightly with plastic
wrap and refrigerate overnight. This will ensure the cakes set up
properly and be much easier to work with.