Easter Carrot Cake

This year I proved to myself, that I CAN make it through a holiday without indulging in horrible things. I decided to give this carrot cake recipe a go this afternoon, and I have to say, it is the best primal dessert I've made so far. The icing is delicious and I could very well just eat it by itself. It's very dense, as most carrot cakes are, but not so rich that it sends your blood sugar sky high and makes you want more and more. It was easy to have one small slice and call it a night. Those easter baskets sitting behind me, on the countertop, taunt me no more.

This recipe is from one of my favorite primal blogs, The Food Lover's Primal Palate

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup coconut flour, sifted
• 1 cup melted virgin coconut oil
• 10 omega 3 eggs
• 5 large carrots, peeled and shredded
• 1 cup pure maple syrup (reserve 1 tablespoon for date mixture)
  
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 10 medjool dates
• Chopped raw walnuts for garnish
  

Process:

1. In a food processor, using the grating blade, shred carrots.
2. Place carrots in a large ziplock bag. Pour maple syrup over carrots and let marinate in the fridge for an hour.
3. Preheat oven to 325.
4. In a small mixing bowl, add sifted coconut flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda.
5. In a large mixing bowl, or Kitchen Aid mixer, blend eggs, vanilla, melted coconut oil, and *date mixture.
6. Add dry ingredients to wet and blend.
7. Stir in grated carrots, discarding excess maple syrup that they soaked in.
8. Grease two 9 inch cake pans with coconut oil. (You can also line the bottom of the cake pans with parchment paper for easier removal)
9. Pour batter into pans.
10. Bake for 35 minutes. Test center with a tooth pick-if the tooth pick comes out clean, then the cakes are done.
11. Remove cakes from oven and cool.
12. Frost cake, garnish with walnuts, and serve!

*Date Mixture:

1. Remove pits from dates and place in a microwave safe bowl.
2. Add one tablespoon water to the dates and microwave for 30 seconds.
3. Mash with a fork, add 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup, and mash with a fork again.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

• 16 oz full fat cream cheese
• ½ cup maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons grated ginger root

Process:

1. Bring cream cheese up to room temperature.
2. Blend all ingredients with a hand mixer or Kitchen Aid Mixer.
3. Use right away, or refrigerate.