GLUTEN-FREE WALNUT CARROT CAKE WITH COCONUT CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Now you can hear that more and more people are allergic to the gluten, (Gluten is a substance present in cereal grains, especially wheat, that is responsible for the elastic texture of dough. A mixture of two proteins, it causes illness in people with celiac disease.). During the time that I teach cake decorating one of my students is celiac, and she had to learn how to bake a cake that she can eat and also taste good, because the absence of gluten the texture of the cake is heavy, dry, it doesn't have the fluffy and light texture you can find in regular cake, thanks to the gluten.

I felt curiosity in this kind of cake, because my passion is to bake and part of my job too, that I bought a gluten free cake recipe book, but each cake need a lot of different flours, with weird names and difficult to find, so I decided not to make any of that recipes.

But my husband bought a tablet and it has an app about recipes and I started checking them and I found a gluten free desserts...mmm call my attention.. and it has a Carrot cake... good is exactly what I am looking.... read the ingredients, I have everything, nothing special,, so "hand to bake"... the result... the most delicious cake, moist, great texture that everybody at my family love it.... also I made the frosting, very good but for my taste very very sweet... but at the end I have a winner.... gluten free cake... Here is the recipe, I hope you can try it and enjoy a delicious gluten free cake...

Happy baking.

Ingredients


For the cake

4 eggs, divided and at room temperature
2 eggs whites, at room temperature
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 cup shredded carrot (4 medium)
1  20 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained and squeezed dry
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup chopped walnut pieces
1 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

For the filling

8 oz. cream cheese, soft
1/2 cup butter, soft
1 (1lb) box confectioner's sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups sweetened shredded coconut

Directions

Heat the oven to 375 F with rack in the center position. Grease two 8 inch round cake pans, (I prefer to use a spray with flour and grease): set aside.
Combine egg yolks with  brown sugar in a medium bowl and beat on high speed 2-3 minutes until very thick  and pale in color. Fold in shredded carrot, pineapple and vanilla extract; set aside.

 Pulse walnut pieces in a food processor until finely ground. Add cornstarch, baking soda, salt and spices; pulse to combine and set aside.

Beat egg whites and cream tartar in a large bowl until foamy. Slowly whisk in sugar and beat whites until stiff and glossy. Fold walnut mixture gently into whites, then fold blended whites gently into carrot mixture.
Spread mixture evenly in prepared pans and bake 20-25 minutes until cakes are lightly browned and have pulled away slightly from the sides of the pans. Allow cakes to cool 30-45 minutes in the pans. Run a knife around the edges of cakes to loosen from pan, and invert onto a wire rack.

Beat the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl until well-blended. Slowly beat in confectioner's sugar and vanilla. Place one cake round on stand or serving dish and spread 3/4 cup of frosting evenly over surface, leaving a 1/2 inch border around edges. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup of coconut and press lightly into the filling to set. Top with second layer, using remaining frosting to cover surface and sides of cake. Press remaining coconut evenly around sides and over top cake. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

TIP: If the frosting is to soft, chill it at the refrigerator for about 5-10 minutes before filling and frosting the cake.