Vegan Gluten-Free Apple Cider Carrot Cake

       Okay, who isn’t happy to have a nice warm mug of apple cider on these chilly evenings?  That was the inspiration for my newest creation, utilizing those same delicious, comforting flavors to make an amazingly moist and yummy cake!  Apples, cinnamon, vanilla, maple...how can you go wrong?  I hope you enjoy…

You'll need: 

1 cup pumpkin puree

1  cups walnut oil

2 cups brown sugar 

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 tsp almond extract

1 tsp maple extract

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2 cups Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free all-purpose flour

2 tsp Bob’s Red Mill xanthan gum

2  tsp baking powder

2  tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp cinnamon

1 tsp clove

2 tsp nutmeg

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2 cups grated carrots

1 cup sliced pecans

1/2 cup apple, diced  

       Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Prepare two 9” round pans with round pieces of parchment paper.

        In a medium bowl, combine the pumpkin, oil, sugar, and extracts. 

        In a separate bowl, mix together flours, xanthan gum, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices.  Then, slowly add the dry ingredients to the liquid ingredients and mix until fully combined.

Next, fold in the carrots and coconut, followed by the sliced almonds and raisins.

Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans and bake for about 25–30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

       Once the cakes have finished baking, allow them to cool before assembling.

Apple Cinnamon Frosting

1 1/2  cups coconut palm shortening

1/4 cup stewed apples

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

       In a bowl using an electric mixer, cream the Shortening and apples until smooth.  Add in one cup of powdered sugar and whip together until the shortening is thick and crumbly.  Add in the vanilla then whip until smooth.  Finally, add in another cup of  powdered sugar then the last half cup and beat until smooth.

              Assemble the two-layer cake by placing a generous amount of frosting on the bottom layer, followed by placing the second cake on top of it.  Then use the rest of the frosting to cover the whole cake.  Enjoy!