This Paleo Carrot Cake Coffee Cake is simple and so delicious! A moist, tender cake topped with an irresistible crumb topping and a sweet glaze. Gluten free, dairy free, and naturally sweetened.
This post is sponsored on behalf of Bob’s Red Mill. All opinions are 100% my own, of course! Thank you for supporting brands that help make Real Food with Jessica possible!
You guys love coffee cake as much as I do and I love that! My Pumpkin, Cinnamon Roll, and Blueberry coffee cake recipes are made by so many people and it's fun to see and read about it. (Make sure to tag me on Instagram if you make one of my recipes!)
With Easter just a few weeks away I thought a carrot cake version would be just perfect. It came out so amazing and I just know you will love it! I used Bob's Red Mill Almond Flour which I love because of how fine it is. I can always count on their products to be consistent and great! Also, they have new resealable bags that are so nice!
Let's talk about this cake and why you need to make it. The cake itself is packed with lots of goodness- shredded carrots, shredded coconut, ghee to give it a rich buttery taste, spices to make it so flavorful, and coconut sugar to give it natural sweetness. Then the super simple crumb topping which is almond flour, coconut sugar, cinnamon, ghee, and chopped pecans. Oh yum! The topping really takes this from good to amazing!
Finally, the glaze. This is optional, but adds a little more sweetness and makes it super pretty. It's coconut butter, which is different than coconut oil, some honey for sweetness and almond milk to thin it out. It definitely makes it feel more like dessert than breakfast.
Despite the three layers, this cake is easy to make! Everything is mixed by hand and the most time consuming part is grating the carrots. And that only takes a few minutes. Don't be scared of the long ingredient list. Most of it is seasonings and ingredients you probably already have on hand. The only thing I had to buy for this was carrots because those obviously need to be fresh.
This would be the perfect addition to your Easter meal, but I also hope you don't limit it to one time a year. It's way too good for that!
Here are my other coffee cakes: Paleo Pumpkin Coffee Cake, Paleo Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake, and Paleo Blueberry Coffee Cake.
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Paleo Carrot Cake Coffee Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- ½ cup ghee, at room temperature
- ¾ cup coconut sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons almond milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 cups Almond Flour
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, fresh if possible
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ½ cups gently packed shredded carrots, about 3 medium
Topping
- 1 cup Almond Flour
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup chopped pecans
- 3 tablespoons ghee, room temperature
Glaze
- ¼ cup coconut butter warmed
- 2 tablespoon honey
- 2-3 tablespoons almond milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325° and line a 8 inch square pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl make the cake. Combine the ghee and coconut sugar until mixed. Add in the eggs, almond milk, and vanilla.
- Add in the almond flour, shredded coconut, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Mix well until no dry spots remain. Fold in carrots until evenly combined. Mixture will be thick. Pour into prepared pan.
- In a medium bowl make the topping: combine almond flour, coconut sugar, cinnamon, pecans, and ghee tougher until mixed and clumpy. The best way to do this is with clean hands. Evenly place topping over the cake, slightly pressing it in.
- Bake for 55-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Make the glaze. Place the coconut butter in a small microwaveable bowl. Microwave for 20-30 seconds to soften. Add in the honey and almond milk and stir well until mixed and smooth. Add almond milk as needed to get desired consistency. Drizzle over the cake.
- Store covered in the fridge after the first day.
Nutrition Information
Andrea says
If i don't need this to be dairy free can i use regular butter in place of the ghee? Would stevia work in place of the coconut sugar?
Jessica DeMay says
Hi Andrea- yes to the butter. I don't think stevia will work because you need the bulk of the coconut sugar. You could use a sugar replacement like swerve that converts 1:1. Hope you try it.
Cassie says
So good as a cake!! Gonna make muffins with this recipe next!
Jessica DeMay says
Thanks for trying it, Cassie! I love the idea of muffins!
Jenny says
Amazing! My husband and kids made this for Mother’s Day as carrot cake is one of my most favorite treats. 🙂 Outstanding flavor, so moist, and easy to make. Thank you for all of your delicious recipes. It is such a highlight when I receive your weekly recipes in my e-mail!!
Jessica DeMay says
Thanks, Jenny! I'm so glad you like it and how sweet of your husband and kids to make it for you. I love that! Thanks for the great feedback and I'm glad you enjoy my recipes!
Nichole says
Any idea if I can substitute something for the eggs? Would love to try this but have an egg allergy!
Jessica DeMay says
Hi Nichole- flax or gelatin eggs should work. Enjoy!
amanda says
Looks great! Is there a sub for coconut butter?
Jessica DeMay says
Thanks, Amanda! Unfortunately not. Nothing thickens like it does. I'm sorry!
Vivienne says
Hello,
These look deeelish!! I am really wanting to make this, but is there any substitute you would recommend for ghee?
Could I use coconut butter or coconut oil?
And would it be the same amount?
Thank you in advance!
Jessica DeMay says
Hi Vivivenne- coconut oil will work, not coconut butter. Yes, the same amount. I hope you love it!
Vivienne says
Thank you soo much, it turned out great!!!
And yes, we love it!! Sooo yummy!????
Thank you soo much!???☺️
Becky Winkler says
Just the excuse I need to have carrot cake for breakfast!
Holley The Primal Desire says
I love carrot cake, this looks delicious!!
Jessica DeMay says
Thanks, Holley!
Katja says
Two of my fav cakes in one!! Brilliant! Looks amazing.
Jessica DeMay says
Thanks, Katja!