"It needs nothing," my husband said this morning...it sounded more like "Irma nee nuh thum"--his mouth full. This cake is a coffee cake, in that I used my standard coffee cake recipe as a starting point, but you could absolutely make it for dessert and no one would know. It's rich and delectable--also gluten-free and dairy-free, a perk for many of you.
The cake batter is wet, which is good because as it bakes it fluffs up, then sinks down into an almost fudgy consistency. The edges bake into sugar-crustiness from the crumble topping. The carrot is there but is not overpowering (no orange straws that floss your teeth!) It does not need a cream cheese frosting, but I do think a swipe of peach butter adds a tart and fruity layer to each bite--delish, but optional.
"Don't worry when your cake deflates in the middle, its supposed to."
Notes: Almond flour and tapioca flours are Bob's Red Mill. Oil is grapeseed.
SUNKEN CARROT COFFEE CAKE
Ingredients: 1/2 cup neutral oil, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, 1 tsp. vanilla extract, 2 eggs at room temperature, 1/2 cup oat flour, 1/2 cup almond flour, 1/4 cup tapioca flour, 1 tsp. baking soda, 2 tsp. baking powder, pinch of salt, 1 1/2 cups grated carrot. For the crumble topping: 2/3 cup almond flour, 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon, generous 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar, scant 1/4 cup coconut oil.
Serves 4-6
1. Preheat oven to 350*, then line an 8x8 inch baking dish with parchment paper and spray.
2. Stir the oil and sugars together in a large bowl. Add the eggs and whisk to combine, followed by the vanilla extract.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oat flour, almond flour, tapioca flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Add to the wet ingredients, whisk to combine.
4. Fold in grated carrots. You can use a box grater or your food processor to get the pieces into bits, rather than ribbons.
5. Make the crumble topping: Use your fingers to incorporate the almond flour, ground cinnamon, brown sugar, and coconut oil in a bowl. It should look flaky and stick together when pressed.
6. Pour almost half of the batter into the dish, top with half of the crumble. Pour the rest of the batter on top, follow with the rest of the crumble. Bake for 45-55 minutes, until edges are crisp and cake is very bronzed. You may lay a piece of foil over the cake if you need to at the 40 minute mark.
7. Cool before slicing. Serve with peach butter if you like.
Tip: You can make your own oat flour! Process 2-3 cups of rolled (old-fashioned) oats in a food processor until flour-like, about 7 minutes. Store in airtight container or zip-bag.