Carrot Cake with Almond Flour

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This carrot cake with almond flour recipe is gently sweet, easy to digest, and made with fermented almond flour for a soft, fluffy texture.

How to make the fluffiest almond flour carrot cake

Does anyone in your family have a birthday coming up? Are you on the hunt for great GAPS diet dessert recipes when you’re wanting a treat? This carrot cake with almond flour recipe is naturally sweetened and has a moist, fluffy texture.

The recipe is based on one from GAPS, Stage by Stage, with Recipes by Becky Plotner. I’m going to change it a little bit by showing you how I ferment almond flour before baking. I’ll also show you how to make a delicious, fluffy cream cheese frosting. 

Looking for more GAPS desserts or healthier sweet treats? Check out my GAPS diet party food ideas and the best flourless peanut butter cookies. 

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Why ferment almond flour before baking?

This healthy carrot cake recipe calls for fresh carrots, raw honey, cinnamon, and fermented almond flour, making it a nourishing treat full of flavor. Baking with almond flour can be tricky if you’re not used to it. Fermenting makes the almond flour fluffier and improves the texture of the finished cake. The fermentation process also helps break down the almond flour, making it easier to digest (source). It’s a small step that adds a big boost in taste and gut-friendliness.

Keep in mind that you’ll need to plan ahead a little bit. The almond flour has to ferment for at least 24 to 48 hours before baking the cake. To ferment almond flour, mix your kefir and almond flour together and let them ferment on the countertop, ideally for 48 hours. If you’d like to make your own kefir, I have a post that shows you exactly how to make milk kefir at home. 

Tips for fermenting almond flour

• Use kefir with active cultures – homemade is best
• 6 cups of almond flour make a two-layer cake – half it for a single-layer cake
• Mix kefir and almond flour until you reach a stiff dough consistency (like cookie dough)
• Cover the bowl with a clean towel or lid
• Let it sit for at least 24–48 hours at room temperature
• The longer it ferments, the fluffier the texture!

Step-by-step guide

Cake ingredients:

• 6 cups almond flour (fermented with kefir for 24–48 hours)
• 1–1¼ cups kefir (enough to make a stiff cookie dough consistency)
• 2 cups butter (softened)
• 1½ cups raw honey
• 2 tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tbsp cinnamon
• 4 eggs
• 4 cups grated carrots
• 2 cups chopped walnuts

Frosting ingredients:

• 24 oz cream cheese 
• 1 cup butter
• 4 tsp vanilla extract
• 12 tbsp raw honey
• 2 pinches of salt
  

Cake instructions:

1. Mix 6 cups of almond flour with 1 to 1¼ cups of kefir. Cover and let it ferment on the countertop for 24 to 48 hours.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
3. Add softened butter and raw honey to the bowl of a stand mixer. Whip until light and fluffy.
4. Mix in vanilla extract, baking soda, and cinnamon. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
5. Alternate adding 1 egg and 1 cup of fermented almond flour at a time until all 4 eggs and all the flour have been incorporated.
6. Gently fold the grated carrots and chopped walnuts into the batter.
7. Line the bottoms of two 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper and butter the sides of them. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans.
8. Bake at 350°F for 40 minutes. The cakes are done when the tops gently spring back when pressed.
9. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Then, remove them from the pans and let them cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

Frosting instructions:

1. Let your cream cheese and butter come to room temperature.
2. Add the cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract, raw honey, and salt to a mixing bowl.
3. Whip everything together until the mixture is smooth, fluffy, and fully combined.
4. Once the cake layers are fully cooled, spread the frosting on and assemble your cake.

How to make a simple cream cheese frosting that is GAPS friendly 

My easy cream cheese frosting that’s sweetened with honey goes perfectly with this gluten-free almond flour carrot cake. The frosting also makes it extra special, especially if you’re making a GAPS birthday cake.

If you’re on the GAPS diet, look for a probiotic cream cheese without any fillers or stabilizers—just milk, cream, and probiotics. Let it sit out on the counter to ferment for at least 24 hours before using it.

What is the trick to baking with almond flour?

The trick is fermenting the almond flour before baking. You also want to properly prepare the almonds and walnuts for this GAPS cake recipe. It’s ideal if you can make your own almond flour. I like using raw organic almonds. All you have to do is grind almonds into your own flour. You can also either soak, sprout, or ferment the walnuts and then dry them before adding them for even more enhanced digestibility. 

Are sweets allowed on the GAPS diet?

If you’re on the GAPS diet, this carrot cake recipe is something you’ll want to have on full GAPS. Dr. Natasha says that desserts like this should be enjoyed occasionally, just as a treat, not a staple, while you’re on GAPS. If carrot cake isn’t your top choice, I also have a great GAPS cupcake recipe that’s flourless and free from non-GAPS ingredients.

Other GAPS diet recipes to check out next

Flourless Blueberry Muffins

GAPS Key Lime Pie

Sourdough Crepes Recipe

Have you ever tried an almond flour carrot cake recipe?

What’s your favorite way to bake with almond flour? Do you have a gluten-free almond flour carrot cake recipe you love? I’d love to hear about it in the comments! 

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Butter

Raw honey

Vanilla extract

Baking soda

Cinnamon

Eggs

Carrots

Walnuts

Cream cheese 

Mixing bowls set

GAPS, Stage by Stage, with Recipes by Becky Plotner

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GAPS to Go is a 30-day meal plan for the GAPS introduction diet that tells you what to eat each day, with complete cooking instructions, and guidance on when to move to each intro diet stage.

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GAPS™ and Gut and Psychology Syndrome™ are the trademark and copyright of Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride.

The information in this blog post is my personal experience and opinion. It is for general information purposes only, may not apply to you as an individual, and is not a substitute for your own physician’s medical care or advice. Always seek advice from your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding nutrition, medical conditions, and advice. Never disregard medical advice or delay seeking medical care because of something you have read on this blog.