A few weekends ago, we invited some friends over for supper and I created a three tier cake for dessert.

Can you imaging biting into layers of moist gluten-free carrot cake and taste a rich white chocolate ganache with crunchy pecans while looking at the cream cheese frosting that is as white as the snowfall. Well, this is exactly what you will experience if you make this cake!

To prepare this cake, you need a few mixing bowls, but it is totally worth it! You will forget about all the dishes when you take the first bite!

The first step is to prepare and bake the cake. While the cake is cooling down, you can make the white chocolate ganache and the cream cheese frosting. Once the cake is cool, you will be ready to assemble it and make really pretty! Before you know it, you will be able to enjoy this delicious treat!

Carrot Cake with White Chocolate and Pecan Ganache {Gluten-Free}

 

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Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

50 mins

 

The combination of flavours and textures in this cake are just out of this world: a moist gluten-free cake with rich white chocolate, crunchy pecans and bright carrots.

Author: Homemade Hearts

Serves: 10

Ingredients

Gluten-Free Carrot Cake

• ½ cup coconut flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon xantham gum
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• 2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 4 eggs
• ½ cup coconut oil, melted
• ½ cup agave syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups finely grated carrots (about 2 carrots)
• 1 banana, mashed

White Chocolate Ganache

• 1 cup coconut milk
• 2 cups white chocolate chips
• 1 cup pecans, roughly chopped

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese
• ⅔ cup white chocolate ganache
• 6 cups icing sugar

Instructions

Gluten-Free Carrot Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Lightly grease three 8 inch round cake pans with coconut oil, or line them with parchment paper
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine coconut flour, baking soda, xantham gum, sea salt and cinnamon.
4. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs for about 2 minutes. Incorporate melted coconut oil, agave syrup and vanilla extract and mix well.
5. Pour the egg mixture in the coconut flour mixture and blend until it is well combined.
6. Incorporate grated carrots and mashed banana and mix until evenly distributed.
7. Pour one third of the cake batter in each of the three cake pans. It may not look like enough batter, but don't worry, it will rise a bit during baking and you want the layers fairly thin because there will be three layers in your cake.
8. Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, or until a fork inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
9. When the cakes are ready, cool on a wire rack.

White Chocolate Ganache

1. Heat the coconut milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until it is boiling.
2. Place the white chocolate in a heat proof glass bowl and pour the hot coconut milk over the white chocolate. Mix until the chocolate is completely melted.
3. Measure ⅔ cup of the white chocolate ganache and set aside. You will use it for the cream cheese icing.
4. Incorporate the chopped pecans in the rest of the white chocolate ganache.
5. Cool until ready to prepare the cake.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1. In a stand mixer, beat together cream cheese and ⅔ cup of white chocolate ganache.
2. Slowly incorporate icing sugar and continue beating until all the sugar is incorporated.

Assembling the Cake

1. Place a layer of carrot cake on a serving plate.
2. Spread half of the white chocolate and pecan ganache over the bottom layer of cake.
3. Add another layer of cake and spread the other half of the white chocolate and pecan ganache.
4. Top with the third cake.
5. Cover the top and sides of the cake with cream cheese frosting. I like to use an offset spatula for this step since it makes it easier to spread the frosting evenly.
6. Decorate with pecan halves, if desired.

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