Gluten- and sugar-free carrot and coconut cake

Serves: 12
Preparation time: 20 minutes, plus cooling
Cooking time: 25-30 minutes

Ingredients

• 200g (7 oz) unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
• 125g (4½ oz) toasted desiccated coconut
• 125g (4½ oz) pecan nuts, roasted and ground
• 100g (3½ oz) roasted pecan halves, to decorate
• 50g (1¾ oz) ground almonds
• 50g (1¾ oz) rice flour
• 90g (3¼ oz) Stevia granules
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1½ tsp ground cinnamon, plus extra for dusting
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 300g (10½ oz) grated carrots
• Splash of milk, if needed

For the frosting

• 600g (1 lb 5 oz) cream cheese
• 100g (3½ oz) unsalted butter, softened
• 50g (1¾ oz) Stevia granules
• Pinch of ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 1 tbsp milk

Directions

1Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan 140°C) /325°F/Gas mark 3.Grease 2 x 20 cm (8 in) diameter sandwich cake tins and line with baking paper.

2In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients (I use a balloon whisk to do this). In a jug, beat the eggs, melted butter and vanilla paste until combined, then fold in the grated carrots. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well, adding a splash of milk if the mixture is too thick.

3Divide the mixture between the prepared tins and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

4To make the frosting, beat all the ingredients together until creamy and fluffy. Secure one of the cooled cakes on your cake stand with a little of the frosting, then spread a good layer over the top of the cake and sandwich together with the second cake. Using a palette knife, cover the cake completely with the remaining frosting. Decorate with the pecan halves and a light dusting of cinnamon.

This comes courtesy of Taste of France Issue Two. For more great recipes, food news and interviews with top chefs, buy your copy here!