As the name implies, this Honey-Sweetened Applesauce Carrot Cake is made with natural sweeteners: honey, applesauce, and freshly-grated carrots. The combination of the three ingredients not only escalate this classic cake to a real food status, but also result in a super moist cake. And for me, a super moist carrot cake is a must!
In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: einkorn flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
In another large bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients: melted butter, honey, applesauce, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk vigorously for about 30 seconds, until the honey is combined with the other ingredients.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and gently stir until all the ingredients are well combined. Add the grated carrots, chopped walnuts, and shredded coconut to the batter, stirring just until combined. Let the batter rest for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, grease 2-8inch cake pans with butter and then sprinkle each with flour. Shake off the flour. This will help the cakes easily slide out of the pans once they are cool.
Pour the batter into the cake pans. Bake for 40 minutes. Insert a toothpick into the cakes to test for doneness--they should come out clean.
Meanwhile, make the frosting. In a stand-mixer (you can also do this with muscle power and a wooden spoon), beat together the softened butter and honey using the paddle attachment. Once the butter and honey mixture is smooth, add the cream cheese and continue to beat the frosting until smooth. You can also use the whisk attachment for this step, but I've found the paddle attachment does a better job at removing any butter chunks. Place the frosting in the fridge until the cakes are cool.
Let the cakes rest in the pan for about 25-30 minutes, then flip the pans over to remove the cakes. Allow the cakes to fully cool. Slice the top off one cake, then gently flip the cake over onto a plate or cake stand. Frost the top and sides of the cake, then add the second cake, and continue frosting. Sprinkle the top of the cake with extra chopped walnuts (toast these in a pan on the stove-top for an extra treat) and orange zest (my favorite addition). Due to the frosting, this cake needs to be kept in the fridge.
Notes
13x9 Pan Baking Note: According to a reader via an Instagram comment, this cake turns out great when it's baked in a 13x9 pan: "I made your honey carrot cake yesterday and it was loved by all. I made it in a 13x9 pan and it worked great. It took about 45 minutes at the temperature listed in the recipe."Frosting Note:This recipe will yield enough frosting to lightly frost the cake, but not enough to create a thick frosting. If you'd like a thick layer of frosting around the cake, I recommend doubling the butter and cream cheese amounts, but only increasing the honey to 1/3 cup. Taste the frosting, and add more honey if needed. I've found that 1/3 cup of honey is sweet enough for this frosting.