Valentine Cakes

For some reason, Valentines Day always seems to creep up on me, food-wise. We get to that evening, have a special picnic dinner in front of the fireplace, and I have fun food for everyone else but not much for me! Each year I vow to come up with something SCD-friendly to enjoy.  . .

Well, this year I finally did it! It helped that I had spotted a 12-cup heart baking pan at World Market earlier in the year.

I took my favorite carrot cake recipe, and spooned batter into heart baking pan (you could also make these into cupcakes. Use some colorful cupcake liners!).

While that was cooking I made buttercream frosting and added the cooled juice of some heated up frozen cherries for a nice pink color. The shade of pink can be adjusted with more or less cherry juice. I used 1 Tablespoon.

The result was delicious and fun! How novel to enjoy some colored, creamy frosting on my muffins! It really made the muffins so much more festive and special.

My family also liked them, and I think you will too!

Cooked, pre-frosted muffins

Aren't they cute?

Here's the recipe.
Carrot Cakes
Ingredients:

• 3 cups blanched almond flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 5 eggs
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 cup grapeseed oil
• 3 cups carrots, grated
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup walnuts (optional)

Directions:

• In a large bowl, combine almond flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, thoroughly mix eggs, honey, and oil. Stir carrots, raisins, and walnuts (if using) into wet ingredients. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Fill either heart shapes or cupcake liners 3/4 full.
• Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Buttercream Icing
Directions:

Beat until fluffy:

• 3/4 cup palm shortening (I found mine at Sprout's)
• 1/4 cup softened butter
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup honey (to taste)
• 1-1/2 teaspoons sugar-free vanilla
  

• 1-2 Tablespoons of cooled juice from heated frozen cherries.
  

Have a great Valentines Day!

~ Erin