For me it’s all about the rice flour substitute. If it was just regular flour, this would be a rather plain carrot cake. I usually like my carrot cake to be very moist, with pineapple chunks, walnuts, maybe even a little rum, and coconut flakes. I’m really glad I added the spices. I wasn’t going to, initially. Also, feel free to add whatever combination of spices that you feel is emblematic of carrot cake. For me, I wanted to keep it simple, so just one tablespoon each of cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger, followed by 1/4 teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg. If you don’t have a juicer, you can also buy premade carrot juice. Carrot juice was one of the first beverages I had when I moved to Seattle, by the way!

carrot mochi cake (adapted from this recipe by epicurious)

ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan
1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar, plus more for pan

2 large eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups glutinous sweet rice flour (Koda Farms Blue Star Mochiko)
1 teaspoon each of cinnamon, cardamom and ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup fresh carrot juice
1 cup freshly grated carrots

method

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and line an 8″ by 8″ square pan with 2″ sides with parchment paper that overhangs on two opposite sides. Set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar until adequately mixed. Can also use melted coconut oil or other oil.

Add the eggs and vanilla extract, one after the other and beating in until adequately mixed.

Mix together in a bowl the salt, rice flour, spices and baking powder, stirring with a whisk until sufficiently or adequately mixed together. Pour into creamed butter/sugar mixture and beat until mixed in.

Gradually add carrot juice and grated carrots into bowl while continuing to beat until blended and mixed throughout batter.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for about 45-50 minutes until slightly browned on top and edges. Remove from oven and lift cake with parchment paper. Let cool on a wire rack until cool before slicing.