Carrot Cake with Chocolate Chip Cookies and Sandwiches

This morning I have a fierce sweet tooth and all I want are cookies and cake. Lucky for you, I realize that these items do not make a complete meal, so I also got all the fixing for lovely sandwiches to accompany the items I am most excited about. Mmmmm, carrot cake. The gluten free version of the cake is without cranberries so the two can be told apart, but when preparing this dessert on your own feel free to use cranberries or nuts to your hearts content.

Gluten Free Lactose Free Carrot Cake
Makes 1 large cake

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
2 cups sugar (I use evaporated cane juice)
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups gluten free all purpose flour
1 tsp xanthan gum
2 tsp baking soda
1 pinch salt (or 1/8 tsp for an exact measurement)
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground ginger
3 cups shredded carrots (I just used a 10 oz bag of shredded carrots, close enough)

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. In a large bowl, mix together oil and sugar.
3. Add eggs one at a time, mix until incorporated, then add vanilla.
4. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, xanthan gum, baking soda, salt, cloves, allspice, and ginger.
5. Add the dry to the wet a bit at a time, stir until all incorporated.
6. Add carrots (and other dried fruit or nuts if using), mix until combined.
7. Pour into a half steam tray or three 9 inch round pans and bake until a wooden tester comes out clean (35-45 minutes, keep checking every 5 minutes past the original 35 minutes.
8. Frost with a gluten free dairy free frosting and top with a few shredded carrots to make it look pretty.


Cranberry Carrot Cake
Makes 1 large cake

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups butter, softened
2 cups sugar (I use evaporated cane juice)
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 pinch salt (or 1/8 tsp for an exact measurement)
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground ginger
3 cups shredded carrots (I just used a 10 oz bag of shredded carrots, close enough)
1 cup dried cranberries

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. In a large bowl, mix together butter and sugar.
3. Add eggs one at a time, mix until incorporated, then add vanilla.
4. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, salt, cloves, allspice, and ginger.
5. Add the dry to the wet a bit at a time, stir until all incorporated.
6. Add carrots and cranberries (and other dried fruit or nuts if using), mix until combined.
7. Pour into a half steam tray or three 9 inch round pans and bake until a wooden tester comes out clean (35-45 minutes, keep checking every 5 minutes past the original 35 minutes.
8. Frost with a vanilla frosting and top with a few dried cranberries to make it look pretty.