Carrot Cake....such a yummy treat on an autumn afternoon!

Carrot cake was never one of my favorites as a kid, I think it would have been if I'd tasted my husband's grandmother's cake back then. His Grandma Elaine makes the best carrot cake, even a non carrot cake eater would love it. Before we started on this journey of eating gluten-free, it was a commonly requested cake at any family gathering. If I had the chance to make a request, this was it!

When I started cooking with gluten-free flours, I was really hoping to come across a recipe that was close, but honestly didn't hold out much hope of ever finding one. After looking at recipe after recipe, trying several and finding less than perfect results, I happened upon one that sounded promising. I had to play with it a bit, not wanting to use soy flour, as it's something I try to avoid as much as possible. Thankfully, it's an easy flour to substitute any light bean flour for.

The first time I made this cake, I was honestly shocked! How could any gluten free cake be this good? It was moist, had a nice texture, great flavor and did not taste the slightest bit "gluten-free." Needless to say, I was thrilled, but had to try it out on some people to convince myself, and my family wasn't enough. That week, I made it for a church potluck. I didn't tell everyone it was gluten-free, only the few at church that needed that information for health reasons. It was a test, a bit sneaky, but I had to know!

You most likely already know the end result of that test, but I'll share it with you anyway. It passed with flying colors! If my memory serves, I didn't even get to bring one piece home that night. No complaints, other than the fact that I really was hoping for another piece. I was thrilled! This was my first, somewhat "public" success. I did tell people that it was gluten free later, but only after they had tried it and told me how good it was.

That small success felt so good, gave me the confidence to try more, to play more and to find good foods that would satisfy every craving! I am not sharing this with you to "toot my own horn" as I honestly believe that anyone can do this. It just takes some effort, a little bit of risk taking and being willing to make the occasional hockey puck or flat, dry, cake from time to time. It's all for the sake of becoming a better cook, pleasing our taste buds and finally getting to eat foods we have missed or thought we'd never enjoy again.

I challenge you to try this carrot cake recipe, even if you don't like carrot cake. It feels so good to have a success. Just be careful not to over bake it, as it will dry out. Don't under cook it, or you'll have a mushy mess. It's an easy cake to prepare and bake and I have had very few turn out wrong. If I did, it was because I didn't watch the cake or I tried to rush the process. Try it, you'll love the feeling of a success and the wonderful cake that will come along with it!