Last Updated on April 14, 2026 by Carrie Korem, FNTP
I’m thankful for my friends. The true ones. The ones who stick with me no matter what. The ones who are honest, sometimes brutally so, but completely honest. The friends who aren’t afraid to look at you and say, “What do you think you’re doing?” Brutal honesty (spoken in love) makes me laugh, and I’ve had friends through the years who’ve loved me enough to call me out when I needed it most.
For many months I was struggling with the white balance in the food photography for this blog (white balance is basically making white look white – my whites continued to look yellow). I wrote my good friend Helen and pleaded, “Helen, I don’t know what to do! I’ve followed everything you’ve said to do and yet I can’t get the balance right. I think there’s something wrong with my camera.” Her reply, “Sweetheart, there’s nothing wrong with your camera. It’s you.”
I read the response, laughed and appreciated her honesty. Helen was right. It was me.
Karin and I have been friends for years. Both military wives who love to cook, we connected from the second we met. Last week I told her about my favorite book, The Best Recipe. When Karin said she didn’t own a copy, I told her she had to buy it and that the book makes the perfect wedding gift. Karin didn’t even hesitate before telling me, “Nah, I have a better gift for newlyweds.” We laughed. I loved the honesty.
If I could have all my dear friends over at the same time, I’d make a make a down-home meal (the kind where you get your fingers dirty) and finish it up with carrot cake cupcakes with maple cream cheese frosting. The recipe has been a favorite in our family for years and I hope it will inspire you to enjoy a little cake with some of your dear friends. Honest.
Serves: Makes 24 cupcakes
This recipe was published before I began posting grain-free recipes on my site. For a grain-free carrot cake recipe check out the dessert chapter in my cookbook " The Grain-Free Family Table ".
Save RecipeIngredients
- 1 cup sprouted oat flour (make sure it’s gluten free)
- 1/2 cup sprouted sorghum flour
- 1/2 cup sprouted brown rice flour
- 1/2 cup arrowroot powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 pound carrots, grated
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup maple sugar
- 1/2 cup muscovado sugar
- 1 cup coconut oil
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 24 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF and adjust rack to middle position. Line 2 12-cup muffin pans with muffin liners.
- Whisk oat flour, sorghum flour, rice flour, arrowroot, gelatin, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in carrots.
- Pour eggs and sugars in the bowl of a food processor. Process for 15 seconds. Add coconut oil and sour cream and process for an additional 20 seconds until smooth. Pour egg mixture into flour mixture and stir until combined.
- Spoon batter into muffin cups making each 3/4 full. Bake for 20-23 minutes until edges are just golden brown. Cool completely.
- Whisk cream cheese, maple syrup and vanilla until creamy. Frost cooled cupcakes with frosting. Best served the day they are made.
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