So, I came up with this by picking and choosing the elements I liked from a bunch of different source recipes, and also just using some common sense on techniques to maximize flavors.

It's a bit more involved than a standard cake recipe, but the results are well worth it. Plus some of the prep can be done in advance, if you want to streamline the day-of process.

Also, for whatever it's worth, the first time I made it, four people who swore they don't like carrot cake devoured this and raved about it.

So here it is...

GIGI'S ROASTED CARROT CAKE

DRY INGREDIENTS:
- 1½ cups Wellbee's superfine blanched almond flour
- ¾ cup chopped, toasted pecans, cooled to room temp, plus more for garnishing of desired
- ¼ cup Brown Swerve
- ¼ cup Bochasweet granular
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 1½ tsp guar gum
- 1½ tsp ground ginger
- 1½ tsp ground roasted cinnamon
- ¾ tsp freshly ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- 1 lemon worth of zest

SEPARATELY PREPPED:
- 1× 16 oz bag shredded carrots, roasted at 475°F on a lightly-coconut cooking oil-sprayed sheet pan for about 10-15 minutes, until tender and caramelized a bit.

WET INGREDIENTS:
- 4 large eggs, separated
- ¼ cup/4 tbsp full fat sour cream (high-fat/Amish-Style if you can find it)
- ¼ cup/4 tbsp softened cream cheese
- ⅓ cup Powdered Bochasweet, sifted
- 1 tbsp Nielsen-Massey vanilla bean paste
- 1×4oz. container Beechnut carrot baby food
- 2 tsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 9×9 square metal baking pan with parchment; spray parchment with coconut oil cooking spray. Set aside.

Combine dry ingredients in medium mixing bowl. Set aside.

Separate eggs - yolks into medium bowl and whites into large bowl. To yolks, add sour cream, cream cheese, carrot baby food, vanilla paste, and lemon juice.

To whites, add powdered Bochasweet (sift if needed after measuring but before adding to whites, to ensure no lumps) and whip to stiff peaks.

Temper yolk mixture into whites mixture by adding a scoop of yolk mix into whites mix and gently stir to combine without deflating whites, then gently fold remaining yolk mixture into whites mixture in a couple additions. To combined wet mixture, add alternating dry ingredients and carrots, a third at a time, so 6 additions starting with dry, until just combined.

Transfer batter to prepared pan and bake 32-35 minutes, checking after 30 to make sure it doesn't overbake and dry out. ((Internal probed temp 200°, plus toothpick comes out clean.)) Cool for at least 10 minutes in pan before transferring parchment lined cake to wire rack to cool completely.

Once cooled completely, top with cream cheese frosting. Refrigerate at least 4 hours for frosting to fully set.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
- 8 oz whipped cream cheese, not quite room temp but not cold either
- 2 tbsp softened Kerrygold salted butter
- 1 cup powdered Bochasweet
- 1 tbsp Isopure unflavored whey protein isolate
- 1½ tsp Nielsen-Massey vanilla bean paste (less if subbing with liquid vanilla extract)
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- pinch of salt

- <optional> orange and green food coloring, small prep bowls and piping bags, and the appropriate frosting tips if you wanna pipe little carrots on top of each piece for decoration