Solar Cooked Birthday Cake-GAPS Carrot Cake

by Mary Beth
(Phoenix, AZ)

Solar Birhday Cake -GAPS Carrot Cake

It's my husband's birthday, and he can eat enough foods that I can try to cook a cake for him this year. I attempted something that was supposed to
be a cake last year and it was awful! Of course anything made primarily from almonds and sour cream is going to be bad. But have no fear! This year I am armed with a new recipe, and a solar cooker to boot.

I used a grain-free carrot cake recipe from realfoodforager, and just replaced the icing with stewed raisins. He loved it!

*GAPS* *Carrot* *Cake*
6 eggs
4 Tbsp ghee
3 Tbsp honey
8 pureed dates
1 tsp vanilla
1.5 cups grated and cooked carrots
3/4 cup pecan butter (homemade)
3/4 cup coconut flour
1 tap baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
Pinch nutmeg
2/3 cup raisins stewed with a bit of water

Combine moist ingredients, then stir in dry ingredients (except for the raisins) and bake in parchment-lined pan in the solar cooker for about an hour and a half.

Mine made a small cake and six muffins. Top with raisins.

Rating: depends on your tastes. Hubby and the kids loved it.
My brother and his family hated them. They are tasty but not sweet, so it may depend
on what you are expecting. This was my first real solar baking to work out nicely without making me crazed :)

Side note:

Cleaning and Chili

I finally got around to cleaning the inside of the Sun Oven solar cooker.
I mean, I had wiped it put before, but this was my first dedicated attempt at getting out all the smells and gels left behind.
I took a pot of water and added a bit of dish soap and a splash of vinegar and closed it inside while I was out for the morning. When I came back I had a steamy solar cooker that I wiped down. I thought this was a success and soon brought out a pot of chili to cook in it for dinner.

Bad plan. The cooker did get clean, and the chili cooked, but it tasted like vinegar. I suspect some air-out time in between would have been better.
Next time I'll get it right!