Gluten Free, Low Glycemic, Protein Providing Cake?

I wanted to create something grandson James could carry to work that gives him carbs for energy, protein for staying power, and that stops off a lunch with  a feeling like getting a reward. I thought back to all the evidence that he has a sweet tooth that seemingly can’t be filled. Those granola bars that are more candy than nourishment don’t cut it for me. I needed to invent something he’d enjoy and get real nourishment from. The recipe in this column is as far as I’ve got so far. James loves it, and you may, too.

We never think of our dessert as a protein source, but it can be, and a delicate, delicious treat. Inspired by a not-quite-so-healthy cake recipe in Cara Nicoletti’s memoir-cum-cookbook, Voracious, I created a cake that is (a) a taste treat  (b) full of healthy ingredients and (c) will have the kids eating a vegetable without even realizing it.

This cake doesn’t really need a frosting, but you could top it with butter cream frosting if you wanted to. A peppermint flavored, green tinted frosting honoring St. Patrick would be appropriate today. Or just serve it with green peppermint ice cream.

Yogurt Carrot Cake
Preheat oven to 325 degrees
Makes 8 (2”x4”) servings
First grease and flour an 8”x8” baking pan. To save clean-up time and effort later, you can line the bottom and sides of the pan with baking parchment and grease that.
Sift and measure: 1 cup quinoa flour
Resift the flour into a 2-cup bowl with:
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon iodized salt (1/4 teaspoon if using Himalayan pink salt)

 In large mixing bowl place:
1/3 cup light olive oil
¾ cup coconut sugar
2 egg yolks (reserve whites in another bowl for whipping)
½ cup plain yogurt

Mix the above ingredients well. Dump the dry ingredients in. Mix well. Fold in:
½ cup pumpkin seeds
about 1 ½ cups grated  carrots (3 slim carrots)
The egg whites, beaten until they form very stiff peaks.

Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan. Place in the center of the preheated oven. Bake 45 minutes. Test the cake for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center.

When the cake is done, let it rest for 10 minutes then, placing a square rack on top, invent the pan. Wait a few minutes. Remove pan. Voila! Warm carrot cake just begging to be tasted. The whole cake will give you a total of 48.5 grams of protein. A 2”x4” piece provides over 6 grams of protein.  This cake is yummy with a few dollops of vanilla yogurt or Greek honey yogurt and some well-washed blueberries on each serving.small piece of white fish to serve at least one more person.