Eldercare has been staying steady this week. Dementia doesn’t take everything away from a person. My mother in law still knows how to push buttons to get what she wants. We do as much as we can to keep her happy, but sometimes we have to put our foot down. It’s hard for any elder to lose control of their life. However, it is up to us to do the hard part. Anyone who has taken the keys away from an elder when they are no longer safe to drive knows what I mean.

This week’s recipe is a carrot cake. Not just any carrot cake, one that does not use shredded carrot. This cake has the carrot infused into the batter rather than as a textural element. I am starting off with a recipe form Brazilian Carrot Cake from Olivia’s Cuisine. Brazilian Carrot Cake is a Bundt cake with the carrot mixed completely into the batter and chocolate on top. It’s really simple, but I think it will result in something extraordinary.

Here are the original stats:

Here’s what I changed:

• I replaced the sugar with the sweetener equivalent to reduce the sugar.
• I replaced the vegetable oil with unsweetened applesauce to reduce the fat and calories.
• I deleted the sweetened condensed milk and will make the topping more of a ganache to remove the excess calories and sugar.
• I replaced the heavy cream with a plant-based variety to remove the dairy.
• I replaced the all purpose flour with almond and coconut flours to remove the gluten and carbs.
• I increased the servings from 8 to 16 to reduce the calories

Here are the final stats:

Here is the final recipe:

Brazilian Carrot Cake

Serves 16

For the Cake:

• 10.6 ounces peeled carrots, cut into chunks
• 3 large eggs
• 1 3/4 cups granulated sweetener
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• Pinch of salt
• 1.5 cups almond flour, sifted
• 1/2 cup coconut flour, sifted
• 1 tablespoon baking powder, sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

For the brigadeiro:

• 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup plant-based heavy cream

1. Preheat oven to 350°F with a rack in the center. Spray a 10-inch bundt pan with cooking spray. Reserve. If you don’t have a bundt pan, use a deep 13×9 or two 9-inch round cake pans.
2. In the jar of a blender, combine the carrots, eggs, sweetener, applesauce and salt. Blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into a large bowl and, using a hand whisk, gently stir the flours, baking powder, and xanthan gum until no traces of flour remain.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
4. Remove cake from oven and let it cool for 10 minutes. Then, run a butter knife along the edges, tap the pan firmly a few times and shake it gently to help loosen the cake. Invert the pan onto a cooling rack and let the cake continue to cool while you prepare the frosting.
5. To make the brigadeiro, combine the chocolate and butter in a saucepan. Heat the mixture, over low heat, stirring constantly, until the butter is melted. Add the heavy cream and stir until smooth. The brigadeiro should be pourable.
6. Transfer the cake to a serving platter and pour the brigadeiro all over the cake. Let it set for a few minutes before serving.