Carrot cake was destined to be an inevitable family favorite since we made it our wedding cake almost nineteen years ago. Since then, we’ve had all kinds of versions of this cake, from store-bought, bakery fresh, or made at home.

While I can’t say that I’ve ever regretted a slice of carrot cake, I will say that more often than not the cakes we’ve purchased have been sweeter than we prefer, occasionally cloyingly so.

Our preference for most desserts these days is homemade with either less sugar or natural sweeteners, which really allows the flavors and ingredients to shine. (My personal preference is also quick and easy, though I do make exceptions for special occasions).

Simple Homemade Carrot Cake

I’ve been working on this recipe for a few years, first testing a version of it as an Instant Pot version. (I still very much love my Instant Pot, but don’t feel compelled to try and make everything in it as much these days).

This past week we celebrated my youngest son’s tenth birthday and his request was a homemade carrot cake. This gave me the perfect opportunity to do some final tests and tweaks before publishing our beloved cake recipe.

The cake was perfection and I’m very excited to finally share it with you all!

naturally sweetened, dairy-free, gluten-free

As mentioned before, this cake is not overpoweringly sweet. (If you like really sweet cakes, this version is great). The batter is sweetened with honey, with applesauce is the perfect complement in lieu of butter or oil.

The batter is dairy-free, but if you need a full dairy-free cake, you can sub a DF icing or cream cheese in the recipe. Likewise, a simple sub of 1:1 gluten-free flour will make the cake GF. I really like King Arthur 1:1 GF flour as well as Bob’s Red Mill GF flour.

The cake can be prepared as a 2-layer or 4-layer cake (see recipe note). I also love the look of unfrosted sides to this cake, so that’s how I wrote it and shot it. If you’d like to frost the sides, you may want to increase the frosting by 1.5.

Give this recipe a try, then come back and let me know how you enjoyed it! And, if easy, healthy-ish (such a subjective word) recipes are your thing, check out my recipe index!

More EASY + DELICIOUS desserts to try:

Simple Homemade Carrot Cake

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• Author: Lisa @ This Pilgrim Life

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Description

Homemade carrot cake is our family’s favorite and this recipe is so simple to make in just one bowl with healthy ingredients, making it easily naturally sweetened, dairy-free, and/or gluten-free! 

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Ingredients

Cake

• 2 1/2 cup cake flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 2 cups grated carrots
• 3/4 cup applesauce
• 3/4 cup honey
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk

Icing

• 16oz cream cheese (room temperature)
• 3–4 cups powdered sugar (add to taste)
• 1 cup chopped pecans

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Stir until well-incorporated, then add the grated carrots and stir again. Mix together the applesauce, honey, eggs, and milk in a large liquid measuring cup.
3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently incorporate until no streaks of flour remain.
4. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. Add a parchment circle to the bottom of the pan for easier cake removal. Divide the cake batter between the two cake pans.
5. Place the cake pans in the preheated oven and bake for 18-22 minutes, until the center of the cakes are cooked through.
6. Cool the cakes in the pan for 5-10 minutes, before removing from the pans and transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
7. (Optional) Use a large bread knife to cut the cakes in half to make 4 layers– carefully slice around the cake gradually going all the way through to the center.
8. Prepare the icing: combine the sugar and cream cheese in a mixing bowl with the paddle attachment and mix together on medium speed until blended and light. Add the chopped pecans and mix on low until the nuts are evenly incorporated.
9. Spread the icing on the cake layers, leaving the sides unfrosted. Top with additional finely chopped pecans if desired.
10. Serve immediately, or place in the refrigerator to chill before enjoying.

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Notes

You can make your own powdered sugar by blending granulated sugar in a blender on high until white and powdered.

To make the cake gluten-free, sub a 1:1 gluten-free flour (I like King Arthur or Bob’s Red Mill GF all-purpose flour).

To make the cake dairy-free, sub a dairy-free icing or cream cheese.

Don’t forget to pin and share this homemade carrot cake! Thanks!

The post Simple Homemade Carrot Cake appeared first on This Pilgrim Life.

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Meatballs and marinara has been one of my favorite meals for years, but this homemade ragu sauce over fresh pasta has easily taken its place as a go-to meal when I want something classic, cozy, and utterly delicious.

It doesn’t hurt that my kids proclaim it as “BEST PASTA EVER” whenever I serve this dish, usually alongside garlic knots, one-hour focaccia, or soft warm French bread.

Summer is a great time to enjoy homemade ragu sauce, too, because of the abundance of fresh tomatoes and peppers that taste better now than any other time of the year. (Though, canning tomatoes is a great option to enjoy a hint of summer taste later on when they aren’t growing fresh.)

Keep reading for the recipe and some tips and recommendations for sauce, pasta, and summer produce– a serious trifecta of goodness!

Homemade Ragu Sauce

While I still love meatballs, I really enjoy the simplicity and ease of homemade ragu sauce, especially when paired with a great marinara. Everything cooks together in one large pot, and once you get it going, it’s just a matter of letting it simmer for a while to develop the flavor.

Not to mention, it makes your home smell amazing!

The mix of ground beef and Italian sausage add a lot of depth to the sauce, so I absolutely recommend using both! (My boys very much appreciate the meatiness of this homemade ragu, too).

My first choice for the marinara I add is always homemade. I am a bit obsessed with homemade marinara sauce and always say I could drink it with a straw– even if I’ve yet to do so. I use the recipe from my Instant Pot cookbook for big batch marinara. The recipe makes enough for a batch of ragu and to have sauce leftover.

If I’m not using homemade marinara, my first pick for jarred sauce is Rao’s. It’s really good, and Costco now carries it too!

Likewise, my first choice for pasta to pair with homemade ragu is fresh, homemade pasta. There’s nothing quite like the silky, tender, deliciousness of fresh pasta noodles. If you’ve never tried making pasta at home, you should totally give it a try at least once!

That said, fresh pasta doesn’t always fit into the schedule so I always keep convenient package pasta on hand. A bag of spiral pasta is what I paired my last batch of homemade ragu with.

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Classic Homemade Ragu Sauce

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• Author: Lisa @ This Pilgrim Life
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Yield: 10-12 servings
• Category: Main Dish
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Italian

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Description

This rich, homemade ragu sauce is full of flavor, filling meat and veggies, and incredibly delicious served over pasta. This recipe is a great way to make jarred or homemade marinara sauces so much better!

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Ingredients

• 1–1.25lb ground beef
• 2–3 sweet Italian sausage links
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 medium green pepper, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 6 cups marinara sauce
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 heaping teaspoon dried basil
• 1 heaping teaspoon dried oregano

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Instructions

1. Heat a large dutch oven or similar style pot over medium heat. Add the ground beef and sausage to the pot and brown until the meat is no longer pink, using a spoon or spatula to break up the meat as it cooks. Drain any grease from the pot. 

2. Push the browned meat to the edge, then add the onion, peppers, and garlic to the center of the pot. Flatten the vegetables down, then let them cook undisturbed for about 5 minutes. Once the vegetables are beginning to soften, stir them together into the meat mixture. Add the herbs and kosher salt and stir again. 

3. Pour in the marinara sauce and mix until thoroughly incorporated. Bring the sauce to a low boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low/low and let the ragu simmer for at least thirty minutes. (You can simmer it longer, just keep the heat low so the sauce does not reduce too much). 

4. Taste and add extra salt or herbs to your preference. Serve over pasta, potatoes, or polenta. Top with fresh basil and/or grated parmesan. 

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The post Homemade Ragu Sauce appeared first on This Pilgrim Life.

There are certain types of produce that ESPECIALLY shine when eaten in season, and strawberries are one of them. (Peaches, tomatoes, and watermelon are some of our other favorites that we almost exclusively eat fresh only during the summer).

It’s the first day of May, which means strawberry season is just starting for us in North Carolina. Visiting the strawberry farm with friends is an annual event we’ve prioritized almost every year since my oldest was just a toddler. Now that I have five strawberry pickers, we always go home with a generous bounty of fresh strawberries– ready to eat on their own, but also for making our favorite fresh strawberry recipes!

There’s just something extra special about having specific recipes and treats that are connected to traditions, connected to seasons, and connected to shared family rhythms. Enjoying the first fresh strawberry pie together is its own kind of celebration.

Tips for planning a visit to the strawberry farm…

• wear old clothes you don’t mind getting stained with strawberry juice and dirt
• bring plenty of water— strawberries are a full sun crop, so you’ll be catching a lot of rays while you pick!
• many farms offer treats like pie or fresh ice cream to enjoy before or after picking. Pack along some filling snacks to balance out the sweets.
• plan your visit on a day when you will have time after you get home (same day or next day) to process the berries. They can be refrigerated for a few days, but generally are best within a few days of picking. After that, they’re still great for jam, fruit strips, strawberry puree, or frozen for smoothies
• invite some friends and ask the farm if they offer any talks or “field trip” type perks to visiting groups. Our farm is always so gracious to talk to the kids about growing strawberries, the farming business, and more.
• always review expectations with your kids before heading out— discuss what color/quality berries to pick, remind them to be mindful of the plants, and any other expectations you may have to ensure everyone has a great visit!

Five Fresh Strawberry Recipes to Make This Season

The following fresh strawberry recipes are my must-have May strawberry treats. I always do other things as well, but these are my top priority– especially the fresh strawberry pie! It’s only a May recipe for us, so we savor every bite!

If you enjoy seasonal recipes and summer family content, definitely follow me on Instagram where I share regularly about both, and sign up for my email newsletter for tips and recipes to try direct to your inbox.

Fresh Strawberry Pie

Fresh strawberry pie is one of the best ways to enjoy seasonal strawberries! This pie is naturally sweetened (not too sweet!), and uses unflavored gelatin to set up. It’s perfect with a generous dollop of whipped cream!

Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette

This strawberry balsamic vinaigrette is the PERFECT summer salad dressing! It comes together in minutes, and is so delicious on a bed of mixed greens with a sprinkle of sliced almonds, strawberry slices, and feta cheese.

If you want to add protein, try pairing your salad with a batch of my Ridiculously Easy Instant Pot Chicken Breasts!

Strawberry Chia Seed Jam

This is one strawberry recipe that I actually make throughout the whole year. When it’s not strawberry season, I just make it with frozen berries instead.

Chia seed jam is so quick and easy to make, is super healthy, and so tasty too.  Three ingredients and fifteen minutes is all you need, which is one reason it’s on repeat in our house all year long!

Strawberries & Cream Muffins

My kids ask for these muffins almost any time I ask them what kind of muffins I should make! (I don’t make them half that much though).

These strawberry muffins are definitely worth repeated requests and worth a little extra effort, with strawberry chunks throughout and a sweet cream cheese filling in the center!

Easy Strawberry Crisp

A recipe for an easy strawberry crisp, made with natural sweeteners and gluten-free ingredients. Perfect with homemade yogurt, fresh whipped cream, or a small bowl of ice cream! 

A simple fruit crisp is an essential summer recipe. It’s easy enough for kids to make on their own; can be served for breakfast, snack time, or dessert; and is dietary friendly for bringing to summer potlucks with friends!

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• 20+ Tasty Summer Cookout Recipes
• 50+ Recipes for Summer Vegetable Recipes
• Dark Chocolate & Strawberry Yogurt Parfaits
• Peach Recipes to Enjoy Summer Peaches Now & Later

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The post Five Fresh Strawberry Recipes to Make this Season appeared first on This Pilgrim Life.