1. Stir the shredded carrots and raisins (if using) together with the maple syrup and refrigerate for one hour.
2. Heat the oven to 325. Grease two 9″ cake pans with coconut oil and dust with coconut flour, line the bottoms with circles of parchment paper cut to fit and set aside. If using a Bundt pan, grease and flour as described and set aside.
3. Combine the coconut flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and baking soda.
4. Crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until combined.
5. Add the pumpkin puree, vanilla, coconut oil and orange zest (if using) and beat until well combined.
6. Fold in the dry ingredient mixture until just combined.
7. Fold in the maple syrup/carrot mixture until evenly combined.
8. Divide the batter between the cake pans, or pour into the Bundt pan.
9. Bake 35-40 minutes in cake pans, or 1 hr and 20-30 minutes in Bundt pan. Cakes are done when a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean.
10. Let the cakes cool completely before removing from pans and frosting. Loosen the cakes from the sides of the pan with a knife for easier removal.

Creme Cheese Frosting

1. Place the cashews in a heat-safe container and cover with boiling water. Let stand 20 – 30 minutes, then drain and rinse with cold water. Drain again to remove as much water as possible.
2. Transfer the cashews to a food processor and process until they’re broken down into a paste. Add the remaining frosting ingredients one at a time, processing well after each addition. Continue to process until the mixture is very smooth. Add a tablespoon or two of your favorite paleo milk if the mixture is too thick.
3. Transfer the frosting to a freezer-safe bowl and freeze about 30 minutes.
4. Remove from freezer and beat with an electric mixer until the frosting begins to thicken.
5. Return the frosting to the freezer for another 30 minutes. Remove and beat until thick. At this point, the frosting should thicken quickly. If it’s too thick to spread easily, let it sit out at room temperature until it softens slightly.
6. Refrigerate until ready to use.
7. Frost the cooled cake as you like. Use plenty of frosting between the layers for a tall, beautiful cake.