I guess I was yearning for nostalgia, and maybe something a little spicy to feel cozy.
The carrot cake is really so underrated. The bane of cakes as a child, and then held in high regard later on as a “healthy” alternative in adulthood. Lets really not fool anyone here. Most of them are equally as laden with harmful ingredients than any white sheet cake, but….
Well friends, this one sure is… that healthy alternative. Its Raw, Vegan, Gluten free, and just what the dr ordered. I would be lying to you if I told you that I did not eat this for breakfast a few days this week. I don’t like lying.
I adapted this recipe from This Rawsome Vegan Life’s version and I am so in love with it. If there every is a zombie apocalypse I am making this first and you can find me in a small corner comforting myself with this,
At the bottom of my blogs, I’m going to include a “why you should eat this” note as a lot of you are asking how you integrate nutritionist recommendations into your daily eating. My hope is this might give you more reason to take care and time to prepare your foods. So without further ado….
Why eat this?
It is loaded with fiber both soluble and non. This is going to be so healthy for your digestive tract which will not only make your gut feel great, but will as well have a cascade effect through the body, from assisting with heart health and controlling blood sugar to elimination and cleansing. It is also loaded with those “healthy fats”, the ones we need more of. So you are promoting mind, joint, skin, and heart health. Basically, here is a prescription for cake
RECIPE
Raw, Vegan, Gluten Free
INGREDIENTS
Cake
- 2 cups GF rolled oats
- 3 medium carrots plus one for decor (shred this one with a peeler or grater)
- 3/4 cup coconut shreds
- 14 Dates (approx)
- 1/2 cup Walnuts
- 3 tsp Cinnamon
- 1 Tsp ground ginger
- pinch of salt
Icing
- 1.5 cups cashews (soaked)
- 1/2 cup Maple Syrup
- 2Tbls Coconut oil (liquid)
- 3 Tbls Lemon Juice
- 1/4 cup Vanilla coconut yogurt
Garnish (optional)
- coconut shreds
- nuts (walnuts, pistachios etc)
- Carrot shavings
- herbs
METHOD
This cake definetly needs a strong blender, so vitamix or food processor
Prep: Soak your cashews overnight
Cake:
Empty your rolled oats in the pan and pulse until you have a flour.
Add in your dates, carrots (you can just break them into smaller more manageable pieces), half your walnuts, and spices. Blend until you have a beautiful bright dough. Transfer to a bowl. Fold in, its more like massaging in your walnuts and as well half of the one carrot you put aside for decor at the end, that you’ve shredded with your peeler or grated. test your “dough” to adjust seasonings if needed.
Place one half of your batter in a parchment lined tin. 6-9 inch pan should be perfect depending on the thickness you desire.
Prep icing
Rinse your soaked cashews, place in blender with all remaining ingredients and blend until velvety smooth. This is really where you have got to stop yourself from eating with a spoon, or don’t, your call 😉
ice that layer of cake and pop in the freezer to set. After a few hours, place the reaminder of your batter into the pan and again, allow to set.
A few hours later or the next day, you can ice away top and sides, and begin to devour shortly thereafter.
Garnish with nuts, coconut, carrot sheds, herbs etc.
The carrot cake is really so underrated. The bane of cakes as a child, and then held in high regard later on as a “healthy” alternative in adulthood.
