Carrot cake with cashew lemon cheese frosting
Spring is coming and so are the colours. To celebrating the sun´s return I’ve created a delicious, cakey carrot cake with a delicious optional lemon cheese frosting. I´d definitely take the extra 5 minutes and invest in making this cream cheese frosting that hides a surprise ingredient.It just takes a few ingredients and 20-30 minutes of your time!I love to create recipes low in fat and delicious. I recall the times when I felt so heavy after eating a raw vegan cake as it always contains so much fat. So let’s talk about the secret ingredient in the frosting: zucchiniZucchini is extremely versatile and a cheap and neutrale tasting bulk ingredient for creams. I have used leftover nut pulp, that I’ve been collecting when making nut milk. Any nut will work, I’ve used almond nut pulp and coconut pulp. You can store the nut pulp in a ziplock bag in your freezer for a couple of months or in the fridge. Make sure you dry it before using in order to get a flour like base for your cake.The carrot cake can be stored for 1-2 months in the freezer, the taste will be more intense when just chilled. Another option is to just roll the cake base into small balls and dip them in desiccated coconut to have some bliss balls on the go!Remember to let me know if you try this recipe and leave a comment below. Don’t forget to tag a photo #plantfedjoy on Instagram.Love and light!
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups carrot pulp
- 1 carrot finely grated
- 1 cup coconut flour
- 2 Tbsp golden flax seeds
- 1/4 cup tiger nuts
- 1/4 cup nut pulp
- 1/4 cup poppy seeds
- 1 Tbsp lucuma
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1/8 tsp clove powder
- 1/2 tsp ginger powder
- 3 drops vanilla medicine flower essence or 1/2 tsp vanilla powder
- 1/4 cup date paste or 5 medjool dates (soaked with 3 Tsp water for 1-2 hours)
- 2 Tbsp chopped raisins
Cashew lemon cheese frosting
- 1 cup cashews soaked 2-5 hours
- 1 1/2 cups zucchini peeled
- 1 Tbsp sunflower lecithin
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp water
- 3 Tbsp honey
- 2 Tbsp coconut oil
- 3 drops vanilla medicine flower essence or 1/2 tsp vanilla powder
- 1 drop lemon essential oil or 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 pinch salt
Garnish
- Dried edible flowers, as required
- Dried lemon and orange zest, as required
- Cinnamon powder, as required
Instructions
- For the carrot cake process all dry ingredients in your high speed blender/thermomix into flour.
- If you use medjool dates, take the carrot cake out of the container and place it in a mixing bowl. Without rinsing the container add the medjool dates with soaking water and blend on high speed.
- Add the cake mixture, as well as all remaining cake ingredients, back to the container and process until a crumbly dough texture is reached. Be mindful not to over-process the dough.
- Press into the cake pan, flatten the surface and store in fridge.
- For the frosting blend all ingredients except of the lecithin on high speed until smooth.
- Last add the lecithin and blend again.
- Pour on top of the cake and freeze for 3-4 hours or until the frosting is semi-firm to the touch. Then refrigerate over night or until completely set, before cutting slices.
- Garnish with dried flowers, lemon and orange zest and sprinkle some cinnamon on top (optional).
