Carrot Cake – Vegan & Free-From!
WOW! π π
If my life got any busier… actually I’m not sure what would happen! BUT, thankfully I had a couple of things cancelled this week otherwise I’d probably be writing this from the sofa instead of the desk! What an exciting week though! My best friend bought her first EVER car! π (so pleased for her)! I got a big new kitchen gadget which albeit very noisy has been put to good use already! π Hopefully something exciting will become of that!!! π Some friends came back from Saudi (back as in they’d been living there not visiting) and are coming for dinner today – have a look at my our, lovely gifts which hubby collected from them at the weekend…
Apple & Cinnamon Green tea… in its own pouch
A gorgeous lidded dish
For the delicious dates
The garden has gone crazy with all the rain and radishes are poking out of the netting, the strawberries have suddenly multiplied (& some) and are quickly turning from creamy white to pink-red, peas are beginning to fill their pods, blueberries and gooseberries are starting to creep up the branches, even carrot tops are poking through the soil! Oh, and the rhubarb! well, the leaves have got so big that my son thinks they should be in the Guinness Book of Records!
Giant rhubarb leaves with pink stalks
Radishes poking out from the netting
First crop of radishes this year
Pea pod waiting for the peas to grow
Gooseberries! Yumyum!
AND… and, and, and… I got to speak (as a speaker)! at a monthly Fibromyalgia meeting. Guess the topic π No, not food! Well, not specifically! π I’ll let you think on that but it went really well π I think several people learnt something new so that was great! π π π
Anyway, the reason you’re probably here! Vegan and Gluten free Carrot Cake! Pinch me and tell me it’s not real? It’s soft, crumbly, moist, sweet (naturally) and deliciously spiced with nutmeg, cinnamon and mixed spice! It’s also topped with a finger licking creamy hint of citrus topping. Oh yes! This is the carrot cake! π Why is mine in miniature? Well, this was a special test and this was number three. Most things start in small batches in the Life Diet Health kitchen then when they work, they get bigger! This one will get made full size but now I’ve perfected the recipe, somebody else is going to be doing the baking! π How exciting is that!!! I’m getting cake made… for me!!! π π Oh and that’s for my real birthday π π π
Carrot Cake (vegan & Free-From)
Gather
- 2 tablespoons chia
- 8 tablespoons water
- 100g (8) dates soaked in 6 tablespoons boiling water
- 2 tablespoons agave syrup
- 80g coconut oil melted
- 260ml milk (I used unsweetened carton coconut)
- 8 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
- 120g oat flour (GF if required)
- 100g brown rice flour
- 100g cassava flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon mixed spice
- 3 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 4 tablespoons (or 4 small boxes) raisins
- 100g (2 medium) grated carrot
- zest of 1 orange
- *2 tablespoons chopped walnuts (optional)
- 6 tablespoons (approximately 1/2 a tin) aquafaba whisked until fluffy
- 100g soaked cashews
- 2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1-2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1-2 tablespoons milk (I used unsweetened carton coconut)
Prepare
- Put the chia in a cup and add the water, stir and set aside.
- Blitz the soaked dates until you have a soft puree.
- Mix the remaining wet ingredients into the dates (agave, coconut oil, milk, orange juice).
- In another bowl add the dry ingredients – flours (oat, rice, cassava), baking powder, spices (mixed spice, cinnamon, nutmeg) then raisins, carrots, zest and walnuts if using. Mix well.
- Add the chia to the other wet ingredients and combine. Stir the wet ingredients lightly through the dry ingredients, then fold through the aquafaba.
- Spoon the cake into two lined tins and bake at Gas 4 (350f / 180c) for 60-70 minutes. Check by inserting a skewer into the centre – it should come out slightly sticky but not wet.
- While the cake is cooking, make the topping by blitzing the cashews with the lemon, maple and milk until you have a smooth creamy consistency. Adjust taste as necessary.
- Allow the cake to cool before spreading and topping.
Serve & Store
- Eat plain or try with ice-cream or custard.
- Slice and fill as you would with buttercream. Add some chopped fresh pineapple to the topping for a tropical change.
- Make into individual cakes and leave some plain, some with topping.
- Try swapping the orange zest for a tablespoon of desiccated coconut.
- Make the cake the day ahead, then just whizz up the topping when you’re ready to serve.
- Store covered (refrigerated if using the topping) for up to 5 days.
Vegan carrot cake!
Another slice? Indeed! π
Creamy citrus topped gluten free cake
Soft, spongy cake with a creamy filling… good for you too!
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Congratulations on all the great things they have been happening in your world ??? the cake looks lovely x
Elaiiiiiine π Hello! How are you (& the boys)? I haven’t had time to pop over to your blog and see what yumminess you’ve been creating the past couple of weeks… hopefully soon! π Thank you for your lovely comments π xxx
Your Carrot cake looks delicious and I love the combination of spices! You’re lucky you can grow vegetables in your garden! π
Thank you. I’m excited to see what a full size version looks like! π Yes, we’re fortunate to be able to grow our own vegetables – we’ve just started again this year after a few years break. It’s so lovely to go and get fresh produce from the back door – the mange-tout we had at iftar last night were so amazing we didn’t even bother to cook them! π
MMMMM – thanks for bringing this beautiful cake to Fiesta Friday!
Mmmm…. carrot cake – thanks for bringing it to Fiesta Friday
Mmmm – carrot cake – thanks for bringing this to Fiesta Friday!
You’re welcome! Hope you’re having fun at the Fiesta… lots of yummy goodies! π
My husband loves carrot cake, so I’m pinning this to save for his next birthday! Visiting from the Plant Based Potluck Party.
Hello Debbie. Thanks for popping over π This would make a fantastic birthday cake – hope you get around to making it π
Beautiful cake and I enjoyed your garden!
Thank you Julie π I’m very happy with how my garden is coming on, thanks for looking π
Your carrot cake looks Amazing, my dear friend,…so inviting too!
That is all good What is happening in your life.
Thank you Sophie π I hope you are well. Thank you for being my ‘home-grown-veg’ inspiration! π xxx
Always, hugs! xxx
Oh man, this carrot cake looks delicious! I can’t wait to try it. π Since this is my first comment, let me just say that all your recipes look amazing, and I love that most are vegan AND gluten free. Yippee! Also, your garden is gorgeous. Let’s hear it for home-grown veggies!
Hello & welcome! π Thank you so much… yes, vegan & gluten free is what goes on over here.. and mostly refined sugar free too! Adding some more garden photos this week so keep an eye out… do you have somewhere you can grow veggies?
Hi! Iβve just started out my own Vegan Cooking blog and it was blogs like yours that really inspired me to get started. I would love it if you could give mine a look! many thanks xx https://rosegoldvegan.wordpress.com/
Awww thank you. I’ll head over to yours soon π Have you been vegan for a long time?