Carrot Cake
Carrot cake is a family favorite dessert. We have found a vegan alternative for carrot cake and have made it for years, but for a while now I have been wondering if I can make it my own. So off to the kitchen I went and this deliciousness was born!
- Key highlights of this carrot cake:
- Made with oats for the flour– a whole grain alternative to all- purpose flour. One cup of dried rolled oats has 10.7 grams of protein, and 8.18 grams of fiber.
- Sweetened with dates– a healthy, whole food sweetener because it’s just fruit! One cup of sugar has 774 calories and 0 grams of fiber; whereas, 1 cup of pitted dates has about 415 calories and 11.8 grams of fiber.
- Prepared with pumpkin puree– a great alternative to oil in recipes. Some carrot cake recipes call for a significant amount of oil, at least 1 cup. By using pumpkin, you can significantly cut down on the calories and fat in the recipe- and also add some more fiber.
- Glazed with a delicious cashew icing– a delicious, whole food alternative to traditional cream cheese frostings that are commonly found with carrot cake recipes.
This carrot cake is packed with wholesome ingredients, fiber, and healthier fats than your traditional carrot cake recipes. It tastes great too! So you can satisfy your sweet tooth, while keeping aligned with your health goals!
This carrot cake is naturally sweetened with my preferred sweetener, dates! It’s also made with oat flour, so it’s naturally gluten free. It’s topped with a vanilla cashew cream, that is incredibly tasty!
Due to the nature of the ingredients, this carrot cake might be more dense than a standard carrot cake recipe. But that hasn’t stopped this carrot cake from being well-liked by both veg eaters and non-veg eaters alike. My little nieces and nephews also approved of this cake, which makes me happy too!
- 2½ cups rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2-3 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup unsweetened soy milk
- 3 cups shredded carrots
- ¾ cups dates (or about 10 medjool dates), pits removed
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup cashews
- ¼ cup dates, pits removed
- 1/2 cup water
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Add the oats to a blender and blend until the oats turn into a fine flour. Pour the oats into a bowl and add the baking powder, soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir together and set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the apple cider vinegar and the soy milk. Set aside while the milk curdles.
- If the carrots are not already shredded, shred the carrots and set aside.
- In a blender, combine the dates, pumpkin puree, vanilla, and the milk. Blend the mixture until smooth, then pour over the oat flour and stir together. Fold in the shredded carrots and chopped walnuts, if using.
- Line a 8x8 glass baking dish with parchment paper. Pour the batter into the pan and spread out evenly. Bake the cake for 40 minutes. Put a tooth pick in the cake to see if it’s ready. If it's not ready, bake for 5-10 more minutes. Remove the cake from the oven, allow the cake to cool.
- To make the frosting, combine the vanilla, cashews, dates, and water in a high speed blender. Blend until smooth.
- Frost the cake once the cake has completely cooled. Top with additional chopped walnuts or cinnamon, if desired. Store the cake in the fridge until it’s ready to be served. Enjoy!
- *Feel free to double the frosting if you want more.
Kristina DeMuth
Kristina DeMuth