Carrot Cake – Vegan & Free-From!

Apple & Cinnamon Green tea… in its own pouch

A gorgeous lidded dish

For the delicious dates

 

Carrot Cake – Vegan & Free-From!

WOW! 😛 😀

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! 😀 (so pleased for her)! I got a big new kitchen gadget which albeit very noisy has been put to good use already! 🙂 Hopefully something exciting will become of that!!! 😀 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…

 

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 🙂 No, not food! Well, not specifically! 😛 I’ll let you think on that but it went really well 😀 I think several people learnt something new so that was great! 😀 😀 😀

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! 😀 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! 😀 How exciting is that!!! I’m getting cake made… for me!!! 😀 😛 Oh and that’s for my real birthday 😀 😀 😀

• Servings: 8-12
• Time: 70-80 mins
• Difficulty: medium
• Print

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
• 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

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• 100g soaked cashews
• 2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1-2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1-2 tablespoons milk (I used unsweetened carton coconut)

Prepare

1. Put the chia in a cup and add the water, stir and set aside.
2. Blitz the soaked dates until you have a soft puree.
3. Mix the remaining wet ingredients into the dates (agave, coconut oil, milk, orange juice).
4. 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.
5. Add the chia to the other wet ingredients and combine. Stir the wet ingredients lightly through the dry ingredients, then fold through the aquafaba.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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! 😀

Creamy citrus topped gluten free cake

Soft, spongy cake with a creamy filling… good for you too!

 

Sharing this with the lovely Deborah at the Plant Based Potluck Party… my houmous is one of the features over there this week! 🙂 Also taking this carrot cake to share with the lovely Angie over at Fiesta Friday. This week Fiesta Friday is co-hosted by Lindy @ Love in the Kitchen and Liz @ spades, spatulas & spoons. Looking forward to seeing what other goodies are shared this week! 😀