We absolutely love carrot cake…especially one this delicious and nutritious! Perfect for afternoon tea or any time. The addition of carrot juice gives it a wonderful colour and incredible moistness.
SERVES 8
INGREDIENTS
The Flax Egg:
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
- 3 tbsp warm water
Dry Ingredients:
- 280g self-raising flour, sifted
- 150g coconut sugar
- 1 tsp each of bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and arrowroot, sifted
- Pinch of Himalayan salt
- ¼ tsp vanilla powder
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 50g walnuts, roughly chopped
- 80g sultanas
Wet Ingredients:
- 290ml carrot juice
- 150ml sunflower oil
- ¼ tsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 orange, zested
- 140g (approx. 1 large) carrot,
- peeled and finely grated
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
- For the buttercream frosting
- 150g cashews, soaked in water overnight
- 100ml tinned coconut milk, shaken well before opening
- 40ml coconut oil, melted
- 4 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or paste
- ¼ tsp lemon zest
- Pinch of Himalayan salt
The Buttercream Frosting:
- 150g cashews, soaked in water overnight
- 100ml tinned coconut milk, shaken well before opening
- 40ml coconut oil, melted
- 4 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or paste
- ¼ tsp lemon zest
- Pinch of Himalayan salt
To Finish:
- 40g walnut halves
- 1 orange, zested
METHOD
The Cake
- Preheat the oven to 180°c and lightly grease two 20cm sandwich tins with sunflower oil. Line the bases with parchment paper.
- Combine the flaxseed with the warm water to make your flax egg then set aside for 10 minutes to thicken.
- In an electric stand mixer with a paddle attachment, combine the dry ingredients.
- In a separate bowl, combine the wet ingredients including the flax egg. Then add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and mix for 2 minutes to ensure they are well incorporated.
- Divide the cake mixture evenly between each prepared tin. Place them onto a baking tray. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cakes comes out clean.
- Leave them to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before gently turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
The Buttercream Frosting
- Drain and rinse the cashews, discarding the soaking water. Place them into the blender with all the other ingredients and blitz until the frosting is creamy and smooth.
- Spread the frosting on top of the first cake, then place the second cake on top like a sandwich and cover the top with the remaining frosting.
To Finish
- Decorate your cake with the walnut halves dotted around the edge and orange zest liberally sprinkled over the top. Enjoy.