A friend had been using my cookbooks for years before she emailed me requesting a vegan carrot cake recipe. Her email was just the nudge I needed to create this recipe, so we all have Catherine to thank!
Makes one 9-inch double layer cake
Ingredients
4 Medjool dates, pitted
2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup minced fresh pineapple
1 cup chopped toasted walnuts
1 cup raisins
Dry Ingredients
3⁄4 cup ivory or brown teff flour
3⁄4 cup coconut flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking soda
1⁄2 teaspoon sea salt
Wet Ingredients
1 cup virgin coconut oil, melted, plus more for greasing pan
1 cup maple syrup
½ cup applesauce
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Frosting
1 1⁄2 cups coconut butter
3⁄4 cup whole coconut milk
3⁄4 cup maple syrup
1 cup chopped toasted walnuts
Directions
Baking the cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch round springform pans with coconut oil and line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment paper.
Place dates in small heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak 5 minutes, drain and squeeze to remove excess liquid. Place dates in large bowl with carrots, pineapple, walnuts and raisins. Use hands to mix and massage mashed date into other ingredients. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients. And in a third bowl combine all wet ingredients. Add wet ingredients to dry and fold to combine. Pour this mixture into bowl with carrots and fold to evenly distribute all ingredients.
Divide batter evenly between 2 prepared pans, smooth tops and bake 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven, place on wire rack and cool completely.
Finishing the cake: In food processor, whip together coconut butter, coconut milk and maple syrup until smooth. Carefully remove one cake from pan and place on cake plate. Spread half the frosting over the first layer. Remove second layer from pan and place on top of first. Spread top with remaining frosting, top with walnuts and serve.
Reprinted with permission from “Eat Clean Live Well“ © 2014 by Terry Walters, Sterling Epicure, an imprint of Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. Photography by Julie Bidwell
Related on Organic Authority
5 Ingredients to Poach in Yummy Fruit Desserts
5 Gooseberry Recipes for Uncommonly Delicious Summer Desserts
Decadent Strawberry Cake Recipe
The post Vegan Carrot Cake Recipe with Dates and Pineapple appeared first on Organic Authority.