Sweet & Spicy Carrot Cake (Gluten-Free, Vegan)

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I have an admission to make: I’m not a massive cake fan. I tend to prefer savoury things (nuts, breads, cheese and crackers – you get the idea). But one cake I go bananas for (no, not banana bread) is Carrot Cake. Spicy Carrot Cake, to be precise. Moist, spicy and sweet; it’s a real feast for the senses. What about a gluten-free, plant-based version I hear you ask? Thanks to the power of rice flour, coconut oil and flax seed, it’s all possible. So here’s my recipe for stupidly moist Gluten-Free, Vegan Carrot Cake

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Plant-based. Gluten-Free. Delicious.

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Difficulty

Keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container

Ingredients

• 290g unsweetened apple sauce (i.e. 3 eating apples, stewed with 50ml water. I used Gala)
• 3 portions of flax egg (i.e. 3tbsp of milled flaxseed mixed with 7.5tbsp of cold water and left to sit for 5 minutes)
• 60ml agave
• 80g coconut oil, melted

• 1.5 tsp of baking powder
• 1.5 tsp of bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (use alcohol-free if you’re keeping things raw)
• 100g coconut sugar
• 50g caster sugar
• 1/2 tsp pink Himalayan salt
• 3 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• Zest of 1 large orange

• 180ml non-dairy milk (I used unsweetened almond)
• 240g gluten-free flour
• 170g ground almonds

• 250g shredded carrot
• 80g chopped walnuts (optional)

For the frosting

• 200g vegan butter, softened
• 200g icing sugar, sifted

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Method

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees and line two 6 inch tins with greaseproof paper. Set to one side.

Add the pre-prepared flax eggs to a large bowl with the coconut oil and maple syrup, whisking to combine. Next, add the applesauce, both sugars, salt, baking soda, baking powder, vanilla extract, spices and orange. Whisk to combine.

Add the almond milk and stir. Then add the grated carrot and stir. Next, fold in the gluten-free flour and ground almonds – the mixture should be thick but pourable. If you’re adding nuts, you can pop them in now.

Spoon the mixture into the pre-lined tray.

Bake for 40-50 minutes, it’ll have a golden top and a cake tester/knife will come out clean when it’s ready to be taken out.

Allow to cool, then transfer cakes to a wire rack to cool completely. When they’re cool enough, you can remove the greaseproof paper and place on a cake stand or board for decorating.

To make the cream cheese frosting, beat the cream cheese and icing sugar together until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust to your preferred sweetness accordingly by adding more sugar/more cream cheese.

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