Healthy Carrot Cake

Just in time for the Easter holidays, here is a recipe I’d like to share with you, that is just perfect for this weekend!

I love carrot cake, it is one of my favourite desserts. I did some experimenting for this recipe, as I wanted to create a healthy version of this favourite cake of mine. The one criteria I had when creating this recipe, besides flavour and using healthy ingredients, was moistness. Dry carrot cake simply doesn’t do it for me. So to achieve this I have added some dates and more carrots. I find the texture quite good, it doesn’t crumble much, but it has a nice bite to it.

Healthy in this recipe means that I am opting out of processed white sugar, and instead go for a natural sweetener. I have also used coconut oil in this recipe, which even though a saturated fat, is still better for you than sunflower oil or butter. I substituted white flour with chickpea flour, which is gluten-free, and contains protein, iron and fiber and oats, which are fiber-loaded and a rich source of manganese, and can help lower LDL cholesterol levels (the one you want to reduce). I have added some hazelnut flour as well, as I like the nutty flavour in my cake, but if you are allergic to nuts, simply add more oats instead.

I have also made the icing with cashew nuts, and I honestly find it so much better tasting than the sugar-loaded frosting you would find in a conventional cake.

So bite by bite you will get in some good nutrition while spoiling yourself with a delicious treat. 🙂

If you’d like to surprise your loved ones during Easter with some homemade cake, than give this one a try. It doesn’t taste like the conventional carrot cake you know, but it definitely hits the spot and will satisfy your craving. 🙂

Here is what you will need:

Servings: 8
Time: 60min
Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

For the carrot cake

3 medium carrots, grated (about 250gr)
2tsp chia seeds, ground
150ml coconut oil, melted
4 Medjool dates, pitted
150ml coconut nectar or maple syrup
70gr rolled oats
50gr hazelnut flour (you can also grind them yourself if you have whole hazelnuts)
60gr chickpea flour
5gr orange zest
1tsp cinnamon
1/2tsp vanilla
1/4tsp nutmeg

For the icing

100gr cashews (soaked for 2 hours)
65ml maple syrup
juice of 2 lemons
1/2 tsp vanilla
lemon zest for decoration (optional)

Directions

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
Use a cake tin with 18cm diameter and grease the base and sides of the cake tin with some coconut oil.
Prepare the egg substitute: mix the ground chia seeds with 8tbsp water, stir and let them sit a bit. They will form a nice gel.
Place the dates in a food processor and blend until they become gooey. Then add the coconut oil, coconut or maple syrup, oats, chickpea flower, hazelnut flour and the chia gel. Mix well and add the carrots, orange zest, cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg. Mix once again. The mixture will be quite moist and not too thick.
Pour the mixture into the cake tin and bake for about 35 minutes. Then cover the cake and bake for 10 more minutes to avoid the top from burning. Set aside and let it cool down.
While your cake is baking prepare the icing. In a food processor place the soaked cashews, maple syrup, lemon juice and vanilla and mix until you get a nice a creamy texture.
Pour the icing over the cake and spread it evenly. Add some lemon zest on top if desired.

Enjoy and happy Easter holidays!