Sorta Healthy Carrot Cake

Difficulty: Easy-Medium

Serves 8-10

My brother is on the most gnarly health kick of all time and for his birthday he requested a healthy carrot cake. Let’s be honest here – this cake is much healthier than other cakes but at the end of the day, a cake is a cake, and cake isn’t all that healthy. In saying that, there’s not a whole lot bad about this cake, the icing is probably the main offender so skimp on that if need be. It’s also gluten-free which is a bitchin’ bonus for you gleegans out there who are diggin’ on my recipes. The main thing here is that it tastes good and that’s one thing all cakes must always be.

I don’t say this very often but this is one of the best things I’ve ever made. People who have tried it have said it’s one of the best carrot cakes they’ve ever tasted and I tend to agree. It also keeps for quite a while in the fridge and tastes especially good chilled.

Ingredients

• 2 cups unsweetened almond milk
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 3 large carrots
• 2 cups rice flour
• 1 cup almond meal
• 1/3 cup ground flaxseeds
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup agave syrup
• 1/4 cup coconut oil (warmed to liquid if solid)
• 1 cup walnuts, plus extra for decoration
• 1/2 cup sultanas or raisins
• 1 tub vegan cream cheese (I use Tofutti)
• 2 tablespoons Nuttelex
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups icing sugar

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C and grease a springform pan.
2. In a small bowl, add the apple cider vinegar to the almond milk. Whisk and set aside.
3. Wash and grate the carrots and set aside.
4. In a large bowl, combine the rice flour, almond meal, flaxseeds, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg and cinnamon.
5. Add the carrot and almond milk mixture before throwing in the vanilla extract, agave and coconut oil, mix well.
6. Fold in the sultanas and walnuts until well distributed.
7. Pour into the springform pan and even out the top.
8. Bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
9. Allow to cool in the tin for an hour before cooling completely on a rack.
10. With an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese and the Nuttelex for a minute before adding the lemon juice, vanilla and icing sugar. Mix until combined.
11. Pour the icing onto the centre of the cake and spread outwards in a circular motion until you reach the edge. Sprinkle the top with walnuts and serve.