Carrot Cake with the BEST EVER frosting!

Using a few simple ingredients, you can recreate the classing carrot cake with the tastiest “cream cheese” frosting.

Carrot Cake Chronicles: A Veggie-tale of Adaptation, Mystery, and Controversy!

Carrot cake is one of those desserts that people either love or hate. Some people swear by its moist texture and subtle sweetness, while others think it’s just a fancy way to eat vegetables. But did you know that the origins of carrot cake are shrouded in mystery?

Legend has it that carrot cake was invented by a group of vegan bakers who were trying to find a way to make a cake that was both healthy and delicious. They experimented with all sorts of ingredients, from tofu to chia seeds, before finally stumbling upon the perfect combination of grated carrots, flour, and sugar.

Of course, once the word got out about this new, healthy dessert, everyone wanted a piece. But the bakers soon realized that not everyone had the same taste in food. Some people wanted their carrot cake to be extra sweet, while others preferred a more savoury flavour.

That’s when the adaptations began. People started adding everything from raisins to coconut flakes to their carrot cake recipes. Some even started experimenting with different types of flour, like almond or coconut, to make their cake even healthier.

But it wasn’t just the ingredients that were changing. People started making carrot cake in all sorts of shapes and sizes, from cupcakes to bundt cakes to multi-layered masterpieces. And with each new variation, the debate over what makes the perfect carrot cake raged on.

Some people swear by a dense, moist cake with a hint of spice, while others prefer a lighter, fluffier texture with a sweet, cream cheese frosting. And then there are those who insist that a true carrot cake should be topped with walnuts or pecans, while others prefer a sprinkle of cinnamon or a drizzle of caramel.

So, what’s the verdict? Is there such a thing as the perfect carrot cake? Maybe not. But one thing’s for sure – whether you’re a vegan, a health nut, or just someone with a sweet tooth, there’s a carrot cake out there for you. So go ahead, and try out this plant based recipe!

Ingredients

The sponge is a fairly classing recipe and consists of:

Dry ingredients:

250g plain flour
1tsp baking powder
1tsp bicarbonate of soda
2tsp cinnamon
1tsp nutmeg
1/4tsp salt
100g dark brown sugar
150g caster sugar

Wet ingredients:

120g groundnut oil
1tbsp apple cider vinegar
1tsp vanilla essence

And of course:

225g grated carrots

The frosting is where we get creative:

100g cashews
2tbsp apple cider vinegar
juice of 1 lemon
1/8tsp salt
1tbsp lactic acid
350g icing sugar

Directions

In a bowl add all your dry ingredient and give it a good mix. In a jug, mix together the wet ingredients and then pour into the bowl with the mixed dry ingredients. Fold everything together and finally stir through the grated carrots.

Pour the mix into a greased and lined 9″ baking tin and bake at 180C for 50 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean.

While that is baking, you can make the cream cheese frosting.

Ideally you want to soak your cashews overnight, but it also works by soaking them with boiling water for 15 minutes. This just ensures that they blend super creamy!

Add the soaked cashews to a blender with the cider vinegar, lemon juice, salt and lactic acid. Blend on high until nice and smooth. Then fold in the icing sugar, being careful not to overmix as this often leads to it being a little runny!

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