Still wholesome and satisfying, this is a great alternative to the much loved carrot cake…minus all that butter and oil.
I love the addition of pineapple too – so fresh and sweet!
Preparation time overnight
Make time 50 minutes
Stand time 8 hours
Serves 12
INGREDIENTS
Cake
1 1/2 cups walnuts
1 1/2 cups pecans
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 Tbsp coconut oil
2 cups grated carrot
1/2 cup diced pineapple
1 Tbsp maple syrup
6 Medjool dates, pitted
1 tsp coconut oil (to grease)
Lemon frosting
2 cups raw cashews, soaked overnight – rinsed well
2 Tbsp coconut oil
juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp lemon zest
1/4 cup honey
¾ cup coconut water + extra
METHOD
1 Grease the bottom and sides of the tin with the coconut oil and set aside. Process walnuts, pecans, spices and coconut oil until crumbly. Add grated carrot, pineapple, maple syrup and mix well. Add dates, one at a time and process until no large chunks remain.
2 Pinch the mixture together between your fingers – if it holds its shape it’s the right consistency. If not, add 1 Tbsp cold water at a time until the desired consistency is achieved. Taste. Sweet enough? Spiced enough? Adjust if desired.
3 Flip the base of the springform pan upside down so you don’t need to worry about the lip when removing the cake later. Press the cake down evenly into the base of the tin and place in the freezer while you prepare the frosting.
4 Blend all ingredients, starting with ¾ cup coconut water, until smooth. Gradually add extra coconut water until the entire mixture is smooth and churning consistently. You may need to regularly stop the blender and scrape down the sides with a spatula to allow for a well combined mixture. Taste. Sweet enough? Tangy enough? Adjust if desired.
5 Remove the cake from the freezer and evenly pour the lemon frosting over the top. Return to freezer for 6-8 hours or overnight for best results.
To serve: Slice into even pieces when frozen solid and then let soften at room temperature for 1 hour before serving. Top with walnuts and extra lemon zest. Best kept in the freezer until needed. Will keep in the fridge for 2 – 3 days.
Nicole Joy is an inspirational foodie who shares her story of rediscovering her love of food, particularly the sweet kind, through her successful blog and sellout dessert classes she hosts. Nicole believes in nourishing the body and soul with delicious, wholesome ingredients, and advocates that healthy eating does not mean compromising on flavour. A former school teacher and entrepreneur at heart, Nicole’s broad-ranging experience includes successfully developing her own jewellery line, being crowned Miss World QLD, hosting a children’s program on Channel 9, and establishing her own sleepwear label. Her anticipated new book, Why it’s perfectly acceptable to eat dessert for breakfast, is available online at www.nicolejoyinspire.com
