From time to time I get a craving to make a carrot cake. It’s weird – a sensation just comes over me and I can’t settle until it’s done. That happened to me last Saturday. I answered ‘the call’ and baked the cake.

Carrot Cake

PREP TIME

10 mins

COOK TIME

45 mins

Equipment

• 1 Mixing bowl and spoon
• 1 round cake tin or any cake tin

Ingredients

Cake

• 2 Tbsp chia seeds
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1/2 cup banana. mashed or apple sauce
• 1/2 cup plant milk
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup flavourless oil I use macadamia oil but grapeseed is another option
• 1 cup sugar of choice
• 2 cups self raising flour if using plain all purpose flour, add 2 tsp of baking powder
• 1 tsp bicarb soda aka baking soda
• 1 pinch salt to taste
• 1 whole carrot, grated
• 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ginger powder
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup saltanas or raisins
• 1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped

Icing

• 1/2 cup raw cashews soaked for at least 30 minutes in enough water to cover them.
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup icing sugar
• 1 Tbsp lemon zest or the zest from one lemon

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius.
  
• Add the chia seeds and boiling water to a large bowl and leave for 5 minutes so the seeds can absorb the liquid.
  
• Add the rest of the wet ingredients, including the banana or apple sauce and mix.
  
• Add the dry ingredients (including the carrot and mix ins) and fold through using a spoon.
  
• Pour mixture into a round cake tin that is lined with baking paper (or your preferred cake tin).
  
• Bake for approx. 45 minutes or until skewer comes out clean and the top is golden brown. ⁣⁣
  
• Leave the cake on the bench to cool down before icing it.
  
• Drain the cashews and then blitz all the icing ingredients in a blender until smooth. Spread the icing on top of the cake.
  
• Store in a sealed container in the fridge.