Nutritious Carrot Cake With Creamy Lemon Orange Frosting

This carrot cake is packed full of fresh nutritious goodness and bursting with delicious flavors such as sweet carrots, ginger, orange, lemon, cinnamon, and vanilla. Of course carrot cake wouldn’t be complete without a creamy lemon and orange cashew frosting! Cashews are a great alternative to cream cheese. When soaked and blended, they become a smooth and creamy texture similar to cream cheese frosting.

NUTRITIOUS CARROT CAKE WITH CREAMY LEMON ORANGE FROSTING [VEGAN, GLUTEN-FREE]

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CAKE:

• 1 1/2 cups oat flour (Simply blend oats into flour)
• 3 cups grated carrots
• 2 cups Medjool dates, seeds removed
• 1/2 cup macadamia nuts or nuts of choice
• 1/2 cup freshly juiced orange
• 1/2 zest of an orange
• 1 1/2 tablespoons grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder

TO MAKE THE CREAMY ICING:

• 2 cups cashews
• 1 cup coconut cream or milk, refrigerated overnight
• 5 Medjool dates, seeds removed
• 1/2 medium-sized orange, juiced
• 1 medium-sized lemon, juiced
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• Dash of maple syrup

FOR GARNISH:

• Pumpkin seeds
• Grated carrot
• Pistachios
• Maple syrup

PREPARATION

1. Soak the cashews for 2 or more hours in water.
2. I like to make the frosting first so it can cool in the refrigerator. Simply blend all icing ingredients until smooth, pour into a bowl, and set in refrigerator.
3. Blend all cake ingredients until well combined.
4. Line the bottom of a springform cake tin with baking paper and transfer half of the cake mixture into the tin and smooth out with a spoon.
5. Take the frosting out of the refrigerator and transfer half of the mixture onto the cake, smooth out with spoon and place in freezer for about 2 hours or until the frosting has hardened.
6. Transfer the rest of the cake mixture onto the icing layer and smooth out with a spoon. Place back in freezer for at least an hour to harden slightly.
7. When you are ready to serve, take out of the freezer, gently remove the cake from tin using a butter knife to loosen around the edges and place on a cake serving plate.
8. Top with remaining frosting and decorate with pumpkin seeds, grated carrot, pistachios, and a drizzle of maple syrup.
9. Store in refrigerator or in freezer to keep for longer however take out of the freezer for at least 15 minutes before serving.

https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/nutritious-carrot-cake-creamy-lemon-orange-frosting-gluten-free/