No Bake Carrot Cake
No bake carrot cake isn’t the norm, but it is fresh and tasty! It’s full of flavor and void of refined sugar, gluten, eggs and butter, which sets it apart from the classic. This no bake carrot cake is made with dates and a little maple syrup for sweetness, blended with green apple and zucchini for the binder. Coconut flour, coconut shreds, flax meal and walnuts make up the bulk of the cake.
This recipe comes together fairly quickly, but you need time for the cake to chill before frosting it. The maple vanilla cashew frosting is so delicious, I know you’ll love it.
You can half the ingredients for a smaller cake and also make a thicker single layer cake if you don’t want to layer it up. to garnish the cake, I like to sprinkle the top with crushed ‘Bare’ coconut chips which add a fun crunch and looks pretty. Unsweetened coconut shreds work as well.
Give it a try and let me know what you think. It’s a great healthy way to celebrate.
No Bake Carrot Cake
Equipment
- food processor
- blender
- 1 12" spring form pan
Ingredients
Ingredients for the cake:
Dry Ingredients
- 4 cups carrots, shredded
- 1 cup coconu flour
- 2 cups unsweetened coconut shreds
- 1/2 cup flax meal
- 1 cup walnuts
- 1 cup dates, finely chopped
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup dates
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 green apple, peeled and chopped
- 1 cup zucchini, peeled and chopped
- 1 T vanilla
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
Ingredients for the frosting:
- 2 cups cashews, soaked for 1/2 hour in hot water
- 1/2-3/4 cup coconut cream from canned full fat coconut milk chill can then scoop off solid cream
- 2/3 cup maple syrup
- 2/3 cup coconut milk
- 1 Tbs vanilla extract
- 1 Tbs lemon juice
- 1 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut or Bang coconut chips optional
Instructions
To make the cake:
- Prepare the cake pan: separate the bottom from the ring of the spring form pan. Tear a sheet of parchment paper that extends a few inches beyone the diameter of the base. Cover the base with parchment, place the side ring over the paper and attach, folding the paper under the pan.
- Shred the carrots using a food processor with the shredding disc blade.
- Change the processor blade to the S blade and add the coconut flour and flax to the carrots and pulse a couple times. Pour into a large mixing bowl.
- Add remaining dry ingredients to the processor and pulse several times to combine and roughly chop the walnuts. Pour the mixture into the mixing bowl and toss with the carrot mixture.
- In a blender, combine the dates and water and blend on low until the dates are blended
- Add remaining wet ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth.
- Pour mixture over the dry ingredients and use a spatula to fold together making sure to evenly mix.
To make the frosting:
- Add all the frosting ingredients except the melted coconut oil to a high speed blender. Blend starting on low and increase to high for a minute or two until the mixture is completely smooth.
- Stop and add the coconut oil, and blend again until the oil is incorporated. Stop to scrape the sides and blend again.
To assemble:
- Scoop 5 loose cups of the cake mixture into the pan, spread evenly and then using the palm of your hand or flat spatula, press the mixture firmly and evenly into the pan. You should have about the same amount left in the bowl.
- Pour half of the frosting over the cake and spread evenly with a spatula. Place in the freezer for an hour.
- Remove from freezer and scoop the remaining cake mixture ove rthe frosting and press down evenly.
- Pour remaining frosting over cake and spread evenly. Sprinkle with unsweetened shredded coconut if desired or try Bang coconut chips. Chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours before cutting and serving.