Wholesome Fruity Carrot Cake

Wholesome Fruity Carrot Cake

With Pistachio Buttercream Icing

Plant Based / Dairy Free / Gluten Free / Refined Sugar Free

Serves 8

This is our very special version of a wholesome, packed full of goodness, utterly delicious and truly healthy carrot cake! Made with carrots, almonds and oats, lots of fresh and dried fruit, a splash of maple syrup to naturally sweeten, and fragrant pistachios for the luscious buttercream icing. It is very simple to prepare and you can decorate it any way you like. We have added some “how to” tips in our Autumnal Table article. Please try it, you will love it!

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

1 large whole orange

160g pitted Medjool dates, soaked in boiling water

60ml rapeseed oil

60ml maple syrup

60ml plant based milk of choice (we use Alpro Vanilla soy milk)

2tsp vanilla extract

2 medium carrots, peeled and shredded (about a cupful)

Dry Ingredients

220g oat flour*

160g almond flour (finely ground almonds)*

1tsp baking powder

1tsp bicarbonate of soda

1tsp salt

120g sultanas, soaked in boiling water

120g shelled pistachios, roasted*

For the pistachio buttercream icing

300g xylitol (or other natural powdered sweetener)

50g shelled pistachios, soaked in boiling water and drained well

250g softened vegan butter of choice

1tsp pistachio extract

1/2tsp matcha tea powder (optional for enhancing the colour)

Marzipan decorations or other toppings of choice

Method

Start by preparing the ingredients.

Wash the whole orange and submerge it in a saucepan filled with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for one hour. 

Place the dates in a bowl and cover with boiling water.

In a separate bowl, place the raw shelled pistachios for the icing and cover them with boiling water. Set everything aside for later.

Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease and line an 18cm springform tin.

When the orange is ready, remove from the water and dry with a tea towel. Roughly chop and place in a food processor. Add the drained dates, rapeseed oil, maple syrup, milk and vanilla extract and process thoroughly, until smooth. Add the shredded carrots and pulse a few times to incorporate. Spoon in the oat flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt and mix. Finally, add the sultanas and pistachios and pulse a few more times to distribute them throughout the batter. Spoon the thick mixture into the prepared tin and bake for one and a half hour. When it begins to brown (usually after 30 minutes), loosely cover with a piece of baking parchment or foil. Test the cake with a skewer. If it comes out almost clean, it’s ready. If not, return to the oven for another 5 minutes. Some moisture remains, even after the cake is cooked. Allow to cool on a rack before removing from the tin.

For the icing, place the xylitol in a food processor. Process until it resembles icing sugar. Rub the pistachios in a tea towel to remove most of the skins. Add them to the xylitol and blend to form a fine powder. Put in the remaining ingredients, process for at least 5 minutes, until very smooth and chill. Keep in the fridge until you ice the cake.

Once the cake is completely cool, remove from the tin and place on a serving plate or cake stand. Pipe or simply spread the icing on the top, decorate to your liking, serve and enjoy!

Notes

*If you don’t have oat flour or almond flour, you can make your own by finely processing raw oats or blanched almonds in a food processor.

Using the cooked orange and the dates in the wet ingredients is a great way to naturally sweeten this cake and add fibre, vitamins and minerals. You can use any nuts or dried fruit you like into the batter, in place of the pistachios and sultanas, however these are a wonderful combination.

This cake will keep covered in the fridge for a few days.

For tips on decorating this cake and other autumn ideas, please read our Autumnal Table article.  You can find it here, in our seasonal journal.