I have just revisited and revamped this recipe. And it’s totally off the hook and amazing now! My good friend Liz gave me the BEST advice last weekend: cut the lemon juice and add in some 5 spice. It literally transformed this cake from “Ok, that’s pretty good” to “WOW, this is the BEST carrot cake I’ve ever had!!”
Raw Carrot Cake Recipe:
- 1 cup grated carrot
- 1 cup raw walnuts
- 1 cup medjool dates, about 9 large dates, pits removed
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp Chinese Five Spice seasoning
- 1/3 cup raisins
- 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
Fine chop the carrots into a quick “shredded carrot” in the food processor, then scoop into a bowl. Puree 1 cup walnuts in the food processor. Add in 9 mejool dates into the pureed walnuts, and then blend into a sweet paste. Add walnut/date paste into bowl with the grated carrots, stir and mash in together, and add in 1 cup dried coconut, vanilla & five spice. Then add in 1/3 cup raisins, 1/3 cup chopped walnuts. Mix until well incorporated. Shape the carrot cake with your hands onto a plate, it will be easy to shape into a cake mold. Chill in the fridge to help firm up.
Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 cup cashews or macadamia nuts
- 2 TBS coconut oil
- 2 TBS raw coconut nectar, honey, or maple syrup
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch sea salt
- 1 Tablespoon water, add more as needed
Blend all ingredients together in a high speed blender or food processor. It may also help to soak your cashews for an hour prior to making for easier blending, if you soak the cashews, expect to use less water in blending.
Pictured is a double batch of the cake recipe, and 1 1/2 batch of the icing recipe!
I can’t wait to try this today, it looks so good!
I tried the carrot cake recipe last night. It reminded me of sweet,cookie dough, I love cookie dough so that’s a good thing. Since I have been eating raw, I haven’t had many different desserts, so this was a real treat, thanks.
So wonderful to hear!!! xoxo
I freaking love carrot cake. I did not have it this year on my birthday as the usual preparation is in contradiction to my new found love of living grain free. This recipe is rocking my world. I’m so making this for my mom when I go to visit her next week. Thanks bunches I very much look forward to trying this.
LOVE to hear that Blaine!! I made this for my birthday celebration last year, and recently revamped the recipe so it will knock anyone’s socks off! I cut out the lemon juice, and added in five spice, which makes this raw carrot cake oh so “warming”. Hope you enjoy!! ♥
Sound delicious and thats alot sweet for me… I will try this one later next week and reduce the sweet..
Hi MC,
It’s actually pretty low in sweets! Works out to about 1 date per serving, and a few raisins. Also there are only 2 Tablespoons of raw [low glycemic] coconut sugar in the icing, so that works out to less than a teaspoon per serving, but feel free to omit the icing! ♥
what the heck is 5 chinese spice?
Hi Sharon,
Chinese Five Spice is a finely ground blend of star anise, cinnamon, black pepper, clove, and fennel seeds. It adds a warming sensation to this raw carrot cake. Five spice is available in just about every spice section at every store! If for some reason you can’t find it, you can just use a pinch of whichever spices you can from the blend. Hope you enjoy!
So this is raw and not cooked, correct? How long should it chill for?
Hi Spring,
It is ideal to chill it for a few hours, but even after 1 hour you can frost it and dig right in. It will also keep well for 2 to 3 days if stored in the fridge. Think of this as an “Ice Box Carrot Cake”, one you “bake in the fridge”.
Just divine!!! I love the ingredients and natural sweeteners. Carrots and dates together sound heavenly. And that cream cheese frosting? Wow! It looks like this is a two layer cake with the frosting between the layers. Is that right? I know that you shape by hand, but what size is the overall cake?
Thanks so much for sharing this at Raw Foods Thursdays. I’ll be highlighting it tomorrow!
Hi Heather!
Thanks so much for sharing! The cake pictured is a double batch of the cake recipe, and 1 + 1/2 of the frosting recipe, so yep, it’s a double layer with frosting in between the layers. The recipe posted will make a small to medium sized cake that will easily satisfy 6 to 8 people, depending on how big your slices are. ♥
Pingback: Raw Foods Thursdays: 3/28/13 | Gluten-Free Cat
Pingback: 10 Clean Eating Easter Recipes: Eggs, Bunnies, Chicks and Carrots Galore!