Carrot cake is one of my favourite desserts, and I have a great craving for it! I enjoy the flavour of the nuts, dried fruits, and spices, as well as the frosting. The problem is that this cake can be incredibly fattening and high in sugars, which makes me feel pretty heavy after consuming just one piece, so I created a sugar-free carrot cake that is full of goodness!
The bananas are an excellent substitute for eggs, and I used maple syrup, bananas, and dates instead of sugar. My partner dislikes carrot cake, but he enjoys banoffee cake, so I used three bananas in the recipe, and she liked it.
Serve with Blackberry Limeade Fizz for a more delightful treat. Have a good time!
Sugar-Free Carrot Cake
Print RecipeIngredients
- 2 cups of whole wheat flour, all-purpose
- 3 teaspoons of baking powder, brand new
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon of sea salt
- 2 teaspoons of cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon of nutmeg
- 1 cup of pecans for dressing
- 1/2 a cup of almonds
- 3 medium or large carrots
- 2 bananas, well mashed (or three if you love the taste!)
- 1 cup of dates, pitted and puréed
- 1/2 a cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/2 a cup of plain yogurt (coconut for non-vegan)
- 2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- Juice of half a lemon
- A handful of raisins, finely chopped
- Optional: 2 whisked fresh organic eggs
- For the Frosting:
- 1 cup of raw cashews, soaked for a couple of hours, drained and rinsed
- Juice of half a lemon
- 2 tablespoons of liquid coconut oil
- 1/3 cup of pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Set aside a round 8-inch cake pan lined with parchment paper.
- Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a mixing dish.
- Thoroughly combine the nuts (not too much as you don’t want to powder them) or lightly chop them in a food processor, then add to the dry mix and set aside.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, combine the grated carrots and mashed bananas. Set aside.
- Blend the dates with the liquid coconut oil. When the mixture is uniform, add it into the carrot-banana mixture and stir everything together. Add the maple syrup, yoghurt, raisins, vanilla extract, half a lemon juice, and whisked eggs (optional).
- Combine the flour mixture and the dry mix until it is thick and good.
- Pour the final mixture into the cake pan. Remember to line the pan with parchment paper or grease the bottom and edges with coconut oil and flour before demoulding. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. If using a loaf pan, bake for at least 50 minutes, depending on the size of the mould.
- Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
While the cake is in the oven, whip together the icing:
- Blend the soaked cashews for about 1 minute or until they form a paste. If required, add some water.
- Combine the blended cashews, liquid coconut oil, lemon juice, vanilla extract and maple syrup and put in the freezer for a few minutes or until the frosting is spreadable.
- Then, before serving, spread the frosting evenly over the cake and top with pecan halves.
