Anyone that knows me well enough can attest to my deep love for carrots, which I will gladly eat all day, everyday in the raw, in a cake, bread, or salad- pretty much anywhere.
A few weeks ago, I was craving something sweet, but not too sweet. Usually I can munch on a carrot and forget all about it. Not this time, I wanted something more. I searched the internet where I stumbled upon The Rawtarian who just so happened to have a recipe for a raw carrot cake. Carrots with some added sweetness was most definitely going to fit the bill. The recipe looked easy enough and I thought I would be able to pull it off in a pinch or was I?
It is your lucky day because Laura-Jane so kindly gave me permission to share her recipe!
Mini Carrot Cakes (adapted from The Rawtarian’s Raw Carrot Cake)
Ingredients
- 3 cups of grated carrots
- 2 cups of pecans
- 1 1/2 cups of dates
- 1/2 cups of shredded unsweetened coconut
- 1/2 cups raisins (I actually used 1 cup because I love raisins)
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tsp of cinnamon (I most definitely used more than that amount- cant remember how much though)
- 1/4 tsp of salt (I did not add any salt, and it still tasted just fine)
- 1/4 tsp of allspice or more to taste
Optional spices:
- cloves
- nutmeg
Method
- Grate the carrots either by hand or in a food processor. I used the latter. Place them in a bowl.
- Process the pecan in an empty food processor into a fine meal.
- Add the dates to the pecan crumble, and combine well.
- Add the shredded coconut.
- Remove the pecan, date and coconut mixture from the food processor and addd to the carrots.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the carrot and pecan mixture. Combine well. I got a little dirty and used my hands.
- Take the carrot cake batter and form into mini carrot cakes.
- Place the mini carrot cakes on the parchment paper of your dehydrator and dehydrate for 1.5 hours at around 130 degrees, and reduce heat to 105 degrees. You can now dehydrate up to 10 hours or until they are crisp on the outside.
- If you do not have a dehydrator, and want to still keep them slightly raw- simply put the heat on your oven at the lowest temperature, and keep your oven slightly open. Cook until they are crispy on the outside.
- If you are not so concerned about the rawness, just bake them in the oven. However, I am not sure on the exact temperature. I would guesstimate anywhere from 300-400 degrees. But check on them often because I am sure hey will bake quickly.
Once done- gobble them up warm with some raw cream cheese frosting!
Cream Cheese Frosting (adapted from The Rawtarian’s Cream Cheese Icing)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups of cashews (I soaked them for 3 hours, but not necessary)
- 1/2 cups of water
- 3 Tbsp of coconut oil or homemade coconut butter
- 2 Tbsp of agave, maple syrup or honey (I used date paste the first time and honey the second)
- 1 Tbsp of vanilla or almond extract
- Optional: cinnamon (I put it in everything)
*If you use date paste, I would say you will need more than 2 Tbsp, probably want to use around 4 dates to make the paste or more depending how sweet you would like the frosting.
Method
- Combine all the ingredients in a food processor. Process until smooth and creamy.
- Place the frosting in either your refrigerator or freezer to allow it to harden.
Do not forget the coconut oil or coconut butter because that is the ingredient that will help make the frosting nice and firm.
Once the mini carrot cakes are done and the frosting is ready- take spoonful of the frosting and plop it on top of the mini carrot cake. No need to be fancy. Enjoy this not too sweet dessert for lunch or dinner or even breakfast. Don’t judge- I know you were thinking the same thing.
So- how do you think I did? Doesn’t look too bad?
Disclosure CMP.LY/5
cake, dessert, food, green, raw, recipes, vegan
I am the Good Girl Gone Green. Seeing garbage cans overflowing with recyclables breaks my heart.
Yummm!! Can’t wait to try these
Will have to bake them in the oven though. The frosting sounds so good. Great weekend treat!
They are delicious. Let me know how they turn out!
Congrats – they turned out beautifully. Love the first pic!
Thanks, Laura-Jane! Means a lot coming from you!
These sound sooo good! I think I even have just about every ingredient I would need to make them too, huge plus!
I just need pecans and cashews. Do you use raw then?
Brenna, let me know if you make them and how they turn out.
They look spectacular and delicious! Yum.
They are so yummy!
They look yummy, and I may have to try them. But I also must object. One cannot call something with no cream cheese in it “cream cheese frosting.” It is false advertising or something. Besides, if you call it what it is — cashew nut frosting — I will think it sounds just as yummy but I won’t be annoyed by the misnomer!
And you are right — definitely something I would have for breakfast…. mmmm.
In the vegan community we don’t eat cheese and therefore call “cheese” substitutes just that cheese blah blah. Also, I think my title was clean that it was a raw vegan recipe, so one would have to assume it is not real “cream cheese.”
Let me know if you try it and how it turned out.
I am pinning this on Pinterest now. Looks delicious and healthy.
Thank you so much, Carly!
This looks so good, especially that frosting! I pinned it and am totally trying it. I can’t stand waste either!
Thank you. The frosting is pretty delicious.
That is quite an interesting recipe! I don’t have a dehydrator, so I will have to try them in the oven.
I am sure it will still be tasty even if you use an oven.
Thanks for linking up with the Planet Weidknecht Wet and Windy Weekend Hop!
Sounds interesting! Thanks for joining the email subscription hop at Heartfelt Balance Handmade Life! Have a great week!
Ooh, this looks really really good. I just bought a dehydrator, and I’m looking for interesting things to try in it. I might give this a go.
If you are looking for some fun recipes checkout KristensRawBlog, or uncooking 101. Lots of great recipes!
I love this recipe I will have to try this week. Curious can I do with almonds in stead of Pecans? I am a new follower by email Stopping by via the Inspire me Monday and Email Hop. http://kelleysnutrition.blogspot.com/
I am sure it would taste good with almonds. I like all nuts so….:)
Yum! This looks so delish…and healthy! I am trying to get rid of all the processed food in my life which is not easy…yeah, see my post on sugar cookies today. But this? I can DO this! Hurrah! Thanks so much for linking up to my Destination: Inspiration linky party on Teagan’s Travels. Hope you will be back each week because I’d love to see what else you have up your sleeve!
Michelle
I now limiting processed foods is quite the task, but slowly and surely it gets easier. One day at a time. Let me know if you try it.
Yummy
thanks for joining us at Creative Mondays 
Thanks, Claire!
These look great! Thanks for linking up to our “Strut Your Stuff Saturday.” We would love to have you back!! -The Sisters
Thanks!
Oh MY.
I am DEFINITELY trying these…I cannot wait
Thanks for linking up to Tasty Tuesday <3
Let me know how they turn out!
These look delicious. I love your blog and your green ambitions. I’m your newest follower! I would be thrilled if you could drop by Moose Mouse Creations and visit me too!
Thank you, Carolyn!
oh my word, when can you bring these over? xo
LOL!
Yum. I am wondering if I can leave out the shredded coconut. I wonder how they would take with zucchini?
If you like zucchini I am sure it would taste good!
Look at you! Great work! I’m so happy you found my Drab to Fab party! I really like your blog and what you have to share! I’d love to see more of what you’ve got, come on back over to this week’s party!
http://www.amynjesse.com/2012/03/drab-to-fab-link-up-8-features_15.html
Have a great weekend!
Amy @ Sugar and Spice
Thanks, Amy! I am trying to make some delicious recipes to share….try!
Sounds good! I love anything with carrots too – especially carrot cake.
Peace.
Oh, I could eat carrots all day long! Yum!
Wow! This looks so yummy! I’ve been on the Eat to Live plan and this fits right in! Thanks so much for linking this up last week. Hope you’ll be back as we have our Destination: Inspiration party going on now at Teagan’s Travels.
Cheers,
Michelle
http://teaganstravels.blogspot.com/2012/03/destination-inspiration-linky-party-7.html
If you try it, let me know what you think.
This looks awesome. I have some grated carrots for a vegan cake in my refrigerator right now. I may have to make this instead.
Let me know if you try it.
OMG, what a cool idea! Thanks again for linking up with Delicious Dish Tuesday. We would appreciate a backlink when you get the chance
It is so yummy!
Sounds and looks so delicious! I’d love to try it!
Let me know if you end up trying it out!
Hi There,
Just a note to let you know I shared your awesome recipe on my monthly recipe round-up highlighting raw dishes. If you get a chance, come on over and check out the other inspiring raw recipes from sweet to savory.
http://www.thetastyalternative.com/2012/05/monthly-round-up-may-2012-raw-foods.html
Be Well,
–Amber
[...] recipe: These aren’t technically cupcakes, but I had to share this recipe for mini raw vegan carrot cake from Good Girl Gone Green. [...]
[...] mini raw vegan carrot cakes recipe [...]