You either love it or hate it. One thing is for sure, as a kid, the first time I heard of carrot cake I thought the adults around me had gone insane. Who uses a vegetable for dessert? It was only later in life that I developed a pious adoration, similar to sweet potato pie, sweetening up my savory dishes, dipping fries in ice-cream and being obsessed with chocolate covered pretzels.

Carrot cake come in many variations. From the dried cornucopia invaded version similar to the forsaken fruitcake, to the coconut, cream cheese, pineapple, liquor gourmet versions. Although I do believe in less is more, I also believe in more is more. When it comes to carrot cake, sometimes simple is good, but there is no harm in having more than one variation. Or is that like being unfaithful? Given that the divorce rate in the US is 50% (64% for second and 74% for third marriages), I am going to allow myself to cheat on carrot cake. Don’t cry for me Argentina. The truth is, I never left you. I just replaced you for something different.

There is no need for eggs. Dairy? Nah. No need for that unless we are a nursing baby. And like Mark Bittman puts it, “we need animal products like we need junk food.” But we need carrot cake. This one, will shame most chocolate cakes. It’s grown up, it’s naughty and mysterious. And I can pretend I am eating veggies.

Where to start?

Equipment

Start by cutting two baking parchment paper circles. Do so by using the pans as a template, draw a circle, and cut slightly smaller. Oil lightly.

• Blender
• Food processor with a grating disk blade
• Two 9″ cake pans
• Two large and one small bowls
• Baking parchment paper

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons golden flax seeds
• 1 cup of pineapple juice from a can
• 1 1/3 cup of canola oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3 cups baby carrots grated in a food processor
• 2 cups chopped walnuts
• 2 cups raisins soaked in hot water for 10 minutes
• 2 2/3 cups of whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoons ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon salt

Start by soaking the flax seeds right into your blender for a period of 10 minutes. Preheat your oven at 350 degrees.

Soaking the whole flaxseeds in the pineapple juice to soften

This will allow them so soften and grind to a beautiful frothy mess. Blend until the reach a rich porridge type consistency. This will help hold the mixture together and add a rich nutty flavor as well as a light texture. In essence, a vegan replacement for the role that eggs play. Use this technique anytime.

Flaxseeds ground with pineapple juice make a mushy porridge

Continuing with the wet ingredients, whisk the oil and the vanilla with the flax seed mixture until fully incorporated. You may to use use a little elbow grease. A large whisk (not a spatula) works very well here. Or you can also add the oil to the blender with the flax seeds to create a homogeneous mixture.

Carrots, walnuts and beautiful raisins about to be mixed with the flax, oil and vanilla mixture

Mix the carrots, walnuts and raisins in a big bowl and pour the flax seed mixture.

The consistency of the flaxseed mixture is rich, creamy, like a semi-thick batter

It will be thick and gooey. That’s good.

The mixture is thick, resembling a banana bread type rather that your typical cake batter

In another blow mix all remaining dry ingredients starting with the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, spices. Then mix the dry into the wet, mixing until all wet and dry are combined. Be certain not to over mix. Pad the batter down into the pans.

Dividing the dough into the two prepared pans

Bake for 40 minutes until a knife comes out clean. The center may still jiggle a little bit and that’s ok. Let cool for 30 minutes prior to unmolding. The cakes will pull away from the pans and will slide out easily. Then cool completely before frosting.

Baked cakes will rise almost to the top, but then fall just a little bit

Place one in a cake pan or a cardboard round template to make it easier for frosting. I didn’t have one so I just used a plate. Then make the frosting.

Sake Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

• Three 8oz vegan cream cheese containers
• 3 cups of powder sugar
• 3 tablespoons sake
• zest of one orange
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Elbow grease and a whisk, hand mix this into a homogenous mixture. Do not use an electric mixture of food processor as vegan cream cheese is fragile and can fall apart into a wet mess. Be patient. You may have to use a knife sporadically to combine stuck cream cheese inside the whisk. It will all mix with a little work. If using a cardboard round, put a little dollop of frosting to hold the cake down. Then spread about 1/3 of the mixture in between.

Filling the cake

Place the other cake layer on top carefully.

Placing the second layer on top. Some frosting may escape. That's ok

Then using an icing spatula or a big knife, add the frosting on the sides and top. Smooth out as much as you can. If you like, add some shredded carrots, walnuts or any decorations you like. Here I have used coconut and crystallized ginger.

Finished cake with frosting, shredded coconut and crystallized ginger

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