Name: Virtuous carrot cake
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 2 ripe bananas; 10 fresh medjool dates, pitted; 6 tablespoon coconut oil, melted; 3 organic eggs; 150 gram ground almonds; 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder; 3 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg; 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom; 3 medium carrots, peeled and grated; 1/2 cup desiccated coconut; 2 teaspoon chia seeds; 1/2 cup hazelnuts, roughly chopped; 1/2 cup raisins, currants or sultanas; 1/4 cup mixed pumpkin and sunflower seeds; handful of toasted coconut flakes, to decorate; maple syrup, to drizzle; Icing; 200 gram cream cheese; juice of 1/2 lime; 3 tablespoon good-quality maple syrup

Virtuous carrot cake

This rich, spiced cake has the added bonus of being gluten-free.

Serves 12

Prep

30M

Cook

40M

Total

1H 10M

Ingredients

2 ripe bananas

10 fresh medjool dates, pitted

6 tablespoon coconut oil, melted

3 organic eggs

150 gram ground almonds

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

3 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

3 medium carrots, peeled and grated

1/2 cup desiccated coconut

2 teaspoon chia seeds

1/2 cup hazelnuts, roughly chopped

1/2 cup raisins, currants or sultanas

1/4 cup mixed pumpkin and sunflower seeds

handful of toasted coconut flakes, to decorate

maple syrup, to drizzle

Icing

200 gram cream cheese

juice of 1/2 lime

3 tablespoon good-quality maple syrup

Method

1.Preheat the oven to 180°C fan-forced. Grease and line two 22cm-diameter cake tins.

2.Place the bananas, dates and coconut oil in a food processor and process into a thick cream.

3.In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the eggs until pale and frothy.

4.In a separate bowl, sift together the ground almonds, baking powder and spices. Add to eggs and fold together.

5.Fold in banana and date cream, followed by grated carrots and remaining cake ingredients. Don’t overmix.

6.Evenly divide the batter between the tins and bake for 30 minutes, or until golden in colour, springy to the touch and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tins for 10 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.

7.Meanwhile, make the icing in the bowl of an electric mixer by beating all the ingredients together until smooth.

8.Once the cakes have completely cooled, spread a layer of icing onto one and then place the other, flipped upside down, on top to form a sandwich. Spread another layer of icing on top and garnish with toasted coconut flakes and a drizzle of maple syrup.

9.The carrot cake can be stored in an airtight container, in a cool, dry place, for up to 3 days.

Women's Weekly Food