I may love carrots just as much as the Easter Bunny does so I created this no bake mini carrot cake recipe a few years ago to add to our Easter brunch menu. It’s extremely easy to make and is absolutely delicious. It is refined sugar free, gluten free, soy free, and dairy free. If you make these mini carrot cakes, please post a photo to your social media pages and tag Macaroni Kid North Poconos in your post.
Raw Carrot Cake
1 c walnuts
1 c dates
2 c carrot pulp
1 tsp cinnamon powder
½ tsp ginger powder or 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
Dash of nutmeg
⅛ tsp sea salt
¾ c raisins
½ c dried shredded coconut
Start by soaking 1 cup of dates in water for a few hours then drain. Next, grate about 4-6 large carrots to make 2 cups and set aside. In a food processor, combine the walnuts and dates and process until they are blended well. Add the rest of the ingredients and process for about 1 minute. Lightly grease 2 muffin pans with coconut oil. I usually cut a 1” by 5” strip of wax paper and lay it at the bottom of the muffin cup to make removing the cakes easier. Fill the muffin cup with the carrot cake mixture and continue to fill all of the cups until you run out of the “batter”. I usually get about 10-12 mini cakes. Pop the pans in your freezer for about one hour. In the meantime, make the frosting.
Cashew Vanilla Frosting
1 ½ cups of raw cashews
Juice of 1 large lemon
2 Tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
2-4 Tbsp of carrot juice (optional)
Soak the cashews in hot water for one hour and drain. Add the cashews, lemon juice, coconut oil and vanilla extract to your blender and blend until smooth. Put the frosting into a bowl and set aside.
Optional:You may also add 2-4 Tbsp of carrot juice to naturally dye all of your frosting or reserve ½ cup of frosting to use for decorating the cakes using a pastry bag. I add the juice until I get the perfect color of orange. Add the frosting to a pastry bag or use a large ziplock bag with the corner cut out to fit your frosting tip. Close the bag with a rubber band.
Remove your mini cakes from the freezer after one hour and let them thaw for 20 minutes. Pull the sides of the wax paper strips to pop the cakes out of the muffin cups. You may also need to use a butter knife around the sides of the cakes to loosen them from the cups. Flip the cakes onto a plate or cutting board lined with wax paper. Use a butter knife or an icing spatula to cover the cakes with your frosting. Sometimes I will sprinkle chopped walnut pieces over the frosting. Leave as is or get out your pastry bag filled with frosting and add a dollop to the top of each mini cake. Serve immediately or transfer to a plate and keep them in the fridge until you are ready to eat them. Can also be frozen to eat at a later date. Thaw about 30 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
