Paleo Raw Carrot Cake is a spin on a traditional favorite! Made with a carrot, date and walnut base, this delicious cake is topped with a silky cashew maple coconut icing that's surprisingly healthy and good for you. This is what carrot cake dreams are made of! Paleo + Gluten Free + Vegan + Low Calorie
Remember when I said I would never make a cake?
Well, I lied. I made you a cake.
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If there's one thing that will bring me to my knees (other than chocolate of course), it's carrot cake. In fact, if a guy wants to win me over on a date then all he needs to do is bring me carrot cake. I would take carrot cake any day over chocolate. Okay, so maybe not any day. I would still gladly accept chocolate anytime.
But there's just something about carrot cake.
Maybe it's the carrots. Maybe it's the coconut. Maybe it's the sweet cinnamon-y bread. Or maybe it's that sweet, sweet vanilla icing. Whatever it is, carrot cake is what my dreams are made of.
Paleo Raw Carrot Cake
The thing about carrot cake is that it's a lot harder to make healthy than you think. I should know. I'm pretty sure I've made at least 50 different versions of carrot cake for months and have never been able to get it just the way I wanted. Don't get me wrong.
They were all good, but none of the versions turned out the way I imagined in my head. You know when you have something in your mind a certain way and everything else is just well, okay? Because not only am I a perfectionist, but I also have to get whatever it is just right before it meets my expectations.
Finally I gave up on making a "cake" and thought what if I just made the base out of walnuts and dates? Enter Raw Carrot Cake.
For the icing I wanted something lighter and with less sugar, but that was healthy. I know, I was asking for a lot here! So sticking with the raw theme, I knew I wanted to blend something with soaked cashews to get the consistency I wanted but that something was the question so I slept on it, went to the gym and the next morning it came to me.
Coconut milk! After my workout, I picked up the coconut milk and blended it with the soaked cashews, some almond extract and maple syrup and voila! Best. Icing. Ever.
It's just the way I wanted it. It's thick and lightly sweet, but not overly sweet. I actually doubled the icing so I could dip Raw Carrot Cake into it. Something I highly recommend by the way!
This Raw Carrot Cake is guaranteed to win any heart. It sure won mine! I'm already on my third batch and I have no guilt eating it either with all it's healthy ingredients. Maybe one day I'll make a plain old, regular carrot cake but until then, Raw Carrot Cake it is!
More Recipes To Try
Paleo Vegan Raw Pumpkin Pie
More Carrot Cake Recipes
Vegan Turmeric Carrot Cake Bites
Paleo Carrot Cake Cookies
Gluten Free Carrot Cake Pancakes
Paleo Raw Carrot Cake
Ingredients
For the Base
- 1 cup carrots shredded in a food processor
- 1 cup dates pitted
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1 cup walnuts
- 1/4 cup coconut oil melted
- 1/4 cup coconut flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
For the Icing
- 1/2 cup cashews soaked in water 20 minutes
- 1/8 cup unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil melted
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 tablespoons walnuts for topping
Instructions
- To make the base, mix dates in a food processor until it forms a paste. Break up the paste into a few chunks to spread it evenly throughout the food processor.
- Add the walnuts, carrots, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, coconut flour, coconut oil and coconut flakes together to the food processor with the date paste and combine until mixed together.
- Line a loaf pan with parchment paper vertical and horizontal so you can pull up the cake easily once set.
- Place the base mixture in the loaf pan and place in the freezer while you make the icing.
- To the food processor, add soaked cashew, coconut milk, maple syrup, almond extract and coconut oil. Blend until a silky smooth icing forms.
- Remove the loaf pan from the freezer and using a spatula spread the icing over the base covering all the corners and edges. Sprinkle with walnut pieces and gently push into the icing with your finger to secure.
- Place the loaf pan back in the freezer, 4 hours minimum (overnight is best).
- Remove and slice into 16 mini carrot cake bites.
- Keep carrot cake bites in a container in the freezer.
Video
Notes
- Soak cashews 3-4 hours, for best results soak overnight.
For a sweeter icing, add 1-2 tbsp more of the maple syrup. - If you love this recipe, also see my Raw Pumpkin Pie Cake.
- Substitutes for dates include: figs, dried raisins or cranberries. No other substitutes have been tested with this recipe. For those who believe dates have too much sugar, remember the sugar in dates is balanced with fiber which is key with any high sugar food. Unless you are diabetic, there is no need to avoid dates.
- My Amazon shop has more products similar to those used for this recipe and that I recommend to my weight loss clients.
- If you love this recipe, check out my low calorie cookbook for more delicious recipes and weight loss tips!
Nutrition
What I Used For The Recipe
I have high cholesterol that I need to get down. Should I avoid coconut oil?
If you have high LDL cholesterol, I would recommend avoiding coconut oil and swapping for olive oil.
This was fabulous. I used too large a pan so it was kinda flat.
Also I did not have coconut flour so
on line said to use one cup plus 1 t’. But this time I am having company. So what were the dementions of your pan
It's a standard loaf plan which is linked in the instructions (instruction 3). I'm so glad you enjoyed it though!
It says to freeze the carrot cake, but do you defrost to eat?
No you eat it frozen. If you were to defrost it, the whole thing would melt and fall apart.
This cake is AMAZING. I used less dates in the base, and added vanilla + lemon juice to the frosting. I love to cook and I've tried so many different recipes off the internet, yet this is my first time leaving a comment, because this cake is so ridiculously good. Unfortunately I can't seem to find an option to attach a photo of the beauty. Thank you for the recipe, I will be trying more of your creations 🙂
Thank you! Glad you loved it.