One of my Aunties used to make us the most amazing carrot cake when we went to visit… it was moist, lightly spiced and delicious, with lots of beautiful, rich cream cheese icing. She gave me the recipe many years ago, and I used to make it very often until having to go going gluten and egg free. I have missed it so much!
So for months I have been trying to recreate it – this recipe has felt like it’s been a LONG time coming… I have tried so many variations (as friends and family who ate all of the ‘nearly’ ones can testify!). So I am incredibly excited to share the recipe with you now I’m happy with it!
I started off trying to alter the original recipe, but after multiple failures (at least one of which was actually inedible!), I turned to my blueberry muffin recipe to see if I could carrotify it – IT WORKED!!! It took a few goes to get the flavour and texture right, but here it is and I’m just delighted that we get to eat carrot cake again 🙂
It is moist, gently spiced and light, the icing makes it sing with its understated sweetness and tang, I hope you like it as much as we do!
Servings |
muffins
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- 150 grams grated carrot
- 1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil melted
- the zest of half a lemon
- 140 ml almond milk (1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp if you prefer cups!)
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 120 grams ground almonds
- 150 grams brown rice flour
- 1 1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- pinch salt
- 200 grams vegan cream cheese I used the Violife brand
- 1 1/2 tsp freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/4 cup walnuts crushed to small pieces
Ingredients
the muffins!
for the icing
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|
- Preheat your oven to 170 degrees c (fan) and place 12 muffin cases in a tin.
- In a bowl mix together all of the wet ingredients: grated carrot, coconut oil, lemon zest, almond milk, maple syrup and lemon juice.
- In a separate bowl mix all of the remaining 'dry' muffin ingredients and make a bit of a well in the middle.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix well but quickly as the bicarbonate of soda will begin to react with the lemon juice.
- Fill your 12 muffin cases with the mixture and bake in the oven for 40 to 45 minutes (mine were just right after 43 mins!)
- Mix together the cream cheese, lime juice and maple syrup and taste for sweetness - add a little more maple syrup if you like it sweeter, or lime juice if you like it tangy!
- Once your muffins have cooled completely swirl this icing liberally on the top. The muffins look (and taste!) lovely with crushed walnuts sprinkled on the top, but this is entirely optional 🙂
This got hearty approval from all my family and I will definitely be making it often – hurrah for carrot cake!