Our Family's Favorite Carrot Cake Veganized!!

Our favorite carrot cake for years has been our modified version of "Sam's Famous Carrot Cake" from allrecipes dot com. I've managed to veganize it by eliminating the eggs and buttermilk, and it is fantastic!! Double the recipe for a layered cake. Next time I'll use oat flour to make the cake gluten-free. This uses a sifter; it may be fine without one. Click HERE for frosting recipe.

9" cake pan lined with parchment paper
Pre-heat oven 350 degrees F

Ingredients in sections this time according to steps of preparation:

In medium bowl, sift together dry ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat flour (I used white wheat this time)
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp salt

For egg substitute, mix together:
1. 5 T ground flax seed
3 T water

For buttermilk substitute:
5 T soy milk
2 tsp lemon juice
(can sub white or apple cider vinegar)
Stir together and let sit for 5-10 min to curdle






In large bowl, beat together:

the egg and buttermilk substitutes above
6 T light olive oil
3/4 cup of sugar (ideally natural, unbleached sugar)
1 tsp vanilla extract


THEN add the dry ingredients from the medium bowl to the large bowl and mix well.









In medium bowl, stir together:

1 cup shredded carrots (about 2), lightly coated with lemon juice
1/2 cup organic shredded coconut*
1/2 cup raisins*soaked in 2 T of warmed orange juice
1/2 cup pecan pieces
4 oz crushed pineapple, drained

✓ Fold the fruit/veggie/nut mixture into batter

*Warm about 2 T of orange juice and soak raisins in it for a few minutes. You can do this at the beginning of the recipe, too, for plumper raisins.

If your coconut is dried out too much, add 1-2 more T of oj and soak the coconut in that, too. Start with the raisins, first, though.

Fruit, veggie, nut mixture.
The colors are beautiful!
The photo doesn't do it justice :(

✓Pour the batter into lined cake pan
✓Bake in pre-heated oven for 35 minutes
✓Check doneness by testing with toothpick poked in center of cake comes out clean
✓Remove from oven (turn oven off *cough*)
✓✓Let it cool completely before removing cake from pan

Line pan with parchment paper
(this helps to remove cake easily)

✓Get a cutie to sing Happy Birthday to you

Coconut Whipped Cream and Frosting

One batch yields about 3/4-1 cup, enough to top one 9" cake round.

If making a 2-layered cake, I would triple this recipe.

Instead of powdered sugar, which is mostly cornstarch, I grind granulated sugar into a powder.

This is a hybrid of two recipes from:

unconventionalbaker dot com 

and 

godairyfree dot org

Ingredients:

1 can (approx 14 oz) full-fat coconut milk (not the kind you drink from a carton)

2 T natural sugar ground into powder (I used a Bullet)

(If using powdered sugar, use no more than 3 T. Otherwise too much could make the frosting into a glaze)

1/4-1/2 tsp powdered vanilla (or 1/2 - 1 tsp pure vanilla extract)

Optional:

Lemon zest to sprinkle on top

1/4 - 1. 5 tsp Dr. Oetker Whip It Thickener/Stabilizer (Not needed if just making a whipped cream, but if you want the cream thicker to use as a frosting, then use it. Link to it HERE.

Directions:

-Chill can in refrigerator right-side-up. This usually puts the liquid on the bottom and cream on top.

-Turn can upside down and open the bottom. Pour out and discard liquid.

-Scoop cream into mixing bowl. Beat about 1 minute.

-Add in sugar and vanilla. Beat on low to incorporate.

-If needed, add thickener. Beat until combined.

-Cover and refrigerate up to 3 days. It will thicken more as it chills

I promise that's not rust on the zester.
It's that color because I use it to zest turmeric, too.

Chill right-side up.
Open upside-down.

Pour liquid out (discard liquid)

That's about 3 T granulated sugar before and after.