Raw Carrot Cake

5 from 17 votes

Delicious, easy, AND stunning raw carrot cake that tastes like the real deal. Maybe it's the sweet, moist cinnamon-spiced cake. Or the tangy cream cheese frosting. Or the bit of savoriness that comes from the nuts and helps the spices balance all that sweetness. Whatever it is, this raw carrot cake is very similar in taste and texture to the baked version.

Prep Time45

Freeze time6

Total Time6 45

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: raw carrot cake, raw carrot cake recipe, raw carrot cake with icing

Servings: slices

Calories: 460kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Carrot Cake

2 cups walnuts
2 cups Medjool dates , pitted
1 cup unsweetened desiccated coconut *
1/2 lemon , juice and zest
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 cup coconut flour
2 cups carrots , finely grated**

Carrot Cake Frosting

2 cups cashews , soaked***
1/2 cup coconut cream ****
1/4 cup coconut oil , melted
1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp. maple syrup
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla extract

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Process the carrot cake ingredients. Add the walnuts to a food processor bowl fitted with an S blade and process until the nuts are finely ground but still have some texture. Add the dates, shredded coconut, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and spices to the food processor and process until all the ingredients begin to stick together. Lastly, using a spatula, fold in the coconut flour and carrots.
Press the mixture into a springform pan. Divide the carrot cake mixture in half. Transfer the first half of the mixture to a lightly greased 6-inch/15-cm springform pan (if you're using anything other than a springform pan, line it with parchment paper for easier removal), and press it into an even layer. The top of the cake should be smooth and leveled. Transfer the cake to the freezer to firm up, for 10-15 minutes.
Repeat with the other half of the cake mixture.
Note: if you only have one 6-inch/15-cm springform pan, let the first layer of cake chill first. Then carefully remove the cake from the pan, transfer it to a round cake board, and place it back into the freezer. Clean the springform pan, grease it once again, and repeat the steps above with the other half of the carrot cake mixture.
Blend the carrot cake frosting ingredients. Add the cashews, coconut milk, coconut oil, maple syrup, lemon juice, and vanilla extract to a high-speed blender, and blend on high until smooth and creamy.
Assemble the cake. With the carrot cake layer still in the springform pan, pour the first half of the frosting onto the cake and tap out any air bubbles. Transfer the springform pan with the cake back to the freezer to let the frosting firm up slightly, for about 30 minutes. Then place the second carrot cake layer on top of the frosting and gently press it into the frosting to make sure it's really on there. Pour the second half of the frosting on top of the cake and tap out any air bubbles once again.
Chill. Cover the springform pan with a piece of paper towel (to trap any condensation), and then double-wrap the entire springform pan with plastic wrap for the best chance of preserving the cake's taste and texture. Transfer the wrapped cake to the freezer for at least 6 hours, ideally overnight. The more frozen the cake, the easier and cleaner the removal from the pan.
Serve. Once set, remove the carrot cake from the springform pan. Serve the cake frozen or let it thaw at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before serving.
Store. Leftover carrot cake keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 1 month (ideal).

Notes

*I use Bob's Red Mill shredded coconut because it's almost as fine as desiccated coconut.

**Squeeze out any excess juice from the carrots. If the carrots are too wet, they will make the cake too dense.

***Add the cashews to a medium bowl, cover them with water, and let them soak for at least 8 hours to soften up and blend easily. You can also add 1 tsp./5.7 g of salt to the soaking water to help activate the cashews and neutralize enzyme inhibitors in the nuts.

****To make this carrot cake truly raw, use raw coconut cream from fresh coconuts.

*****Prep time does not include soaking the cashews, about 8 hours, and chilling the coconut milk, about 12 hours.

******Nutrition information is approximate and may contain errors. Please, feel free to make your own calculations.

Nutrition