I had a craving for carrot cake, but I hadn’t had time to make it. When I saw this cake in the Smitten Kitchen weekly newsletter and then realized it was already in my bookmarks waiting to be made, I knew I had to get to work.
And I had carrots. A lot of carrots. A lot of tiny carrots. Tiny carrots that became even tinier once they were peeled. So many small carrots.
Yet, my determination remained steadfast. That massive pile of carrots disappeared as I carefully grated them until I had enough for this cake. So if you want to make this cake, and you should, it’s fantastic, buy bigger carrots. Although it was worth the work and terrible anxiety that I would grate one of my fingers.
I tender to worry about cakes that are made with all almond flour because it’s heavy, but there is something about carrot cake that lends itself to a heavier texture, also there’s probably just something about this recipe that makes it turn out in such a craveable way. The nuttiness, the barely detectible hint of coconut, the chewy dates (OMG the dates! More cakes need to have dates in them), the carrots – the cake is crazy good.
And then I slathered it in frosting so tasty and creamy that I could eat it with a spoon straight out of the blender jar, but it’s good on the cake too. Great on the cake in fact.
Though Easter has passed, this cake is a wonderful celebration of spring or a great treat for mom as we head toward Mother’s Day. Also, this cake is just wonderful no matter what reason you have for making it. After all, sometimes the best celebrations are ones for no reason at all.
Carrot Date Cake with Cashew Frosting
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 10 slices 1x
Description
A nutty twist on carrot cake with dates, coconut, and a creamy cashew frosting.
Ingredients
Cake
4 large eggs
¾ cup coconut sugar
1/3 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons vanilla bean powder
2 ¾ cups grated carrots
3 cups almond flour
½ cup finely shredded unsweetened coconut
1 cup chopped, pitted dates
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cardamom
½ teaspoon ground cloves
Frosting
2 cups cashews, soaked overnight
1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons vanilla bean powder
Cinnamon, for garnish
Instructions
Make the cake. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F/325 degrees F convection. Oil a 9 inch round cake pan.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar until lightened in color and texture. Whisk in the oil and vanilla. Stir in the almond flour, spices, salt, and baking powder. Finish the batter by stirring in the carrots, coconut, and dates until well combined.
Bake 50-60 minutes until deep golden brown. Cool completely in the pan.
Make the frosting. In the jar of a high speed blender, place the milk, syrup, lime juice, vanilla, and cashews. Blend, using a tamper if your machine has one, until the frosting is smooth and creamy. Spread over the cake and sprinkle with cinnamon. Slice and serve.
Cake may be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for one day or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
Wow what a cool take on carrot cake. Frosting looks fantastic!
★★★★★
Thank you Debbie!