Dessert recipe: Carrot cake with cashew icing from the 'Plant Magic' cookbook

Not all iconic desserts move seamlessly between the worlds of dairy-and-eggs and plant-based, but carrot cake certainly does...as long as you've got a reliable recipe.

In Desiree Nielsen's recently-released cookbook Plant Magic: A Celebration of Plant-Based Cooking for Everyone, the celebrated dietician offers up more than 100 vegan recipes for readers to try at home. Anyone out there with a sweet tooth with especially appreciate her recipe for carrot cake with cashew frosting.

"Before there was tiramisu, carrot cake occupied the top spot in my dessert hall of fame. And of course, I have opinions about it. The cake should be moist, with a very tender crumb, and packed with carrots. I don’t love nuts and raisins, but I can respect them, so you’ve got the option to add them here. And always cream cheese icing," explains Desiree Nielsen in the introduction to this tasty cake recipe in her cookbook. "Since the flavour of store-bought vegan cream cheese varies widely, I have created a cream cheese–inspired cashew frosting,"

Cashew icing

1 cup (250 mL) cashews, soaked in boiling water for 30 minutes and drained

½ cup (125 mL) canned full-fat coconut milk

3 tablespoons (45 mL) pure maple syrup

2 tablespoons (30 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons (30 mL) coconut oil

1 teaspoon (5 mL) pure vanilla extract

⅛ teaspoon (0.5 mL) salt

In a high-speed blender, combine the drained cashews, coconut milk, maple syrup, lemon juice, coconut oil, vanilla, and salt. Blend on low speed, then slowly increase to medium-high until smooth, 1 minute.

Scrape the frosting into an airtight container and transfer to the fridge to firm up for at least 1 hour before using.

The frosting can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Vegan carrot cake

1½ cups (375 mL) almond flour

1½ cups (375 mL) gluten-free flour blend

2 teaspoons (10 mL) baking powder

2 teaspoons (10 mL) cinnamon

1 teaspoon (5 mL) baking soda

½ teaspoon (2 mL) salt

2 cups (500 mL) firmly packed grated carrots (about 2 large carrots)

1 cup (250 mL) unsweetened applesauce

½ cup (125 mL) extra-virgin olive or avocado oil

¾ cup (175 mL) cane sugar

½ cup (125 mL) unsweetened oat milk

¼ cup (60 mL) ground flaxseed

1 tablespoon (15 mL) apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon (5 mL) pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon (5 mL) grated peeled fresh ginger

½ cup (125 mL) raw pecans or walnuts, chopped (optional)

½ cup (125 mL) raisins (any type; optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly grease two 8-inch (1.2 L) round cake pans with butter or coconut oil and line with rounds of parchment paper to fit the bottom of the pans for easier removal.

In a large bowl, stir together the almond flour, gluten- free flour blend, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.

In a medium bowl, mix together the carrots, applesauce, olive oil, sugar, oat milk, flaxseed, apple cider vinegar, vanilla, and ginger. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Fold in the nuts and raisins, if using.

Scrape the batter into the prepared cake pans. Bake until the tops are firm and dry to the touch, the cakes are golden brown around the edges, and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cakes comes out clean, 33 to 37 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then carefully (the cakes will be soft) invert the cakes onto a rack and cool completely.

Unfrosted cake layers can be stored, tightly wrapped, on the counter for up to 2 days.

Assembly

Remove the cashew frosting from the fridge.

Place 1 cake layer top side up on a cake plate. Using an offset spatula, spread one third of the frosting over the cake layer to the edge.

Carefully set the second cake layer bottom side up on top of the frosted layer and spread one third of the frosting over it. Use the remaining frosting to frost the sides.

Store the frosted cake, covered, in the fridge for up to 4 days. (Once the cake is iced, it must be kept refrigerated until ready to serve or the frosting will melt.)