When I was visiting Slovakia , my friend introduced me to this fantastic recipe for carrot cake topped with cashew frosting.  I love dessert, but try not to indulge too frequently because of the typically large amount of butter and sugar.  Luckily, you don’t have to worry about that here.  The best part?  This recipe is completely raw and packed with nutrition, so you don’t have to feel guilty after eating a few pieces.  It’s quick and easy, and all you need is a food processor or blender and a freezer.  Enjoy!

Prep time: 20-25 minutes

Cook time: None, but 2 hours of freezing

Ingredients:

Carrot Cake

  • 2 1/2 c carrots, washed and shredded
  • 1 c raw walnuts
  • 1 c pitted dates
  • 1/2 c unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 3/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg

Cashew Frosting

  • 1 c raw cashews, soaked in water overnight (enough water to submerge them completely)
  • 1/2 c water
  • 3 tbsp raw agave nectar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/3 c coconut oil, melted
  • 1/2 fresh lemon, squeezed

Method:

Line a 9 inch glass or metal cake pan with parchment/wax paper so that the edges hang over the sides of the pan slightly.

Shred carrots by hand or in food processor. Place in large bowl and set aside. In the food processor, blend together walnuts and dates until mostly smooth, with a few smaller chunks. Add coconut, spices, and blend together. Add carrots to the mixture and blend until well-combined, scraping down the sides often to ensure that all pieces are being chopped.

Scoop cake into the prepared pan, smooth until flat, and chill in the freezer.

To make cashew cream, drain and rinse soaked cashews in clean water. In a food processor or blender combine cashews, water, agave nectar, vanilla, and lemon juice. Blend very well, scraping down the sides often, until very smooth. Depending on the strength of your food processor/blender, this make take up to 10 minutes. Add melted coconut oil and blend again. Spoon onto chilled cake and smooth the top. Freeze for 2 hours.

Pull from freezer, and remove cake from pan by pulling up the sides of the parchment paper. With a hot, sharp knife cut cake into 8 pieces.  You can top with extra chopped walnuts and dust with cinnamon, if you like. Let thaw for an additional 15 minutes before serving or return to freezer, thawing 25 minutes before eating.

Yields 8 slices