I’m not normally a raw-carrot person, but the above was as dreamy as it looks. And now I’m still dreaming about it! I almost didn’t make it, though. When I looked through the cookbook, Raw for Dessert, I folded down a lot of recipes! Cashew Cream, Crème Brulée, Chocolate Pudding, and on and on. These recipes seemed simple enough, with few ingredients and steps. And anyone who knows me knows that I am intimidated by long-winded recipes. But this time, I decided to challenge myself: find a long recipe that sounded good, and go for it! This is how I settled upon the Raw Spice Cake, a recipe I normally would’ve shied away from due to its extensive ingredient list.
Raw Carrot Cake
(Reprinted with permission, with CCK’s carrot-cake addition)
Yield: one 6-inch cake (8 servings)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup raw almonds (unsoaked)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded dried coconut (CCK omitted)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- Pinch ground nutmeg
- 1 cup raw walnuts (unsoaked)
- 1 cup raw pecans (unsoaked)
- 8 pitted medjool dates
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or dark agave syrup (CCK omitted)
- 1/4 to 1/2c shredded carrot (CCK special addition)
Place the almonds, coconut, cinnamon, ginger, salt, cloves, and nutmeg in a food processor fitted with the S blade and process until finely ground. Add the walnuts and pecans and process until finely ground. Add the dates and orange zest and process until the mixture begins to stick together. Add the raisins, maple syrup, and carrots, and process briefly to incorporate. Line a 6-inch cake pan with a parchment-paper round. Pour the nut mixture into the pan and distribute it evenly. Press down with your hand to compact. To serve, run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the cake. Place a serving plate upside down on top of the cake pan. Invert, then lift the pan off. Remove the parchment round. Covered with plastic wrap, Spice Cake will keep for 5 days stored in the refrigerator or for 2 weeks stored in the freezer.
I frosted my carrot cake with Raw Cream Cheese Frosting and cinnamon.
this looks AMAZING!!
i checked out your blog this morning and this beautiful carrot cake keeps popping up in my mind….i will most definitely be trying this out in the next couple of days.
would it keep in the fridge for a day or two?
oh and i have had cake for breakfast…my wedding cake a few months ago. Sweet tasting food tastes sooo good first thing.
Definitely! That’s where mine is right now… but not for long! 😉
(It’ll keep for 5 days covered in fridge, or 2 weeks in freezer)
thanks katie!!
Wow that looks delicious! And I have started my morning with dessert on numerous occasions. I am not big on savory breakfasts. I like staring my days on a sweet note 😉
Yes, I often have started my day on a sweet note. Being Asian, alot of us have savories for brekkie… like porridge, chapattis and even a whole noodle or rice meal?!? I find that too heavy. Your cake looks sinfully delish!
well, seeing as i’m never fully awake before mid-morning, I have an apple at 9, then my REAL breakfast around 11. for normal people, that’s time for cake anyway! i usually roll with oatmeal and nuts, but occasionally i have a play around with my couscous, carrot and apple spiced cake.
but i reckon your cake is happening tomorrow…. 😀
I would eat that cake for breakfast! 🙂
I think I’ve had cake for breakfast before, although I can’t remember a specific time. 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing this raw carrot recipe. I made it this morning and it is soo good!! I added flaxseed to mine and also omitted the coconut and syrup. Everyday i so look forward to reading your blog! If it’s not too late please enter me in the cookbook giveaway. Thanks!
Wow, Nicole, you are fast! I’m so excited you already tried it (and even more excited you liked it)!
Definitely entered you :).
I haven’t eaten cake for breakfast in years. I try not to have too much sugar for breakfast because my blood sugar gets all out of whack. I’d probably eat that raw carrot cake for breakfast though, it looks too good to pass up!
KATIE, DID I MENTION I LOVE YOU?!?!?!?!?!?!?! THANKS FOR ALWAYS POSTING UP SUCH GREAT RECIPES!!! I’m so going to try out the carrot cake recipe tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!! I love that it’s RAW. 🙂
WOW that cake looks amazing I want in! x x
Oh my gosh! I love you. Cake for breakfast? Who woulddaa thought! I’m def going to have to try this out soon 🙂 Me and my sister had made a carrot cake for her birthday late July but it wasn’t raw! But it was still good 🙂