walnut

CARROT AND WALNUT CAKE – gf, df, v

I love baking on weekends when I have finished study, or on the rare occasion, sitting around twiddling my thumbs. And today is no different, except that I’m cooking out of procrastination rather than studying…. with no guilt at all!….. Okay, maybe I do feel a little guilty but its like this…. Would you rather write eight  + four case studies on diseases and conditions found in the body OR cook sweets? Id go sweets anyday baby.

Mine looked like slop so heres an attractive shot, courtesy of my pal Google.

My family was too hungry and ate half the cake (pigs) before I could take a picture, so heres an attractive and uneaten shot, courtesy of my gal pal Google.

Carrots are tasty things. But what do you do when you have way too many? Bake a  CARROT AND WALNUT CAKE.  I was going to make two versions:  a loaf and muffins but then I thought about the amount of dishes and appliances I’d have to wash and just stuck with the loaf! Haha

Health Benefits of Carrots 

Carrots are a great ingredient to add to your cakes, desserts, breakfast, dinner because they are one of the richest sources of Vitamin A, a fat-soluble vitamin that is great for your vision and helping to boost your immune system. It is also an antioxidant which can help protect against inflammation and oxidative stress caused by free radicals. Carrots are rich in fibre, low in calories and available all year round. 

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Icing- I personally don’t think icing is needed because it is already sweet enough with the medjool dates, but incase you like it the traditional way:

  • Dairy Free Icing: whip 1 cup of coconut cream until thick, add 1 teaspoon of carrot gratings and cinnamon
  • HIGH protein (and dairy) icing:  mix 1 scoop vanilla protein powder, 1 tablespoon almond milk, ½ cup greek yoghurt, 1 tsp vanilla extract. 

Of course, with allergies and intolerance’s myself,  this recipe  is Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Refined Sugar Free and Vegan friendly, so its perfect for everybody and makes a delicious treat for breakfast or a sunday afternoon tea snack with a cup of herbal tea.

Carrot and Walnut Cake 

Quick Note: Leftovers can be frozen up to 4 months.

Mine looked like slop so heres an attractive shot, courtesy of my pal Google.

Cooking Time: 40 minutes | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Serves: 6

Ingredients:

  • 2 bananas, fresh or frozen
  • 8 medjool dates
  • 1.5 Cup buckwheat flour (or any other gluten-free flour)
  • ¼ cup coconut oil
  • 1 ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ginger
  • 3 carrots, grated with skin on for fibre
  • 3 flax or chia eggs (3 tbsp seed mixed with 8 tbls water- it replaces eggs)
  • ½ cup chopped walnuts

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C
  2. In a food processor, mix the wet ingredients: bananas, coconut oil and medjool dates until smooth and combined.
  3. In a separate bowl mix dry ingredients: buckwheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and ginger.  Add and mix in wet ingredients with flax egg, then carrots and ½ of chopped walnuts.
  4. Pour mixture into a load pan (or cupcake moulds until half full) and top with remaining walnuts.
  5. Bake loaf for 40-50 minutes (checking every five minutes after 40 minutes with skewer- if wet leave in longer, if dry, cooked) or muffins for 20-30 and let cool for 10 minutes on a cooling rack. NOTE: Make sure the loaf is completely cold if you’re icing!
  6. Serve warm or cold (warm is best) and ENJOY!

Yours in health,

Kaelli, x

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