Carrot Cake Loaf with Orange Infused Cream Cheese.
I’m sorry for all the people who are about to cringe at the word i’m about to use, but there is honestly no other way to describe this carrot cake loaf than that it is unbelievably moist (eeeek!). Soft and fluffy, laced with grated carrot, sweet raisins, and chewy walnuts, slathered with a fresh orange infused, thick cream cheese icing. What more could you ask for.
Makes: 10 slices | Total Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
210 g wholegrain spelt flour (sub for gluten-free all purpose flour, as needed)
30 g vegan vanilla protein powder
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tsp sweet ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg & ginger
¼ tsp ground mixed spice
150 ml unsweetened almond milk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar, to help rise
40 g walnuts
50 g raisins or cranberries
100 g grated carrots
125 g unsweetened plain soy yoghurt
50 g maple syrup
100 ml cold water
Orange infused Cream Cheese
70 g raw unsalted cashew nuts
10 g vanilla protein powder
Juice of 1 large orange
20 g maple syrup
Serve with
Freshly sliced orange
chopped walnuts
Method
Pre-heat the oven to 180ºc and line a loaf tin with parchment paper. At this stage as well, place the cashews in a bowl of boiling water to allow them to soak and soften. Leave aside.
In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients (flour, protein powder, baking and bicarbonate powder, spices, dried fruit and nuts, and grated carrot) until well combined.
In a separate large bowl, mix the remaining wet ingredients (vinegar, syrup, yoghurt and water) then transfer the dry bowl into the wet and mix together thoroughly.
Pour the mixture into the loaf tin and bake for 30-35 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the cream ‘cheese’.
Drain the pre-soaked cashews and blitz in a blender along with all the other cream cheese ingredients. Place in the fridge to thicken.
Once the loaf is baked, allow it to cool completely before attempting to apply the cream cheese as this will cause the frosting to melt and slide off.
Decorate the carrot cake loaf with the cream cheese, freshly sliced oranges, and chopped walnuts.