Simple Vegan Carrot Cake Recipe

The recent eating trends have shown that more and more people are turning towards vegan food. Vegan foods taste different from normal food but are quite easy to prepare just like this carrot cake recipe. All you have to keep in mind is that the vegan diet does not include any dairy or any other animal products. Here is a simple vegan carrot cake recipe that is very nutritious, filling and makes a wonderful dessert or evening snack.

• 3 cups of peeled and grated red carrots
• 1 1/4 cups of sugar
• 2 cups of white flour
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
• 2 teaspoons of cinnamon powder (use fresh powder for better taste)
• 1/2 cup of fresh orange juice
• 3/4 cup of canola oil
• 1 cup of cut raisins
• 1 cup of chopped walnuts

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F (preheating ensures even cooking).
2. Use a spoon or ladle to mix the ingredients of the cake and avoid using an electric   blender.
3. Mix the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon powder, raisins and walnuts together in a deep bowl.
4. Add the grated carrots and oil to the dry ingredients and use a wooden spoon to mix all the ingredients together.
5. Now add the orange juice and sugar and mix the ingredients well. Grated carrot tends to stick in the form of lumps; therefore, be careful when mixing.
6. Grease a baking pan and spray the insides using a cooking spray.
7. Pour the prepared batter in a baking pan.
8. Bake the cake in the oven for 45 minutes until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
9. Let the cake cool completely before serving.

The perfect accompaniment to the carrot cake is traditional cream cheese frosting. Here is a vegan cream cheese frosting recipe that you can prepare at home:

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup of soy cream cheese
• 1/4 cup of vegan margarine
• 2 cups of powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla

Method:

1.  Beat the margarine and cream cheese together.
2. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat using an electric blender until you get a smooth mixture.
3. Pour the mix in a piping bag and pipe the frosting over the cooled carrot cake.
4. You can also cut the cake horizontally, spread the frosting on the bottom layer, press the second layer on top and add another layer of frosting.
5. Let the cake cool in the fridge before cutting in slices to serve.