Vegan carrot cake

• creamed coconut↗4 sachets (200g) g
• lemon juice↗1 tbsp tbsp
• cashew nut butter↗2 tbsp tbsp
• icing sugar↗50g g
• oat milk↗60ml ml
• jar coconut oil↗250ml ml

  melted

• light brown sugar↗300g g
• vanilla essence↗1½ tsp tsp
• dairy free milk↗210ml ml

  we used oat milk

• plain flour↗420g g
• baking powder↗1½ tsp tsp
• bicarbonate of soda↗1½ tsp tsp
• cinnamon↗1 tsp tsp

  plus extra cinnamon to decorate

• ginger↗1 tsp tsp
• ground nutmeg↗1 tsp tsp
• orange↗1

  zest only

• carrots↗4 medium

  grated (you want 270g grated weight)

• chopped walnuts75g

  plus extra to decorate

• edible flowers

  (optional)

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Start by making the icing first. Mash the coconut cream with 2 tbsp hot water and the lemon juice until smooth. Add the cashew butter then whisk in the icing sugar followed by the oat milk. Continue to whisk until fully combined, set aside in the fridge until needed.

2. 2

   Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas mark 4. Grease 2 x 20cm cake tins with a little of the melted coconut oil and line the bases with baking parchment. Whisk together the oil and sugar, then add the vanilla and milk. Combine the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, spices and orange zest in a separate bowl. Add these to the wet mixture and stir well. Finally stir in the carrot and the nuts. Divide the mixture between the prepared tins and bake for 25-30 mins until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out cleanly. Cool in the tin for 5 mins before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

3. 3

   Sandwich the cakes together with half the icing then cover the top with the remaining icing (add a splash of oat milk if the icing feels too firm). Scatter over the nuts and dust the cake with a little cinnamon and decorate with edible flowers.