This cake started out as a kitchen adventure with my 8 year old daughter – she suggested we invent a carrot cake, then she ransacked the cupboards, produced a mortar & pestle and announced she’d bash up some hazelnuts to go in it. Her brother is vegan by choice, so although we have fresh eggs from our feathery free-rangers in the garden, we were determined to make a plant-based treat.
Gluten free vegan baking can be a challenge. Like eggs, gluten is a binding agent, so when you take both these options away, it can be tricky to find the right balance. This cake took many tests (which the family heartily enjoyed!) and I think we’ve finally nailed it. The spice ratio is all down to my daughter – she wanted the ginger doubled – and the addition of zucchini is down to me; any chance to sneak more vegetables into our diet!
This cake is moist, gently spiced & not too sweet. Perfect with a dollop of (coconut) yoghurt & a wee squirt of passionfruit.
And don’t be put off by the long ingredients list – three are spices!
3 Tbsp chia seeds, finely ground
10 Tbsp water
½ cup milk of choice (I use rice)
1 tsp apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
¾ cup coconut sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cardamom
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¾ cup sorghum flour
½ cup almond meal/ground almonds
¼ cup tapioca starch
½ cup raisins, sultanas or dried cranberries (or a combo)
¼ cup roughly crushed or chopped hazelnuts (big chunks is good)
½ cup olive oil
1 ½ cup grated carrots
¾ cup grated zucchini
Preheat the oven to 175C.
First up, we’re going to make our vegan binding agents. Add the water to the ground chia seeds, mix very well and set aside. In another small cup or bowl, add the vinegar to the milk and also set aside (this will curdle & go slightly gloopy, a chemical reaction that will help our final product)
Grab a mixing bowl and add all the dry ingredients. Mix well, ensuring there are no little lumps of tapioca or baking powder/soda.
By now, the texture of your vinegary milk should look a little different, maybe a bit thicker or bubbly. Good! Stir it well with the chia gloop and pour into the dry ingredients, along with the olive oil. Mix until well combined. Keep an eye out for clumps of chia gloop that need to be eased out a little.
Finally stir through the carrot and zucchini, forming a lovely thick moist final batter. Pour into a well-greased cake tin and bake for about 35 minutes.
Leave to cool in the cake tin before transferring to a rack.
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