Recipe: Carrot cake with cashew coconut icing

Carrot cake with coconut and cashew icing. Photo / Doug Sherring

For the cake
• 2 cups raw walnuts, halves and pieces
• 2 cups desiccated coconut
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• Pinch ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp ground ginger
• 2 tbsp psyllium powder
• 3 large carrots, peeled and grated
• 4 fresh Medjool dates, pitted and coarsely chopped
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• ½ cup currants
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Zest of 1 orange

For the icing
• 1 ½ cups fresh coconut flesh
• ½ cup raw cashews, unsalted
• ¼ cup coconut water
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 large lemon, juiced and zest grated

To make the cake

1. Combine the walnuts, coconut, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and psyllium powder in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture resembles a fine crumb. Set this mixture aside.

2. Combine the grated carrots, dates and maple syrup in the bowl of the food processor. Pulse until the mixture is well blended, scraping down the sides of the bowl if necessary.

3. Stir the carrot mixture with the spice mixture until well blended.

4. Fold in the currants and zest of the lemon and orange. Stir to blend well.

5. Line a 30cm (4 x 11 inch) loaf pan with baking paper. Pour the cake mixture into the pan, pressing it firmly into all corners. Smooth the top with a spatula and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

To make the icing

1. Combine the coconut flesh and cashew nuts in a blender. Blend until the coconut is well chopped and the nuts are well ground.

2. Add the coconut water, maple syrup, lemon juice and zest to the mixture and blend until smooth and creamy.

To assemble

1. Invert the chilled cake on to a large platter and remove the baking paper from the bottom of the cake.

2. Generously spread the top and sides of the cake with the coconut icing. Chill the frosted cake until the icing hardens. Keep the cake refrigerated.