Vegan Recipe - Carrot Cake

Here, in North Carolina, the weather is beautiful. Flowers are in bloom and new life is everywhere. Soon, farmer's markets will open and colorful produce will be available. They'll have organic, locally grown fruits and vegetables ... including carrots.

This recipe is wonderful at any time of year ... but seems especially so right now. It's full of spring color and tastes wonderful. Whether you're serving it to guests or treating your family ... it's sure to be a hit. I hope you enjoy it!

By the way ... I'd like to invite you to share a recipe with Reduce Footprints readers. It can be something you've created or something you found in a book or magazine. The only requirements are that it be Vegan (no animal products) and that it be something you have tried and enjoy. Send it to us at reducefootprints@gmail.com, include a picture if you have one and a link to your site. If it's a recipe you've found from a book, magazine or Blog ... be sure to include that, as well, and we'll give them credit.

OK ... on to this month's recipe:


Vegan Carrot Cake
(from the February, 2009, copy of Vegetarian Times)

Cake

1 medium ripe banana, frozen, then thawed
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1-1/2 cups grated carrots (2 medium carrots)
1-1/4 cups flour
1 Tbs. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Icing

1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 Tbs. vegan margarine
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract


1. To make Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 9-inch cake pan with cooking spray. Mash thawed banana in large bowl. Whisk in sugar, oil and carrots. Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in separate bowl. Stir flour mixture into banana mixture, until no lumps remain. Fold in raisins and walnuts.

2. Pour batter into prepared baking pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan. Transfer to wire rack and cool completely.

3. To make Icing: Whisk together confectioners' sugar, margarine, vanilla, and 2 Tbs. water in bowl, adding more water, if necessary, to achieve drizzling consistency. Drizzle Icing over Cake when cooled.

Notes:

• I use organic carrots and include the peels which are highly nutritious.
• For a variation, try dried cranberries instead of raisins and pecans or pine nuts instead of walnuts.
• This cake is wonderful with or without the icing.

As always ... I would love to hear from you!