Healthy No-Bake Carrot cake

These frosted carrot cake bars are the perfect guilt-free dessert since they are made with sweet, fresh carrots, warm spices, dates and maple syrup to naturally sweeten them.  This meal is easy to prepare, healthful, vegan, and certain to impress your family!

Ingredients 

Cake:

  • 3 carrots, grated [approx. 2.5 cups of grated carrot]
  • 1 cup (95 grams) rolled oats
  • 1 cup (125 grams) walnuts (or nut free version: replace walnuts with 1 cup oats)
  • 1 cup (100 grams) almond meal (or nut free version: replace almond meal with 1 cup coconut)
  • 1 cup (60 grams) desiccated coconut 
  • 6 medjool dates, pit removed
  • 1/3 cup (80 mls) coconut oil, melted
  • 1/4 cup (60 mls) maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste [or extract]
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
  • 1/4 teaspoon ginger, ground
  • zest of 1 orange
  • pinch of salt

Frosting: 

  • 1 1/4 cup raw cashews (soaked in recently boiled water for 30minutes and drained)
  • 1/2 cup (125 ml) coconut cream 
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 3 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Instructions

To make the carrot cake bars:

  1. Line a 20 cm x 20 cm square tin with baking paper.  Set aside.
  2. Place the carrots, oats, walnuts, almond meal, coconut, dates, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, orange zest and salt into the large bowl of a food processor.
  3. Blitz for 2-3 minutes (scraping down the sides of the bowl when necessary) or until smooth and combined.
  4. Press mixture into prepared tin and pop into the freezer whilst you make the frosting.

To make the frosting:

  1. Place the soaked cashews, coconut cream, lemon juice, maple syrup and vanilla bean paste into the bowl of a high-powered blender or processor.  
  2. Blend on high speed for 4-5 minutes (scraping down the sides as necessary) or until the frosting is smooth and luscious.
  3. Pour frosting over carrot cake bars.
  4. Place into the freezer for 1-3 hours, or until ‘set’.
  5. Cut into 20 bars.  

Time

Prep time: 30 mins

Total time: 30 mins

Yield

20 bars

Storage Information

  • Store healthy carrot cake bars in an air tight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
  • Healthy carrot cake bars are freezer friendly.  Store in an air tight container for up to 3 months.