Vegan Carrot Cake with Coconut Cream Frosting

Ingredients

For the carrot cake:

• 1 1/2
  
  tablespoons flaxseed meal
  
• 1/4
  
  cup warm water
  
• 2 1/4
  
  cups all-purpose flour or gluten-free all-purpose flour
  
• 1 1/2
  
  teaspoons baking soda
  
• 1/4
  
  teaspoon salt
  
• 1/4
  
  teaspoon ground allspice
  
• 3/4
  
  teaspoon ground cinnamon
  
• 1/2
  
  teaspoon ground ginger
  
• 3/4
  
  cup almond milk, rice milk, or soy milk
  
• 1
  
  teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  
• 2/3
  
  cup canola oil or melted coconut oil
  
• 1/2
  
  cup cane sugar
  
• 1/4
  
  cup firmly packed brown sugar
  
• 2
  
  cups grated carrots
  
• 1/3
  
  cup raisins, tossed in a bit of flour to prevent clumping
  
• 1/2
  
  cup chopped walnuts
  

For the coconut cream frosting:

• 3
  
  cans full-fat coconut milk, chilled overnight in the refrigerator
  
• 2/3 to 3/4
  
  cups confectioners’ sugar, to taste
  
• 1
  
  teaspoon vanilla extract
  

Directions

1. First, prepare the frosting. As the coconut milk sits overnight, it’ll accumulate a thick, solid layer at the top of the can. Remove this layer from the can (you can reserve the rest of the liquid for smoothies), and place it into a mixing bowl. Repeat with the other two cans. Add the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla to the mixture. Use a hand mixer to begin whipping the frosting, starting on a low speed and increasing the speed as you go. Move the mixers around as much as possible (this will fold in air, which will make the mixture fluffier). Continue until it is whipped. Refrigerate the frosting for at least 2 hours, preferably 4, before using, so that it can solidify.
2. Preheat your oven to 350º F. Lightly oil two 8-inch baking dishes (or a single 8-inch square or 8- to 9-inch round baking dish, if you don’t want a layer cake).
3. To make the cake, stir the flaxseed meal and warm water in a small bowl. Allow it to sit and thicken while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, allspice, cinnamon, and ginger.
5. In a medium bowl, vigorously whisk the milk and apple cider vinegar together until frothy. Add the oil, sugars, carrots, and the flax mixture from step 3.
6. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, taking care not to over-mix (there should still be some clumps). Fold in the raisins and walnuts.
7. Pour the batter evenly into the two baking dishes. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the cake is spring to the touch, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely.
8. Invert one cake onto a serving plate, and frost the top. Gingerly rest the other cake on top of the first, then frost the top and sides of the cake. Cut into squares and serve.