Raw Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cashew Frosting

I discovered where I inherited my veggie-loving genes.

You see, it skipped a generation.

I recently visited my grandparents. Not wanting to burden my grandmother with worrying about what I was going to eat, I took charge and delved into her kitchen to see what I could make….. While she typically makes traditional German food, I was delighted to discover she also had glass jars filled with oodles of dry beans, dried fruit, and whole grains (quinoa, millet, barley, rolled oats), a freezer filled with nuts and seeds, a pantry with tamari (my grandmother has tamari?!) and even things I have never eaten like Brewer’s yeast and soy lecithin. I almost forgot she also had a 20-year old juicer!!

My meal of the weekend was a double batch of my easy Curried Beans and Quinoa with Baby Bok Choy which was enjoyed by all.

However, my culinary bliss came when I juiced to my heart’s content. I juiced oodles of carrots, beets, apples, ginger and lemon to create the perfect breakfast juice. My first version had a strong kick from the ginger, but I held back on later versions.

All this juicing meant that I had lots of juice pulp. While my grandmother usually enriches her compost with the pulp, I wanted to make something a bit more creative edible with the leftovers.

With my leftover carrot pulp, I decided to make raw carrot cake cupcakes. Super simple, no dehydrator needed, it was uncanny how they tasted like an even better traditional carrot cake. I don’t even like traditional carrot cake since it is typically a heavy and dense cake with little flavour. However, simply blend together carrots, walnuts, dates and raisins with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves, and you have a flavourful no-cook dessert. Moist and flavourful. Top it with the cashew-date frosting, and you have one sinfully delicious dessert. Way too addictive to keep in your fridge, if I may caution you in advance.

Even if you don’t have a juicer, do not fret. I am definitely going to try this again with grated carrots with the extra water squished out because I don’t have my own juicer.

I made some raw juice pulp crackers with the pulp from the beets, apples, and ginger. With a touch of curry powder, they were oddly good. More like a thin bread than a cracker, but still good. 🙂

This is being submitted to this week’s Weekend Herb Blogging, hosted by A.B.C, to this week’s Raw Food Thursdays, to this week’s Healthy Vegan Fridays, to this week’s Potluck Party for Kid Friendly Foods and to this week’s Weekend Wellness.

Raw Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cashew Frosting
Adapted from Choosing Raw

1 cup dry walnuts
1 cup pitted dates
2 cups carrot pulp (you can substitute grated carrots, but squeeze out all the excess moisture)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
Pinch nutmeg
Pinch ground cloves
1/8 tsp sea salt
3/4 cup raisins

1 cup cashews, soaked at least 1 hour
5 pitted Medjool dates, soaked at least 1 hour, water reserved (or to taste)
Pinch sea salt
1 tsp lemon juice

1. In a food processor fitted with its S-blade, pulse the walnuts and dates until the form a uniform paste.

2. Add in the carrots and spices and process until it becomes a smooth dough.

3. Add raisins and pulse to combine, but do not overmix because you want chunky raisins in the dough.

4. Push the batter into muffin tins (silicone ones work well). I filled 9 muffin holes 3/4 full. If you fill them the entire height, you might get 6 cupcakes. Refrigerate for at least an hour. They may also be frozen.

5. Meanwhile create your frosting: Wipe your food processor clean and then add your soaked and rinsed cashews. Pulse until completely smooth and creamy. Add the lemon juice and slowly add the reserved date soaking liquid until you achieve the consistency you desire.

6. Frost your cupcakes prior to serving.

Makes 9 small cupcakes, 6 larger ones.