Carrot Cake with Honey-Cashew Frosting
Moist, spiced and crowned with a dairy-free honey-cashew cream that tastes like the richest cream-cheese frosting — but it is just soaked cashews and honey blended smooth.
Why you'll love this recipe
- One of the most-requested recipes here
- Not one spoon of refined sugar
- Sweetened with real honey
- Makes enough for 12
- Intermediate, with clear steps and nothing fussy
What you'll need
Everything here is a real ingredient you can find in a normal shop. Nothing artificial, no powders pretending to be sugar. Here is the full list, with the quantities I actually use.
- 2 cups (200 g) finely grated carrots
- 1 ripe banana, mashed
- 1/3 cup (110 g) raw honey
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) melted coconut oil
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups (200 g) almond flour
- 1/2 cup (60 g) oat flour
- 2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp ginger
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, pinch salt
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 1/2 cups raw cashews, soaked 4 hr and drained
- 3 tbsp raw honey
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) water, 1 tsp vanilla
What goes into Carrot Cake with Honey-Cashew Frosting
This one comes together in two parts, each doing its own job:
- Cake. Built from 2 cups (200 g) finely grated carrots and a few others.
- Frosting. Built from 1 1/2 cups raw cashews and a few others.
How to make it
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two 8-inch pans.
Whisk carrots, banana, honey, eggs, oil and vanilla.
Mix almond flour, oat flour, spices, leaveners and salt; fold into wet. Fold in walnuts.
Divide between pans; bake 30–35 min until set. Cool completely.
Blend all frosting ingredients until silky smooth; chill 30 min to thicken.
Frost between layers and on top. Chill before serving.
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Storage
Keep it covered in the fridge and it will hold for three to four days. If you are making it ahead, hold back any fresh topping until just before you serve so nothing goes soft. Most of these freeze well too, wrapped tight, for up to three months.
Questions about this recipe
Is Carrot Cake with Honey-Cashew Frosting really made without refined sugar?
Yes. All the sweetness comes from honey - there is not one spoon of white sugar in it. That is the whole point of how I cook.
How long does Carrot Cake with Honey-Cashew Frosting keep?
Kept covered in the fridge it holds for three to four days. Most of these freeze well too, wrapped tight, for up to three months - hold back any fresh topping until just before serving.
How many does Carrot Cake with Honey-Cashew Frosting make?
This makes enough for 12. It scales cleanly, so use the 1x / 2x / 3x buttons on the recipe card if you need more or less.
Carrot Cake with Honey-Cashew Frosting
Moist, spiced and crowned with a dairy-free honey-cashew cream that tastes like the richest cream-cheese frosting — but it is just soaked cashews and honey blended smooth.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (200 g) finely grated carrots
- 1 ripe banana, mashed
- 1/3 cup (110 g) raw honey
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) melted coconut oil
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups (200 g) almond flour
- 1/2 cup (60 g) oat flour
- 2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp ginger
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, pinch salt
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 1/2 cups raw cashews, soaked 4 hr and drained
- 3 tbsp raw honey
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) water, 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two 8-inch pans.
- Whisk carrots, banana, honey, eggs, oil and vanilla.
- Mix almond flour, oat flour, spices, leaveners and salt; fold into wet. Fold in walnuts.
- Divide between pans; bake 30–35 min until set. Cool completely.
- Blend all frosting ingredients until silky smooth; chill 30 min to thicken.
- Frost between layers and on top. Chill before serving.
