Carrot Cake

Ingredients

4 cups grated carrot
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1 ½ cups demerera or brown sugar
¾ cup raisins
½ cup chopped pecans
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup canola oil

Cream cheese icing

⅓ cup vegan margarine (softened)
⅓ cup vegan cream cheese
2 ⅓ cups icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

In a large bowl mix all the dry ingredients together.

Add the applesauce, oil, carrots and raisins and mix until everything is well combined.

Pour into a greased 9”x 13” baking pan and bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick or skewer inserted in centre comes out clean.

Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes and then gently flip it out onto a cooling rack. Let it cool completely before icing.

To make the icing, cream margarine and cream cheese together until combined. Add icing sugar ⅓ of a cup at a time and continue to beat until smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla and mix again. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Note: Put a piece of parchment paper on the wire rack before placing the cake on the rack.

Claire Gosse is the author of the vegan cookbook series Are You Sure That's Vegan? She also runs VeganCooking.com.