Hi there, you beautiful person, you! Looking for a perfect raw vegan dessert to top off this amazing winter we’re having? Well, call off the search party because you’re looking at a great recipe to add to your cooking repertoire right here!

Wouldn’t it be nice to add something to your winter menu that gives you energy? Most of the foods I find myself eating around this time of year just bog me down and I don’t really feel like getting anything done. This raw carrot cake with macadamia frosting gives me an energy boost while tasting and looking like a dessert.

This raw carrot cake with macadamia frosting is a cinch to whip up and I love the flavor. Sweet without being overly sweet, soft, and moist.

The raw carrots in this recipe give cardiovascular health assistance, anti-cancer benefits and antioxidants. One carrot  also contains more than twice the amount of daily needed vitamin A. So I guess you could say that a carrot a day keeps the eye doctor away, huh?

Macadamia nuts are also a super healthy part of this cake. These awesome nuts contain some B vitamins which help with immunity, mental function and metabolism regulation.They also have a substantial amount of protein, which helps with the muscles in your body that hold you together. Good stuff.

Here is a handy dandy tutorial to show you how this fabulous cake is made.

For the cake part of this recipe you will need carrots, almond meal, date, desiccated coconut, and cinnamon.

Chop or break the carrots into smaller pieces and put them in the bottom of the blender. Next add all of the other ingredients to the top of that.

Pulse the ingredients until a dough starts to form and clear the sides of the food processor bowl. Set the cake layer aside while you prepare the macadamia frosting.

To make the macadamia frosting you will need macadamia nuts, melted coconut oil, lemon juice, maple syrup and water. Blend until the macadamia nuts are finely chopped and then add water until the mixture starts to look more like a smooth frosting. This works better in a blender than in a food processor. Scrape the sides as needed, and you may also have to use a spoon to stir the thickened frosting away from the bottom of the blender to move things along.

To assemble this masterpiece, you will need to spread half of the cake layer into the bottom of a lined springform cake tin. If you don’t have one, you could simply use a 9 in. cake pan lined with saran wrap. Next spread half of the frosting on top of the first cake layer. Repeat the last two steps once more to use up the rest of the cake layer and frosting.

When it is time for you to add the rest of the cake layer, you will likely freak out because there is no way in heck you will be able to spread this thick paste like layer on top of frosting. This is true. If you attempt it, you are going to be mad at yourself for tearing up a beautiful cake.

I have a trick to avoid this frustration. Cut a piece of saran wrap about one foot long, and plop the cake mix into the center of the left half. fold over the right half and using a rolling pin or your hands, roll the layer into a circle about the size of the pan you are using. Peel up the right half and plop the round layer into your pan. You may have to break off pieces that went over the edge to fill in the space on the other side if your aim isn’t that great.

Pop this guy in the freezer until the frosting is hard, or pop it in the fridge for a few hours before serving.

When ready to serve, decorate as desired with walnuts.

Raw Carrot Cake with Macadamia Frosting

Ingredients:

Cake Layer

• 2 large carrots

• 1 ½ cups almond meal

• 2 cups pitted dates

• ½ cup desiccated coconut

• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Macadamia Frosting

• 2 cups macadamia nuts (soaked for 4-6 hours)

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil

• ⅓ cup maple syrup

• water as needed (anywhere from ⅔ cup to 1 cup)

Topping

• walnuts or shredded coconut

Directions:

To make the cake layer, chop the carrots and add them to a food processor along with all of the other cake layer ingredients. Pulse until a dough forms and clears the sides of the bowl. Set aside.

To make the macadamia frosting, pulse all of the ingredients in a blender until they are chopped into fine pieces. Drizzle in enough water to make a creamy looking frosting.

To assemble, line a springform cake pan or a 9 in. cake pan with saran wrap. Spread half of the cake mix into the bottom with the back of a spoon. Spread on half of the frosting. Repeat with the rest of the mixtures.

Recipe notes:

Roll the second half of the cake mix into a round between saran wrap that has been folded over. Plop it onto the pan (patching as needed) and continue with the frosting.