This recipe has taken a little trial and error, but I can now happily say that I’m pretty pleased with how these have turned out. I think carrot cake is one of those things that some people either really love or hate.. the fact that it has carrots in it is probably quite a big factor in this! I know when I was younger, it wasn’t something that I was a huge fan of and I would just pick the delicious creamy icing off the top instead! However, like with a lot of things, it’s something that’s grown on me as I’ve got older and now I absolutely love it! For me, everything about it just works. The texture and flavour is quite unique from most other cakes and I love the combination of spices with the fresh citrus kick of the orange. This might sound a little odd, but I actually think that the grated carrot adds a really nice texture variation to the cake, as well as providing moisture and a subtle hint of sweetness.
Now, onto one of the best bits of any cake.. the frosting! I’ve kept this pretty simple and whipped up a delicious, creamy frosting using vanilla coconut yoghurt (I use Coyo). If you haven’t tried this stuff before, it’s so deliciously creamy and is completely dairy and refined sugar free! I’ve added in a little maple syrup and that’s literally it, simple as that! This makes a great frosting or cream substitute, that really is so versatile and tastes incredible!
Originally I’d made these little bites as a whole cake, but decided to create slices when I tested out the recipe for the second time, to tweak the icing. They would work well as both, but I think I prefer these individual slices, as they’re the perfect bite-sized pieces and look really cute too! This also makes them a wonderful treat to share with friends, take in your packed lunch or enjoy with a nice cup of herbal tea. I love how these are just sweet enough to satisfy my sweet tooth, but aren’t too sickly sweet and don’t contain any refined sugars or nasty ingredients what so ever!
