Ingredients
Lemon cream cheese icing
Method
1.First, make the icing. Put cashews, coconut meat, maple syrup, nut cheese, lemon juice, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt in a high-speed blender, adding just enough water to create a smooth, thick paste. With the blender still running, slowly pour the coconut oil in at the end – it will be quite runny. Leave to set in the fridge or freezer for at least 40 minutes to firm up before using on the carrot cake.
2.To make spice cakes, blend almonds, cashews and 1¼ cups of the coconut separately in a food processor until each has a flour-like consistency.
3.In a bowl, place the processed ‘flours’, almond pulp, the remaining cup of desiccated coconut, grated carrot, currants, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract, lemon zest and 2 pinches of salt. Mix together with your hands.
4.Blend the lemon juice, date paste, maple syrup and coconut oil in a food processor or high-speed blender.
5.Add the wet mixture to the ‘flour’ mixture and mix together with your hands until it sticks together.
6.Line a 10-hole muffin tin or cake tin with plastic wrap.
7.Divide the mixture into however many layers you would like (I gave my cakes 3 layers).
8.Spread alternate layers of cake and icing in the muffin holes (or cake tin), finishing with a layer of icing.
9.Dust with a little extra cinnamon, and plant a carrot top in the centre, if desired. Set cupcakes in the fridge for at least 20 minutes before serving.
