Carrot Birthday Cake with Coconut Cream and Maple Roasted Pecans

This kamut and spelt based vegan carrot cake features a light coconut cream frosting and maple roasted pecans, to make it into a layer cake worthy of a birthday.

I turn 23 today! To celebrate, we’re having this whole wheat, refined sugar-free, and vegan carrot cake. Sounds pretty granola, I know, but we all love granola.

A normal birthday cake just wouldn’t work for this blog, and no one wants a migraine from eating sugary cake on their birthday (I almost wrote a sugary cake, and then realized that implied that I’d eat the entire cake. Muahaha).

This cake is made with half sifted whole spelt flour and half kamut flour, which is my new favourite thing. I got some to make bread with and ended up making kamut pancakes every day for a week.

It has a really buttery quality that adds depth and richness to cake, which is great, because this healthy carrot cake is very low in added fat. The icing is coconut whipped cream with maple cinnamon roasted pecans. Keep in mind that they coconut milk must be refrigerated overnight.

I just realized that I meant to sprinkle cinnamon on top of the cake, but I like the way it looks without it too. That’s something to keep in mind if you make it.

The pecans make it a million times better, so please include them. If you have a nut allergy, you could maybe do something similar with pepitas and just sprinkle them on the top.

Let’s connect! Tag me on instagram @occasionallyeggs and #occasionallyeggs so I can see what you’re making, and stay in touch via facebook, pinterest, and bloglovin.

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Carrot Birthday Cake with Coconut Cream and Maple Roasted Pecans

This kamut and spelt based vegan carrot cake features a light coconut cream frosting and maple roasted pecans, to make it into a layer cake worthy of a birthday.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Vegan

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Servings 1 large cake

Ingredients

Cake

• 1 1/2 cup whole spelt flour
• 1 1/2 cup kamut flour
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons ground flax
• 1 cup maple syrup
• 1/3 cup grape seed oil
• 1/4 cup almond milk
• 1/4 cup applesauce
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 2 large carrots shredded (about 2 cups)

Maple Roasted Pecans

• 1 1/2 cup pecan halves
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Icing

• 3 cans full fat coconut milk
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

Cake

1. Heat the oven to 350F and grease two 8-inch round baking pans.
2. Sift the spelt flour, kamut flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground flax into a large bowl.
3. In a smaller bowl, combine the maple syrup, grape seed oil, almond milk, applesauce, vanilla, and apple cider vinegar.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined. Fold in the shredded carrots. Pour into the prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes at 350F. I baked mine for 25 minutes and they were perfect, so keep a close eye when you get around that time. Cool completely before icing.

Maple Roasted Pecans

1. Dry roast the pecans in a pan over medium heat until fragrant, about five minutes. Remove from heat and immediately add the maple syrup and cinnamon. Cool completely.

Icing

1. Refrigerate the coconut milk upside down overnight and then scoop out the solid part and place in a large, cold bowl. Keep the watery bit for smoothies, curry, or baking. Add the maple syrup and vanilla and mix at a high speed until a fairly loose whipped cream forms. This'll take several minutes.
2. To assemble, cut the two cakes in half. Layer with the whipped cream, making sure that you leave enough for the top of the cake. Press the pecans into the top in whatever pattern you'd like, and into the sides if you want to. Serve cold. Store covered in the refrigerator. It will keep well for several days.

Happy birthday to me!