Every year on Easter my aunt makes a delectable and full fat (and full flavor) carrot cake. Every year I have a piece and enjoy every last bite. But clearly, as much as I want to, I can’t eat carrot cake every day. I mean, despite the carrots ribboned throughout its moist delicious layers, it’s just not a healthy component to a balanced diet!
This is a piece of carrot cake from a local bakery. Nick and I both get carrot cake on our birthdays and/or anniversaries
Last year around this time I posted a carrot cake bite recipe, which was adapted from this recipe that I found online, but this year I have an amazing new adaptation to share with you, from Clean Chef Jacqui (an amazing chef, blogger, dietitian, and soon to be mother). Now I can eat “carrot cake” every day. Muahaha
Instagram!
Indeed I only have Instagram photos to share, so they might not look quite as good as they actually tasted. But I encourage you to copy this recipe, past it on a blank page, and print it. Then, carry it upstairs or wherever you do your food prep, and make them. Now. Go ahead. Do it.
Raw, Flourless Carrot Cake Bites
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp. ground flaxseed, divided
- 1 Tbsp. cinnamon, divided
- ½ cup unsweetened finely shredded coconut, divided **
- 1 cup sliced almonds **
- ½ cup walnuts and/or pecans
- 6 Medjool dates, pitted **
- ¼ cup raisins or dried cranberries **
- 1 tsp. coconut oil
- 2 large carrots, shredded (about 2 cups)
- Pinch of nutmeg
Instructions
- Place 2 tablespoons flaxseed and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon in a shallow dish and mix well. Place ¼th cup of shredded coconut in another shallow dish; set aside for rolling.
- Place remaining ingredients in a food processor, pulse until thick paste forms (or if you like your bites a little chunkier stop after about 15 seconds, scrape, and then go for another 15 seconds or so). Use a tablespoon to shape mixture into 36 bites. Roll half of the bites in reserved flaxseed-cinnamon mixture and the other half in the reserved coconut. Refrigerate in an airtight container for at least 1 hour before serving.
Notes
** The dried fruit and almonds made these a higher FODMAPs food. But, if you stick to just one (it’s hard, but doable) you might be ok. This depends on your sensitivity to fructans (part of the “O” in FODMAPs).
Nutrition Facts (per 3 carrot cake bites); Calories 140, Fat 9g, Sat. Fat 2.5 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 10mg, Total Carbohydrate 16 g, Fiber 3 g, Sugars 11 g, Protein 3 g, Vitamin A 35%, Vitamin C 2%, Calcium 4%, Iron 4%.
Nutrition Highlights; Less than 200 calories, low sodium, good source of fiber, excellent source of vitamin A, zero added sugars.
I gave these out at work and people looked at me like I was crazy, “Raw carrot cake? What?”. I forced many people to try them and was delighted to see smiles and everyone’s faces (even men and children!).
QUESTION: Do you like carrot cake? What’s your all time favorite type of cake? Besides carrot, mine is just plain and simple white cake with white icing. I’m obsessed.
