Raw Vegan Carrot Cake Bites
This no-bake vegan carrot cake is soft and moist with an irresistible texture thanks to the shredded carrot and coconut. It’s topped with a creamy cashew frosting that’ll have you coming back for seconds in no time!
This healthy vegan carrot cake is totally guilt-free, gluten-free, and loaded with wholesome and nutritious ingredients. Yet it tastes just like a decadent and rich carrot cake you’d expect to order from your favorite bakery.
Serve these raw carrot cake bites chilled as is or with a scoop of vegan ice cream for a mouth-watering dessert.
Can I Make These Raw Carrot Cake Bites Ahead of Time?
Absolutely! You can either make the entire cake a day or two before serving, to be stored in the refrigerator, or consider making the cake base only and whip up fresh cashew frosting to top the cake just prior to serving. That way, your frosting is as fresh as can be.
What You’ll Need to Make These Mini Carrot Cake Bites
This recipe is broken down into two parts – the raw carrot cake recipe, and the delicious vegan cashew frosting. Let’s have a look at what you’re going to need (exact measurements found in the recipe card below).
For the Cashew Frosting
- Raw cashews, soaked for 4 hs
- Plant-based milk of your choice
- Coconut oil
- Maple syrup or agave nectar
- Vanilla extract
- Lemon juice
- Salt
For the No Bake Carrot Cake Bites
- Raw almonds, or Almond flour
- Shredded coconut
- Shredded carrot
- Sticky sweetener of choice (maple, agave, date, or rice syrup for example)
- Vanilla extract
- Ground cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Orange zest
- Ground ginger
How to Make Vegan Cake Bites
Start by making the frosting
Put all the frosting ingredients in a food processor or blender, and blend until you get a smooth paste-like consistency.
Then move on to the raw carrot cake.
Line a square 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper.
Process the almonds until you get a flour consistency (skip this if using almond flour).
Then add the rest of the carrot cake ingredients (except the shredded carrot) to the food processor and pulse until you get a sticky paste.
Pour the mixture into a bowl and fold in the shredded carrot until well mixed.
Pour the carrot cake batter into the baking pan, and spread it out until it’s smooth and even.
Layer with the pre-prepared cashew frosting, and smooth it out until the cake is evenly covered.
Pop the cake into the freezer for 3-4 hours, or until the frosting is semi-firm to the touch.
Take it out of the freezer, cut it into even slices, and store in the refrigerator for up to a week, or leave it in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Serve chilled, not frozen. If taking it out of the freezer, let it thaw for 30 minutes before eating.
How to Store this Raw Carrot Cake Recipe
Leftover raw carrot cake bites can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days.
You can also freeze leftover no bake carrot cake for up to 1 month and then thaw in the refrigerator to be served chilled, not frozen.
No Bake Vegan Carrot Cake Recipe Variations
- You can use sweetened or unsweetened shredded coconut for these cake bites. If you enjoy more of a sweet treat, then sweetened coconut will be appropriate, and if not, go with unsweetened.
- If you’d prefer to sweeten your cake naturally, consider using Medjool dates instead of a sticky sweetener. You will need to blend about 1 cup of pitted dates in the food processor along with the almonds and the rest of the cake batter ingredients.
- Add some delicious garnish to the top of your cashew frosting such as finely grated carrot, orange zest, shredded coconut, chopped walnuts, or a combination of these options!
Tips for Making Healthy Vegan Carrot Cake Without an Oven
- A great way to store leftover carrot cake bites in the freezer is to flash freeze and wrap individual pieces of cake. That way, you get to thaw the exact amount at any given time without having to defrost more than desired.
- In case you don’t have a food processor or something with similar power, make sure to soak the cashews in water for about 6 hours (instead of the 4 hours called for in the recipe) prior to making the frosting. This will help to blend the nuts in a standard blender to achieve the consistency required.
- 1 cup of shredded carrots equates to 1-2 large carrots. Feel free to either grate your carrots before adding them to the cake mix or keep their skin on, having washed them well before adding.
- Don’t let your carrot cake bites sit out at room temperature for too long otherwise the cake and frosting will soften.
- Slice your cake with a hot sharp knife when the cake is well chilled for ease of serving.
- The great thing about this raw vegan carrot cake is the fact that you don’t need to bake the cake base. Since there’s no baking time required, you could opt to chill the cake bake in the refrigerator before adding the frosting which may assist applying the frosting on a more sturdy cake base.
Other delicious raw vegan treats to try
- Lemon Cheesecake Bliss Balls
- Raw Snickers Slice
- Banana Almond Ice Cream
- No-Bake Cheescake with Peaches
- Raw Chocolate Cake
Raw Vegan Carrot Cake Bites
Equipment
Ingredients
Vegan Cashew Frosting
- 1 1/2 cups raw cashews soaked for 4 hours or overnight
- 1/2 cup plant-based milk
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp salt
Raw Carrot Cake
- 2 cups raw almonds or 1 1/2 cups almond flour
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- 1 cup shredded carrot
- 1/2 cup maple syrup or other vegan sweetener
- 2 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- Pinch nutmeg
- 1 orange zest
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
Instructions
- Start by making the frostingPut all the frosting ingredients in a food processor or blender, and blend until you get a smooth paste-like consistency.
- Then move on to the raw carrot cake.
- Line a square 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper.
- Process the almonds until you get a flour consistency (skip this if using almond flour).
- Then add the rest of the carrot cake ingredients except the carrot to the food processor and pulse until you get a sticky paste.
- Pour the mixture into a bowl and fold in the shredded carrot until well mixed.
- Transfer the carrot cake batter into the baking pan, and spread it out until it’s smooth and even.
- Layer with the pre-prepared cashew frosting, and smooth it out until the cake is evenly covered.
- Pop the cake into the freezer for 3-4 hours, or until the frosting is semi-firm to the touch.
- Take it out of the freezer, cut it into slices, and store in the refrigerator for up to a week, or leave it in the freezer for up to 1 month.
- Serve chilled, not frozen. If taking it out of the freezer, let it thaw for 30 minutes before eating.
