On the Spur Carrot Cake
I love it when a spur-of-the-moment idea works out. Like really works out.
After lunch yesterday I wanted some little sweet treat. At first I thought chocolate but my second thought was lemon and vanilla. I’ve been trying to come up with an awesome carrot cake alternative for a little while, something full of real food and serious nutrition but with all of the moistness and natural sweetness of a good carrot cake.
Carrot Cake Balls are born.
Tate ate lots of these yesterday and remarked every time that they tasted like cream cheese frosting. You can thank the vanilla and lemon zest for that one. He often finds my “sweets” not sweet enough for his palate but these got two thumbs up.
Carrot Cake Balls
Raw, can be gluten free when made with gf oats, refined sugar and flour free
Equipment needed: Food processor
Makes 12 balls
- 10 dates
- 1 cup oats
- 1 small-medium carrot finely grated
- zest from one lemon
- splash of vanilla
- pinch of salt
- ~15 almonds crushed
- Put the dates in the food processor and process until date pieces are about the size of raisins. NOTE: your food processor may sound like it hates this, mine jumps around a little at first. To help this process along or if your blades aren’t very sharp you can chop the dates before putting them in the processor.
- Add the oats and process until the oats are floury.
- Add grated carrot, zest, vanilla, and salt and process until the ‘dough’ comes together in a ball.
- Use clean hands to form a dozen balls.
- Roll in crushed almonds and store in a jar or tupperware in the fridge until devoured (or freeze for longer keeping!).
(yeah, there’s not a dozen balls there because several landed in my mouth before the camera came out…mmmmm….)
What spur-of-the-moment kitchen creation has turned out better than expected for you lately?
