Carrot cake is one of my absolute favourite treats, but as we all know it certainly isn’t the healthiest. That’s why I wanted to challenge myself to create a delicious moist one, spiked with ginger and crunchy walnut pieces. Gluten-free, very low in added sugar and extra protein, the nutty topping addition thanks to Hale Naturals PPB makes this a treat for all to enjoy, whatever the occasion – and completely guilt-free!
Ingredients:
For the cake –
- 3 large carrots, grated
- ½ cup coconut flour
- ½ cup vanilla whey protein powder (I used PhD Nutrition)
- ½ cup natural sweetener
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp mixed spice
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 50g walnut pieces
- 2 eggs
- 1 x small can of butterbeans, drained
- 1 can cooked (unsweetened) apples
- 2-4 tbsp nut milk
For the icing –
- 1 tub Quark
- 2 tbsp Hale Naturals Original PPB
- ½ scoop vanilla whey protein powder
- 1-2 tbsp natural sweetener, depending on taste
Get baking!
- Preheat the oven to 190 degrees C and grease and line a rectangular baking tray.
- Put the grated carrots, walnuts and the other dry ingredients into a large bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients to a blender and whizz up well until smooth.
- Pour into the bowl and mix well, being careful not to overmix while ensuring everything is folded in. Spoon into your prepared tray and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until risen and golden. Remove from and leave to cool for 10 minutes.
- Slice up into 12, transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
- Mix together the topping ingredients and chill until needed, the mixture should be quite thick. When ready to serve, smooth some on top, sprinkle over extra walnuts and devour!
Check out my other Hale Natural PPB creations: Vanilla and PB Cacao Chip Protein Cookies and Guilt-free Chocolate & Peanut Butter Cheesecake 🙂