Here’s a carrot cake with a difference, just as delicious as an indulgent spiced carrot cake should be but full of super healthy ingredients such as wholesome rye, superfood chia, extra carrot goodness from both whole carrots and juice plus low GI coconut sugar and minimal oil.

Plus, it comes in with more protein than the same recipe swapping the chia for egg and the soya yoghurt for its dairy counterpart.

The whole recipe comes in at 78.7g of protein (9.83g per slice!), ZERO cholesterol, 91.5g of dietary fibre (366% RDA), 204% RDA calcium and 210% iron.

Whereas the non vegan version comes in at 72.2g protein (9g per slice), 164mg (55% RDA) cholesterol, 68.7gg of dietary fibre (275% RDA), 97% calcium and 159% iron. Take that, skeptics!

Ingredients: Serves 8

• 4 medium carrots, peeled (or scrubbed if organic)
• 1 1/2 cups (225g) raisins or dried mixed fruit
• 1 1/4 cups (175g) plain flour *
• 1 1/2 cups (200g) rye flour *or use all wholemeal flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2.5 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 3 tsp mixed spice
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• zest of one orange
• 1 cup (200g) coconut sugar or unrefined brown sugar
• 1/3 cup (85ml) rapeseed oil (or other vegetable oil)
• 1 cup (250 ml) carrot juice (or orange juice, milk)
• 1 tbsp chia protein powder mixed with 3 tbsp hot water

Yoghurt Topping

• 1 cup (250 ml) plain dairy free yoghurt
• Seeds from 1 vanilla pod or 1 tsp good quality extract/paste or 1/2 tsp ground vanilla
• 1 tbsp chia seed protein powder or ground chia seeds
• 1 tbsp maple syrup or vanilla stevia drops, to taste

Method:

1. Grease and line a 8-9 inch round cake tin and preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF.
2. Add the carrots to a blender or food processor and pulse to a coarse meal. Add the dried fruit and pulse a few times to crunch up with the carrots.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, spices, zest and sugar then stir in the grated carrot and raisins.
4. Add the oil, carrot juice and soaked chia mixture to the bowl and fold through until well combined and at a dropping consistency.
5. Pour the cake batter into the tin and bake for 40-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out free of wet batter. Cover with foil if it is browning too much.
6. When cool enough to handle, remove from the tin and leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
7. Meanwhile, whisk together the topping ingredients and refrigerate until ready to serve. Pour the topping over each individual slice.

Vegan recipe

Non vegan recipe

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