If you’re looking to make an impressive vegan cake that everyone will love, then this orange tahini carrot cake recipe is the perfect solution. The orange infused tahini give this carrot cake so much flavour as well as a super moist texture.
I know tahini in a carrot cake sounds very random, but you have got to trust me on this one- it works so well as it gives this cake such a moreish rich nutty flavour. For this tahini carrot cake recipe, I used orange flavoured tahini but I know this is quite hard to get your hands on, so you can flavour your own tahini instead (I’ve included this version in the recipe). This orange tahini was also used for the frosting too so you can substitute it with your homemade one instead.
If you love regular carrot cake then you’ll 100% adore this orange tahini version…
Carrot cake is usually topped with walnuts but I topped this one with pistachios as I thought this goes better with the middle eastern tahini flavour.
If you want to try out my other cake recipes then check out my layered Chocolate Banana and Peanut butter cake and vegan Pina Colada Cake.
I use a combination of wholemeal and plain flour in this tahini carrot cake recipe as it gives the cake a more wholesome taste but if you only have plain flour then substitute the wholemeal flour with all plain.
Tahini Carrot Cake Recipe
Vegan carrot cake topped with an orange tahini frosting and crushed pistachios. I've included two versions here- one with shop bought orange tahini, and one if you are making your own.
Ingredients
- 250 g plain flour
- 250 g wholemeal plain flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 5 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp bicarbonate soda
- 60 g desiccated coconut
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 220 g sugar
- 300 ml sunflower oil or rapeseed
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 3.5 tbsp orange tahini (see homemade orange tahini mix ingredients below)
- 4 tbsp orange marmalade
- 200 ml soya milk
- 2 tbsp chia seeds (optional)
- 350 g carrots, grated (around 2 carrots)
- 1.5 tsp vanilla essence
Tahini frosting
- 150 g icing sugar
- 25 g butter
- 25 g orange tahini (see homemade orange tahini mix ingredients below)
- 20 ml soya milk
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice)
For homemade orange tahini (used in both the cake mix and frosting)
- 90 g tahini
- 1 tsp agave syrup (or honey if you're not vegan)
- 1 orange, zested
- 2 tbsp orange juice
- 1 tbsp orange marmalade
- 1-2 tbsp soya milk
To serve (decorations)
- 1 handful pistachios, crushed
- 1 handful raisins or sultanas
Instructions
For the orange tahini
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Mix the tahini, orange zest, orange marmalade and zest until smooth. Slowly add the soya milk and whisk until smooth. Set aside to be used in the cake and frosting
For the cake
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Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a cake tin with baking paper
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Sift the plain/wholemeal flour in a bowl and combine with the bicarbonate soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, coconut and ginger.
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In a small bowl mix the chia seeds with 6 tbsp water and set aside
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In a separate bowl, combine the oil, sugar, apple cider vinegar, vanilla essence, orange tahini (see recipe above) and orange marmalade. Slowly add the soya milk and whisk until smooth.
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Add the wet mix to the dry flour mix. Stir until combine. Add a splash more soya milk if necessary (should have a cake-like mixture texture)
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Fold in the grated carrot and chia seeds but do not over mix. Pour the mixture in the pre-lined cake tin and bake for 40 mins. Cover after 30 mins if it starts to brown too much.
For the frosting
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Combine the orange tahini, vegan margarine and icing sugar and mix until combined
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Add the apple cider vinegar and vanilla essence and stir. Slowly add the soya milk and stir until a smooth and thick icing mix forms (it should fall off the spoon but not be too runny).
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Wait for the cake to completely cool then evenly cover the cake with the frosting
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Top with crushed pistachios and raisins.