Cathy Fisher
Cathy Fisher is the creator of StraightUpFood.com, a website offering free recipes and information on eating a whole-food, plant-based diet free of salt, oil and sugar. She is also a cooking instructor, teaching classes at TrueNorth Health Center and the McDougall Program, both in Santa Rosa, CA. Cathy began eating a plant-based diet in 1999, and in 2016 published her first cookbook, Straight Up Food: Delicious and Easy Plant-based Cooking without Salt, Oil or Sugar.
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Comments (57)
Tip I noticed on – https://www.straightupfood.com/blog/2012/04/22/carrot-cake-donuts/ :
4 ounces pitted dates (7 to 8 Medjools or 14 to 16 Deglet Noor), chopped.
Does anyone know, how much water I need to add in order to create the vanilla bean frosting?
Is this suppose to be mushy? Baked for 55 mins & it’s still mushy
Hi Denise,
I often make bread with a “wet” dough. The trick is to use a high temperature to help it rise and set. Otherwise it can be very heavy and gluggy. I set my oven to 220C and bake for 45-55 minutes checking the top for spring towards the end. 350F is about 175C. Perhaps the oven temperature isn’t as high as you think? I just came across this recipe and saw your comment.
I had lots of trouble with my bread until I increased my oven temperature. Since then they come out beautifully every time.
I also find it best to let my bread cool on a wire rack and then sit in the fridge for at least one day to help the crumb set. Hope this helps.
Looking forward to giving it a go.
Btw my breads are 50:50 grain and legume and easily customised to be gluten free. So every slice of bread is a whole protein snack. Go plant power!
This extraordinary recipe is always a hit!
Hi, would love to try your bread recipe it sounds nice
This was incredible!!!!! I was SO impressed really as was the birthday boy! This is a keeper all the way around!! THANKS for whoever put this together!
Fabulous recipe even better taste.
Made this today & I’m no kitchen handy chef but this recipe is awesome and the end result is a fabulous tasting moist rich cake.
I didn’t have the right sized baking dish so used what I had, which was an 8″ ring cake pan. Maybe because it wasn’t big enough, and even though I kept it in the oven 20 minutes longer, the cake turned out gluggy on the inside. Outside felt great. So after I cut a piece hours later and found it undercooked, I put it back in the oven for another 1/2 hr! The next morning I cut it up and still found it gluggy?? Is that how it is supposed to be or because of the oats? or maybe I threw in the whole banana instead of 1/2 a cup? Anyway it smells great! Will try the recipe again with the right sized pan and no deviation from the original recipe!
Did you remove it from the pan after 15 minutes cooling? I always do that, and the steam that pours out of the cake makes me wonder how mushy it would be if all that steam were trapped inside.
Going to make this for my son’s birthday. All ingredients are listed in cups and teaspoons except dates. So I’m guesstimating that 4½ ounces pitted whole dates, chopped = 1/2 cup or 3/4 cup? Thanks in advance!
I made this today, and I am in no way a great chef or baker and I was surprised at how nice this turned out. Next time, I will cut back on the dates on both the cake and icing as I find it just a little too ‘datey’ for me, otherwise, this is going to be a regular for me. Thank you for sharing this recipe 🙂
Delicious recipe, definitely a keeper! It reminds me of the Pumpkin Pie Squares recipe. Thank you!
Made the cake and the frosting and it was absolutely delicious!!
Made this vegan carrot cake and it was delicious seven without the vanilla frosting Amazingly simple and healthy❤️
Is there an alternative to using rolled oats? Psyllium Husks? Almond flour or coconut flour?
We need a frosting recipe!!!
In the list of ingredients it has the frosting listed in blue. Click on it for the recipe.
I make one with a 400ml can of coconut cream, 1 cup of raw cashews, some dates (however sweet you like), one ripe banana and a dash of natural vanilla essence. Blend it all up till creamy and refrigerate before use. It is absolutely yummy, but I use it occasionally and sparingly because it is such a concentrated fat…and the coconut cream is not a wholefood.
Hi, if I already have oat flour, how much should I use? Thank you
From what I read, it’s about the same amount.
Looks amazing!! Does somebody know how long it can last? Thanks in advace
It’s my tradition now to make this cake every year on my birthday. I follow the recipe exactly and it tastes best the 2nd day after the flavors are mixed.
What other type of nut could I use for the frosting? I’m allergic to cashews.
I haven’t tried this one yet but it looks delicious – and uses macadamia nuts instead of cashews.
https://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes/vegan-sauces-condiments/macadamia-vanilla-frosting/
What other GF flour can i use, instead of oats? Thank you
This has become a favorite for me! And its an important part of satisfying my sweet tooth as I try to transition to a PBWF diet. I’ll start off by saying, I LOVE Carrot Cake! It’s my favorite desert and this recipe is really good, very moist and tastes good. I did alter the recipe a little and instead of 1 tsp of Nutmeg, I only do 1/2 tsp… two tsp made the taste a little strong for me.
I make this on Sunday’s and then eat a piece or two everyday all week. It’s that good! Plus, it keeps me from searching for snacks and sweets. Last thing I will say is, I have horrible acid reflux and I’m on the max dose for medication and I still struggle with it. Sweets usually set it off but not this! I can eat as much as I want with no problems. Thanks FOK!
Lo hice para El cumpleanos de mi Hijo y le encanto me lo pidio tres dias seguido gracias por la receta me gusto muchi
So delicious! One of few whole foods, plant based cake recipes I’ve seen that does not include flour/coconut sugar/etc. My omnivorous husband with a sweet tooth couldn’t get enough of it. Icing was amazing as well!
Top notch
Easy to make, and oh! so delicious! It is rich, dense and moist. I gave slices to my two neighbors, one semi-vegan, and one omnivore, and they both loved it. This recipe will go into my regular rotation.
Think this recipe is delicious and super simple. I made it without the frosting for a little bit healthier option. Loved the texture, very thick, almost banana bread texture.
Recommend
When you say ounces of dates, are you referring to 4 oz as in 1/2 cup or to way out 4 oz of dates ?
This is nothing like any carrot cake I’ve eaten. But it is delicious. I didn’t use the frosting. I’m going to try it as muffins next time.
What can the dates be substituted with? I need to find a substitution, I do not care for dates at all.
Once it’s made you cannot detect the dates at all. FOK uses dates for a lot of sweet stuff. I wonder if prunes or dried apricots/mango would work? Oooh I’m even thinking I might try it with mango myself. The good thing about WFPB- even if it doesn’t bake properly you can still eat it- there’s nothing harmful in there.
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What can I sub for the banana ? I hate bananas, even the smell of them
I made it the first time today. I forgot to put the banana in. I think the banana is supposed to help with binding and of course adds some sweetness. But my cake turned out fine without it. It didn’t fall apart or anything and it was sweet enough for me, but if you like it really sweet, you could add a couple more dates or some other sweetener. Great recipe, btw.
If you hate bananas, applesauce should work just as well.
I love this cake. So delicious. It would be great if there was a version of the recipe that included pineapple in the cake too!
I love this recipe. It is not difficult to make if you have a blender. I make it without the icing and it tastes perfect with a cup of tea.
I have the ultimateeee sweet tooth! And this is better than non-vegan carrot cake. I made this for my daughter’s birthday. Highly recommend this recipe.
Such a delicious treat for birthdays or just because.
So good—I can’t believe this is also gluten-free! I make it without nuts and swap in sunflower seeds for potlucks.
So good, especially the frosting. Left off the walnuts as I’m allergic, and the cake still held together and was satisfying.
I made this for a friend’s birthday party – made it in a 9″ round pan and it turned out great! Everyone was surprised at how incredibly moist the cake was given how healthy it is. I would make the cake without frosting for an everyday treat or morning cake.
Delicious – Even the non-vegan family members have this at the top of their favorite cake list!
This will be my birthday cake this year !! Yum!
Yummmm!
One of the best WFPB cakes.
Yum!
Can you substitute oat flour for rolled oats?
Delicious and I do not use frosting.
This cake is heavenly! It’s so delicious, with it without the yummy frosting. As a bonus, it’s healthy – probably healthy enough to eat for breakfast!
I meant to say with or without the frosting.
This recipe is so delicious and bonus, it is healthy. I ask for it on my birthday every year!