The Vegan Baker: Slow-bake carrot loaf
Home » Blog » Miyuki McGuffie » The Vegan Baker: Slow-bake carrot loafVegan baking can be intimidating when the only binder you know is egg and the easiest fat to reach for is butter. But baking without these items is super easy, and when done correctly, the results are no different from regular baking.
Photos by Miyuki McGuffie
Many recipes include vinegar as a binder, or any number of egg replacers. I will explain these and give options as we go, bearing in mind that non-vegans might not have certain products readily available in their cupboard.
One thing to remember is that I am not a professional, I am a home baker, and a relative beginner at that. Not all the recipes I post will be my own, and credit will be given where appropriate. If you try a recipe and have a tip or suggestion for it, leave a comment! Your input is encouraged and appreciated.
.JPG "Slowbake carrot loaf")
I adapted this recipe from a regular vegan carrot cake recipe, using wholemeal flour, adding extra liquids to compensate, and increasing the bake time to make up for the wet batter.
The result is a very subtly sweet loaf with a soft centre. You might get a more even result using a cake pan, but I’m happy with how mine turned out. If you do use a cake pan, I would keep an eye on the cake and test it periodically for doneness.
This recipe is also versatile for the fact that you can add or subtract additional ingredients as you please as soon as you keep an eye on the loaf while it's cooking. A friend of mine recently used this recipe but added ginger (and lots of it), wheatgerm and other goodies. It turned out great.
I didn’t ice this loaf, but you can find a vegan “buttercream” (a light icing made by whipping solid fats with icing sugar) recipe here. Beat in lemon juice at the end for a more traditional flavour to accompany carrot cake.
slow-bake carrot loaf
- 2 cups wholemeal flour
- 1 cup tightly packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups grated carrot (about 3 moderately sized carrots)
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- ¾ cup orange juice
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 180C.
Whisk dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Make a well and add carrots, oil, and orange juice. Mix until combined then fold in raisins and nuts. Scoop batter into a greased loaf tin. Bake for 60 minutes (or less if using a cake tin, read notes above).
If you have any questions, comments or topics you’d like me to write about, please comment below. You can read more from me here on Good and ecoamico.wordpress.com
