To top it off, it’s so easy to make. Block 45 minutes off your calendar and bake yourself something special as the weather starts to shift us into our cosy evenings at home. We used our Rad Cook Tea Towel to cool the cake and served finger food styled with our Arabella Linen Napkins.

Baking & styling made easy!

PREP TIME: 10 minutes  |  COOK TIME: 45 minutes  |  TOTAL TIME: 55 minutes 

SERVES: Nine slices  |  FREEZER FRIENDLY: One month  |  KEEP: 3 days

Ingredients:

 Cake: 

 - 1 ½ tbsp flaxseed meal (to make flax eggs) 

- 3 ¾ tbsp water (to make flax eggs) 

- 1/4 cup olive oil (if avoiding oil, try subbing a little nut butter or applesauce)

- 1/3 cup mashed very ripe banana 

- 1/4 cup maple syrup 

- 1/2 cup brown sugar (or sub coconut sugar, but it’s not as sweet and the texture may be more dense) 

- 1/2 tsp sea salt 

- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 

- 1/2 cup plain unsweetened almond milk (or other dairy-free milk) 

- 1 heaping cup (packed) grated carrot 

- 1/2 cup finely grated apple 

- 2/3 cup gluten-free rolled oats 

- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda 

- 1/2 cup almond meal (or flour) 

- 1 heaping cup gluten-free flour blend 

- 1/4 cup raw walnuts (chopped for topping) 

 Frosting (optional):  

- 1 1/4 cup raw cashews (soaked in very hot water for 30 minutes) 

- 1 tbsp coconut oil, melted (optional – helps the frosting firm up when chilled) 

- 1/4 cup full-fat coconut milk (or sub light milk if avoiding coconut, sub almond or rice) 

- 2 tbsp lemon juice 

- 3 tbsp maple syrup (plus more to taste) 

- 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

2. To flax eggs, add olive oil, mashed banana, and maple syrup and whisk to combine. Next add brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon and whisk to combine.  

3. Add almond milk and stir. Then add grated carrot and apple and stir.  

4. Add oats, baking soda, almond meal (or flour), and gluten-free flour blend and stir to combine (see photo). You should have a thick but pourable batter – add more almond milk to thin if needed or more gluten-free flour or almond meal to thicken.  

5. Pour into prepared baking dish and top with crushed walnuts. Bake for 40-45 minutes on a centre rack or until deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. When you press on the top, it shouldn’t feel too spongey, so don’t be afraid of over-baking! The gluten-free blend just takes longer to bake than glutenous cakes.  

6. Remove from oven and let rest in the pan for 15 minutes. Then gently lift out of the pan and let cool completely on a wire baking rack or flat surface. The longer it cools, the more airy and light the cake becomes.  

Frosting (optional):

7. While this is happening, you can make your frosting by adding soaked, drained cashews, coconut oil, coconut milk, lemon, maple syrup, and vanilla extract to a high-speed blender and blending on high until creamy and smooth. Taste and adjust sweetness or tartness as needed by adding more maple syrup or lemon juice, respectively. Then refrigerate to firm. Wait to frost the cake until frosting has thickened (about two hours), and the cake has cooled completely. 

8. Store completely cooled leftovers loosely covered at room temperature for up to three days, five days in the refrigerator (if frosted, it does need to be refrigerated), or in the freezer up to one month. Best served when fresh.