An all-time favorite for packs, pockets, and snacks just about anywhere.
Jump to RecipeEveryone loves a banana bread, amiright?
But what to do when you don’t have any overripe bananas, but you DO have a hankering for a snack cake? Something that doesn’t need anything to be tender and great, but that you also wouldn’t mind toasting up and slathering with butter?
This Black Sesame Carrot Cake is the answer. It came to be in a moment when I was resisting buying bananas, (not local, and when is a banana’s “season” anyway?) and so I decided to experiment with carrots instead. The results were effing awesome and this cake is a favorite for pockets, packs, and snacking…specifically toasted with that dollop of butter on top.
Flavors are FUN, yes, but they also are the mechanisms by which our bodies nourish themselves. Flavors basically tell our bodies what the food is giving us – on a nutritional and energetic level. Our bodies then prepare enzymes to break those components down, assimilate them, and turn them into fuel for our vibrant lives. We can’t eat just one flavor and get all of the things we need, so learning to track the flavors in our foods helps us to be sure that we’re really getting all of the things we need in our meals. This particular recipe has all six flavors. The more flavors we can enjoy in any meal or food, the happier and more balanced our bodies will be. If you’re wanting to learn more about how the flavors we eat fuel our bodies – energetically and nutritively, check out this little blog post.
An all-time favorite for packs, pockets, and snacks just about anywhere.
Preheat the oven to 375℉ and place a rack in the center of the oven.
Grease a 9×11″ pan with coconut oil and line with parchment so it hangs over the sides in the form of a sling.
In a large bowl whisk together almond milk, applesauce, fresh ginger, and vanilla extract. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
Add shredded carrot to the wet ingredients and mix thoroughly. Stir in the sugars and stir with a spatula until combined.
Fold in the dry ingredients until no dry pockets remain. The batter will still be a bit chunky. (For additional guidance on proper folding technique check the RECIPE NOTES!)
Now fold in the melted coconut oil. The batter will loosen slightly and become more voluptuous.
Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan and sprinkle with black sesame seeds. Press them gently into the batter.
Place your loaf in the oven on the center rack.
Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Allow to cool completely in the pan, 20-25 minutes, then remove using your parchment sling. Enjoy immediately or store refrigerated for up to 5 days.