Terra Vegana: Learn how to make vegan carrot cakes covered in chocolate sauce

​A cupcake like this, so delicious and inclusive, deserves a special place in our kitchen. When we opt for vegan recipes, we automatically include not only people who are vegans, but also those who are lactose intolerant, as all ingredients of animal origin —including cow’s milk, cheese and yogurt— are left out and give way to plant substitutes.

By also excluding ingredients that contain gluten, such as wheat and rye, we give celiacs and gluten intolerant people a chance to try the recipe.

In these cookies —or cupcakes— the wheat flour is replaced by a mixture of rice flour, chickpea flour and sweet sprinkle.

Rice flour provides structure to the cake and is a much more affordable flour than others that could perform this function, such as amaranth, quinoa or coconut flour. Still in the affordable line, we have the option of corn flour — for this recipe, however, the rice one is more interesting, due to the neutrality of the flavor.

Lesser known and more expensive — a kilo costs around R$14 in supermarkets, but can be purchased for R$9.00 in the Zona Cerealista — chickpea flour also provides structure, in addition to acting as a “binding agent” ” that gathers the other ingredients of the cake.

This function of linking molecules is critical to the success of a good cake, and as much as it is credited to eggs, it is largely performed by gluten, which “stretches” as it is moistened — and kneaded, in the case of eggs. buns—creating elastic webs that connect everything together.

Chickpea flour still has the plus to bring protein to the recipe, and can be used to prepare other dishes, such as the vegan omelet. The flour, in turn, adds the necessary dose of “cuteness” to the cake — it is an agent of lightness, essential so that the cake does not become the sole of a shoe.

By the way, the tip is to resist the temptation to make a big cake, because the size changes the texture, and the smaller molds allow a soft, moist and firm cake. The recipe yields eight cookies, which are a great choice for a children’s lunch box or an adult’s thermal bag.

So the tip is to double the recipe and freeze some. The day before consumption, simply transfer to the fridge (and patiently wait for thawing).

Carrot Cake with Chocolate Sauce

INGREDIENTS

1 cup of rice flour.

½ cup of chickpea flour.

½ cup of sweet flour.

3 cups of chopped carrots.

½ cup of coconut oil.

½ cup of plant-based milk.

½ cup of demerara sugar.

2 tablespoons of molasses (can be substituted for another ¼ cup of sugar) .

1 teaspoon baking soup.

1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda.

½ tablespoon of apple cider vinegar.

Grated nutmeg, to taste, but with care.

PREPARATION

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
2. Add the carrot, vegetable milk, coconut oil, demerara sugar and molasses to the blender cup.
3. Sift the flour and flour into a large bowl.
4. Transfer the contents of the blender to the flour bowl. Involve.
5. Grate the nutmeg to taste and mix again. Add the yeast, apple cider vinegar and bicarbonate of soda and fold into the dough, gently.
6. Transfer the cake batter to the pans and bake for 35 to 40 min. Do the toothpick test to make sure the cake is baked, but avoid opening the oven early, as this will damage the cake’s cooking.
7. Wait for it to cool and unmold.

CHOCOLATE SYRUP

INGREDIENTS

100 g vegan dark chocolate.

80 ml of almond milk, or plant-based milk of your choice.

1 teaspoon of coconut oil.

PREPARATION

1. Cut the chocolate into smaller pieces and transfer to a bowl. Take it to melt in a bain-marie.
2. When the chocolate is melted, add the vegetable milk and mix well, until it forms a homogeneous syrup.
3. Finally, add the coconut oil and turn off the heat.
4. Wait for the syrup to cool and spread over the cake.