FOCUS ON FOOD
A Cake for Every Season
No-bake Easter sweet treats
Photograph and Story by Rose Shewey
Today, I am going to answer a question you didn’t know you had: The humble carrot cake — is it a fall treat or a spring dessert?
It’s a bit of a conundrum. With carrots being harvested both in the spring and autumn, one could argue carrot cake can be either one — a celebration of spring and fall. Case closed. However, there are those — in my experience, mainly hobby pastry chefs — determined to limit this modest delight to just one season. To me, the correct answer is, and always has been, carrot cake is an anytime cake. Spring, summer, fall or winter. It’s truly a cake that fits just about any occasion.
The much more pressing question is, come Easter, should I make carrot cake or cheesecake? Cheesecake is the quintessential spring dessert in my book. Indecision being my biggest vice, I am making both and combining them — a folksy carrot cake as the supporting act for opulent cheesecake is exactly what I want to adorn my Easter brunch array.
That’s not the whole story. I am making this entire affair a no-bake event.
If you want to serve them alone, it’s worth noting that this no-bake carrot cake makes for some scrumptious carrot cake bars, should you be short on time or if cheesecake isn’t your cup of tea. Vice versa, if carrot cake isn’t your jam, this no-bake cheesecake will happily go atop any crust of your choosing.
No-Bake Carrot Cake and Cheesecake
(Serves 6)
Carrot Cake Ingredients
1 cup coconut flakes, toasted
1 cup cashew nuts or walnuts
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Pinch of sea salt
6-8 medjool dates, pitted and sliced
1 cup grated carrots
1/3 – 1/2 cup coconut flour, as needed
Cheesecake Ingredients
16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/3 cup powdered sugar
zest of 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
8 ounces heavy whipping cream
Method
To make the carrot cake base, add coconut flakes, cashews or walnuts, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt to a food processor and pulse until the nuts are crumbly. Now add in the dates and mix until you have a dough-like consistency but do not over-process — you don’t want a puree. Add in the carrots and pulse until everything is well incorporated.
Scrape out mixture into a bowl and add about half of the coconut flour and stir with a fork or spatula; if the mixture is still overly wet or sticky, work in the remainder of the coconut flower.
Line a 6-7-inch springform pan with parchment paper and press the carrot cake mixture into the bottom. Use a flat-bottom glass to achieve a smooth layer. Set aside.
To make the cheesecake, add the cream cheese to a bowl and sift in the powdered sugar. Mix with a fork until roughly incorporated, add lemon zest and juice and mix with a handheld mixer until well combined and creamy. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, whip heavy cream until soft peaks form and fold into the cream cheese mixture. Pour cheesecake mixture into the prepared springform, atop the carrot cake base, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.