Vegan Carrot Cake with Brown Sugar Cinnamon Frosting

Making a carrot cake today came to mind while I was filling up our bird feeders this morning.  I have begun to leave bird seed on the ground for our resident mother rabbit who just had her babies in our backyard, for the second time this year.  At least I think it's the same rabbit - she used the same hole.  Maybe it isn't actually the same rabbit, but nevertheless, we have baby bunnies that we are keeping safe from our Basenji.

Rabbits adore our garden and have come to feast on many of our offerings for years, including the bird seed that the song birds drop from our feeders.

I know the mother rabbit feeds her babies early in the morning.  Then she's off in a huff to find food for herself.  I see her in the mornings searching for bird seed on the ground.  This morning as I was carrying an over-loaded scoop of bird seed, the mother rabbit was already there on her seed-search.  I approached the feeders slowly as not to frighten Mama Rabbit.  To my surprise she slowly hopped around me and did not leave the area.  She must have smelled that I had food!  I filled up one of the feeders, then made 3 small piles of bird seed on the ground.  I gently walked away while I watched Mama Rabbit hop up to a small pile of seed.  Breakfast is served!

Oh, and that's why I made carrot cake today.  Can't look at rabbits without thinking of carrots!

Ingredients for the batter:

2 cups organic spelt flour

1/2 cup organic pure cane sugar

3 teaspoons non GMO non-aluminum baking powder

1 teaspoon organic baking soda 

3 teaspoons organic pumpkin spice 

*1 teaspoon organic vanilla salt 

1/2 cup organic coconut oil, melted 

1/2 cup organic apple sauce 

1/4 cup organic almond milk

*2 teaspoons organic pure lemon extract

1 1/2 cups grated organic carrots 

*You can find these recipes under my baking category.

Ingredients for the frosting:

1 cup of non-dairy butter, softened 

1 cup organic confectioners sugar

1/2 cup organic brown sugar 

2 teaspoons organic cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons pure organic vanilla extract 

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

Lightly butter and flour a 9" square baking pan and set aside.

To make the batter, whisk together all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Next add the wet ingredients along with the carrots.

Pour batter into greased baking pan.  Bake for 30-35 minutes.  Let cool in pan, remove to large plate.

Method for making frosting:

In a large bowl beat butter and sugars until well-combined. Add vanilla extract and cinnamon.  Beat until light and fluffy.

Frost cooled cake.  Keep cake covered when not enjoying.