Carrot Patch- Chocolate Fudge Oat Cake

"How do you and your family celebrate Easter? 

When it is Easter time and I see baby chicks, bunny rabbits and Easter eggs, I think about springtime and the wonderful gift of new life.

The name “Easter” actually derives from Oestre, a pagan goddess of spring and fertility, responsible for the creation of new life. She was worshipped in the early spring, when new plants bloomed and babies were born.

As we celebrate this easter and springtime we should try to embrace the idea of the fertility of the earth, the animals, and your own body.  Remember that the earth is a lush, fertile field just waiting to produce life, always giving back to us.

We can give back and say thanks by doing our part to save, protect and preserve this beautiful earth we call home and in that way celebrate that we get to be a part of the great cosmic cycle of birth and new beginnings.

This Carrot Patch Cake is a super easy-to-make Easter treat that's decadent, cute, and sweet! There's a twist to this chocolate fudge frosting that you want to see!

Banana Oat Cake

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 Cup Oats

• 3/4- 1 Cup Oat Milk, or sub for coconut milk

• 1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder

• 1 1/2 Bananas

• 1 tsp Pure Vanilla

• Pinch of salt

• 2 Tbl Chocolate Chips for topping, optional

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.

2. Add everything except the chocolate chips to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.

3. Transfer the batter to a baking dish sprinkle with chocolate chips then pop in the oven.

4. Bake for 15 minutes. You can test if your cake is ready by inserting a toothpick, and if it comes out clean the cake is fully baked! Allow to cool while you make the decadent chocolate fudge frosting.

Chocolate Fudge Frosting

The twist to this fudge frosting is- I used CGA Caribbean Prize Shortening and my vitaprep to blend the frosting.

This method is quick and the clean up is easy!

Ingredients

• 1 Block Pastry Margarine, I used Prize Shortening soft at room temperature

• 1 Cup Icing sugar (adjust to suit)

• 1 Tbl Oat Milk

• 1 Tsp Pure Vanilla

• 1/2 Cup Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips (plus more for making edible "soil"

• Pinch of salt

Method

1. Add everything except the chocolate chips to a blender.

2. Blend in intervals on low to medium speed, scraping down the sides each time until it's smooth and creamy. Transfer the frosting to a mixing bowl and reserve 1/4 cup in a separate bowl for making the carrot tops.

3. Place the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and heat for 30 seconds, mix the chocolate chips then heat for another 30 seconds. Remove and mix the melted chocolate chips until smooth and silky. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.

4. Fold in half of the melted chocolate into the frosting, add the remainder and fold again until well combined.

5. Pop in the fridge for 5 minutes then spread the chocolate fudge over the Oat Cake.

6. For the edible soil- pulse Semi sweet chocolate chips in a food processor until it resembles dirt, then use it to cover the chocolate fudge

7. For the buttercream carrots- Add a few drops of all natural orange food coloring to the frosting you set aside. I used fruit puree that I had leftover, made from: cherries, goji berries, pomegranate seeds, cinnamon and seamoss to colour my frosting.

8. Fill your piping bag and pipe on a few carrot tops. Top each carot with mint leaves 🍃 and stick more mint leaves and stems in the "soil" to resemble plants.

Happy Easter! May you continue to blossom.