Which means, because I’m a never say never guy, vegan cooking interests me much more than vegan eating. If eating vegan was my sole goal then it would be easy to find great vegan treats at restaurants, cafés, and bakeries. It’s a little trickier to have an interest in vegan cooking. Especially vegan baking. Because baking is more of a science than an art, swapping and eliminating ingredients from a traditional cake, cookie, or muffin recipe just won’t work.
Besides, good baking relies on practice as well as knowing your ingredients and understanding how they behave. Vegan baking is a brave new world. It requires the cook to find replacements for the eggs and butter that have traditionally formed the backbone of baking. I don’t have the skills to pull that off on my own. Which is why I turned to an expert recipe when I decided I wanted to give vegan baking a try. This Carrot-Ginger Black Sesame Loaf is reminiscent of a well-made – but restrained – carrot cake. I love its rich texture and the adult air about it. It’s sweet and simple, but incredibly moist and unexpectedly sesame-studded, with a lovelyginger kick too.
I served this Carrot-Ginger Black Sesame Loaf as dessert, but I believe its creator, Jessica Koslow of Sqirl LA, intended it as a breakfast food. I’m always surprised when I step into Sqirl and get in line behind all the health-conscious Angelenos who come to eat dessert for breakfast! I guess this recipe is exactly the kind of thing they’re looking for.
Which is my way of saying be warned, vegan isn’t necessarily shorthand for healthy. In the manner of a granola bar hoping to pass muster as a health food, there’s enough sugar in this cake to keep the calorie count worth counting. Still, even if you’re the type to never say never (like me) you won’t miss the meat, cheese, eggs, cream, or butter. GREG
Print This RecipeTotal timeYield8Source Everything I Want to Eat by Jessica KoslowPublished
Although the recipe didn’t call for it, I like to line my loaf pan with parchment paper. Especially with recipes like this one when I don’t want to have to invert the pan to remove the cake.
Ingredients
½ cupvegetable oil(plus more for pan)
250 gramall-purpose flour(about 2 cups, plus more for pan)
1 ½ teaspoonbaking powder
2 teaspoonground cinnamon
135 gramgranulated sugar(about 2/3 cup)
145 grambrown sugar(about 2/3 cup)
½ cupunsweetened applesauce
⅓ cupalmond milk
1 (2‑inch) piece of fresh ginger(peeled and finely grated)
1 teaspoonvanilla extract
3/4 teaspoonfine sea salt
200 gramcoarsely grated carrot
2–3 tablespoonblack sesame seeds(or more as needed)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Brush the inside surfaces of an 8 ½ by 4 ½‑inch loaf pan with a little oil. Dust with flour, tapping out any excess.
In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and cinnamon.
In a large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, applesauce, almond milk, ginger, vanilla, and salt. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour mixture, followed by the carrots, and finally the oil.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the top with the sesame seeds. You want it to be completely covered in seeds. Bake until the loaf has puffed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes.
was that a typing error when it says 3/4 cup fine sea salt. That seems like way, way to much.
Yes, thanks. It’s teaspoon and I fixed the typo. GREG
Looks so gorgeously delicious. I am not a fan of using vegetable oil, do you think coconut oil would work as a substitute?
I have read most vegan cookbooks out there. I am endlessly fascinated with the creative work arounds. Even though I have tried the vegan route, it is not for me. But that is not to say I don’t love certain vegan recipes. This one looks like a winner!
I’m so with you, Greg–don’t think I could ever give up dairy and meat entirely but it’s been fun experimenting with recipes. This loaf is so beautiful!!
Looks scrumptious!
Love that bakelite knife, too. 😉
So funny… I just wrote a post (for May) about cooking for vegans and vegetarians… like you, I’m not not a vegan, either. We sometimes eat vegan and don’t think twice about it!
Gotta love this carrot loaf recipe — the thing I dislike about carrot cake is the icing. The thing I love about this is the sesame seed coating. And who doesn’t love all that sugar? Will definitely try it — thanks!
Well said Greg. You are right. I could never attempt this on my own. But this sure makes it worth a try! After all…it does contain sugar!
I could probably give up meat, but never butter, cheese, or eggs. But I’m not going to give up anything! Moderation in all things, including moderation (that’s my motto and I’m sticking to it). Anyway, terrific recipe — looks excellent. Thanks.
Greg, it’s a beauty. I have a few vegan cakes up my sleeve, though I am not vegan. I think butter is a much healthier and better alternative for the planet than vegetable oil. But we have to have quite a repertoire these days in order to have a dinner party–one I attended recently had a vegetarian, a vegan, a keto dieter, two gluten-free, a garlic allergy (me!), a dairy allergy and a tomato allergy–about a third of the guests with a special need. I don’t know how my friend did it! 😀
Greg, I really, really want to eat this! It both sounds and looks so interesting. This is my favorite sort of breakfast (well, next to cookies). I have yet to eat at Sqirl, and it’s been on my list for years now. I must make that happen. Cheers!
I’m like you, I’d never want to gove up meats but I do understand a need to eat less of it for the health of our planet. I, personally prefer to eat savoury foods for breakfast but I’d certainly give this beauty a go. After all, it does have carrot in it!
Sorry about my silence of late, we’ve been travelling (UK but mostly Spain). Just got back lare yesterday afternoon.
I was a vegetarian for 12 years and a vegan for one year way back in the eighties. I didn’t mind being a vegetarian, but being a vegan didn’t work for me. Your recipe would have been perfect.
Yum. I had no idea this was vegan as I chomped with gusto. I loved it. ❤️
Your pictures are so stunning! I’m all in on this loaf. If I really think about it, I really should be vegetarian. Don’t know that I could go full-on vegan, but this loaf looks like it’d get me a step closer.