Well, we’ve practically made it. The last week of February is upon us and I’ve gotten through the buttcrack of the year relatively unscathed except for the radioactive gobs of mucus dropping down my throat en ce moment. WHAT’S THAT? YOU WANT TO HEAR MORE ABOUT MY GROSS TRANSFORMATION INTO THE UNDEAD? At least take me out for coffee first. Anyway, the point is, once February is over we can all go back to leading our daily lives without swaddling ourselves into straightjackets of fleecy layers before going outside and/or listening to Whitney Houston because it’s the only thing upbeat enough to balance out the sky’s 50 shades of gray. As we near the end, here’s a little bit of cheery deliciousness to get you through.

Coconut Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

• 2 cups all purpose flour (or 1 cup WW + 1 cup AP)  
• 1 cup of white sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt  
• 2 teaspoons baking powder  
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda  
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon  
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 3 cups shredded carrots  
• 1/2 cup canola or coconut oil  
• 1/2 cup soy (or other non-dairy milk) OR orange juice
• 1/2 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut 
• 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts

Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1.5 cups vegan cream cheese
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°

1. In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugars, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. I highly recommend sifting the flour if you have a sifter. Add the shredded carrots and the oil to the dry ingredients and mix well.

2. Add the milk (or OJ) and stir to combine, then fold in the walnuts and coconut. Pour the batter into a lightly greased 9X9” pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

For frosting: simply mix together cream cheese and sugar, then spread on top of the cooled cake. Dust with cinnamon to garnish.