Sunday, February 24, 2013

Carrot Cake ... Cooking is my new creative path....for the moment.


My creative ‘Mojo’ has, as many of you may know, gone walkabout but as I sat there musing over the disappearance I realized that I had discovered a  creative culinary  path. The family meals have been a little more inventive and I have turned my hands to cakes again …with my twist. I don’t do ‘Fancy’ …I like to call them  ‘Rustic’ cakes and I thought I would share with you my take on Carrot Cake.

I wanted to create one that had no need for icing and contained no nuts …the former tends to make it a rich delicacy rather than  a more everyday treat and the later gets stuck in my teeth.
This is so moist  yet not stodgy and you don’t need to get the mixer out …not even the hand one. If you feel the need for a frosting there are so many on the web to choose from and if you really need nuts in it you could reduce the sultanas to between 50g and 75g and stir in 50 g of  chopped Walnuts or Pecans, when you add the carrots.




ANGIE'S  CARROT CAKE

Pre-heat oven  ….200C … prep 2x 1lb tins. Or I x 2lb

1 lime …Zest and juice
100g Sultanas
90g SR flour
85g Wholemeal SR Flour
1tsp Bicarbonate of soda
1 ½ tsp Cinnamon
½ tsp Allspice
(Use more, up to 4tsp in total, if you desire ….Mixed Spice would work well too as would a grating of  fresh nutmeg.)
140g Soft dark brown sugar ... (or light brown)
140g grated carrot ..this is about 2 medium carrots grated on the large holes.
150 ml sunflower oil ....(I used a light one)
2 eggs

Zest the lime into a small bowl …add the juice and then the sultanas …stir well and set aside for a few  hours (or over night if you are that organized)…or pop in micro for a minute if disorganized, ...stir well, and then use when cool.

Weigh out the flours into a large bowl …add the spices and Bicarbonate of soda.
Add the sugar and mix gently into the flour  with your fingers, followed by the grated carrot.
Set aside and prepare the eggs and oil …. and have the sultanas ready, giving them a final stir

Using a balloon whisk ( or a fork if you have a good wrist)  mix oil and eggs together thoroughly …. they become creamy.
Stir the sultana mix gently into the flour mix and then stir in the egg mix quickly and thoroughly.
As soon as everything is mixed together, divide into the two tins and cook for about 40 mins ..
If using one tin, cook for about  1hr but test with a skewer , which should come out clean.

This has a flat top …well mine does …but it is still  fluffy and moist….and yummy ... if I say so myself.



Take Care xx

7 comments:

Rian said...

Angie, you are probably tired of me asking questions, but are sultanas the same thing as white raisins?

Actually I just looked that up so the answer seems to be yes - basically.

And I love carrot cake, so I plan to try your recipe soon. Thanks!

weaverpat said...

Oh my, that looks good!!!

Even though your crafting has taken a vacation, the creativity is still there! It just pops up in different places! I know mine goes in cycles and some of my crafting projects wait for YEARS until I come around to them again.
ope you and your family and all the kitties are doing well.

Happy Thought: Spring is not too far away!

Deb said...

scrummy, I do love a good carrot cake, yours looks perfect!
Debxx

Arkansas Patti said...

That is probably my favorite cake as I am more of a pie person. I tell my self the carrots make it healthy.

crafty cat corner said...

Hi Angie
Thanks for getting back about the strange needles. I still can't find out what they are, I thought maybe they were for dolls wig making but no. The dixie place doesn't have an email address and I really can't be bothered to write or ring.
No doubt sooner or later I will find out what they are.
How's your mojo? still in the wilderness? I know how you feel and a long standing friend of mine is also in the same place, she like me has been a big crafter all of her life but she just can't get any enthusiasm going.
Maybe its the winding down process of getting older, who knows but I don't b***** well want to give in to it do you?
I have to force myself to keep knitting and sewing etc. mind you the weather has been so awful this winter, enough to give me the pip.
I have so many ideas in my head but no go to get them into action. lol
Oh well, another moan from yours truly.
I would have emailed but couldn't see any address for you.
Love your kitties, wouldn't be without our 5.
Willow, the retriever cat actually jumped up on the bed this morning and dropped her ball of polythene onto my pillow for me to throw, how clever, She's the only one that does it.
Keep warm, soon be spring.
Briony
xxx

Carmen said...

Rustic cakes are my favourite. You can cut a slab and feel satisfied with a cuppa. Mmmm. In fact Devvie offered to bake me a cake for my birthday tomorrow and straight away I requested her lemon drizzle. Can smell it baking now - smells lush.

Carrot cake is one of my all time faves, will definitely be trying this. Nom.

Rosebark said...

So, you're onto cake making at present. Seem to remember way back you were into cakes. Maybe you'll start crocheting again next ;-)
Hope you don't mind, have saved your carrot cake into my recipe folder.
All the best
Ros