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ORANGE & ALMOND CARROT CAKE

ORANGE & ALMOND CARROT CAKE

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Serves: 8-10

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  • Vegetarian
What does this mean?

My twist on a classic carrot cake. It has more spice, a slightly crunchy outer bake (due to the demerara) and a moist but firm centre. It will tantalise the senses as it bakes, filling your house with the festive of orange & cinnamon, and leave a more-ish, beautiful after-taste.

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Ingredients

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  • 200 grams unsalted butter softened
  • 300 grams demerara sugar
  • 500 grams carrots tops removed
  • 4 medium eggs
  • 250 grams self-raising flour
  • 100 grams ground almonds
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
  • 2 teaspoons ground allspice
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 50 grams icing sugar
  • 1 tablespoon oranges zest & juice

Method

  • Preheat oven to 160C, grease & line a 8" (20cm) springform round cake tin.
  • Blend most of demerara sugar until consistency just before castor, leaving a tablespoon or so for next step.
  • Blend the carrots to form small "chippings" (I prefer this to grated. Though, grated will work just as well) with the remaining sugar. This will help start drawing the liquid to ensure a moist bake.
  • In a mixer, mix together the butter & (blended) sugar until fluffy, add the spices, around a tablespoon of the flour, eggs and combine until lightly beaten. 
  • Next, add the almonds and flour gradually, along with the bicarb, salt and, finally (at this stage), the zest & juice of an orange.
  • It's important not to over-mix a cake or it will become dense, so mix/fold the carrot "chippings" by hand. The mix should be pale brown, quite thick and slightly sticky, and smell beautifully fruity/spiced. (spices can be adjusted to own taste).
  • Empty the cake mix into the prepared cake tin, cover with tin foil to prevent the top over-baking, and bake on the middle shelf for 1hr. Then, remove tin foil and bake for a further 30 mins. Or until lightly golden on top, "springy"/firm to touch or when a skewer is inserted and comes out clean. Baking time may vary depending on age of carrots - which alters their water content.
  • Allow the cake to rest in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack and left to cool entirely. The cake may appear cracked but that's fine - as mentioned, the demerara gives a slightly crunchy edge but the almonds ensure a moist centre.
  • Mix icing sugar & orange zest & juice in a bowl until you have formed a runny consistency. When the cake is entirely cooled, drizzle over cake and store in an airtight container.

Additional notes:

  • The demerera sugar can be replaced with light muscavado if desired.
  • This cake will last at least a week and improves after a day when the spices have infused.
  • Alternatively, double icing can be made. Half can be placed on top (pricking the top with a cocktail stick first) and left to soak through, then step (9) to be completed as normal. This will make the cake sweeter and *extra* moist.

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