Putting carrot in a cake seems counter intuitive. The idea of the grubby tuber, plucked out of the soil, being employed as the main ingredient for a delicious cake doesn’t make sense.
The reason carrots work so well in cakes is their high sugar content. This is one sweet vegetable. It has the second highest sugar content of any vegetable, behind the sugar beet.
Carrots in Medieval Cooking
Before the use of sugar became widespread (the table sugar we use today was once rare and expensive), carrots were used as sweeteners in cakes and deserts. This was especially so in the European Middle ages. The use of carrots in such deserts as Christmas pudding and carrot cake was revived during the Second World War, when sugar became scarce. Indeed, the Ministry of Food distributed recipes using carrot.
Some talk of carrot cakes as being a healthy alternative. This depends on what ingredients are used. Vegetable oil instead of butter is definitely a plus, especially for those keeping an eye on their cholesterol and saturated fat. Wholemeal flour can be substituted for white flour, giving an added boost of fibre and vitamins. Undoubtedly, carrots themselves are a good source of vitamins and fibre. Then there’s the added table sugar, which in not a real food at all, with absolutely no vitamins. But what good cake can be made without it? As with everything, it's all a matter of moderation.
This Easy Carrot Cake recipe delivers a deliciously moist and sweet cake, with the lemon icing giving a tangy note to the whole affair. It’s perfect to make for when visiting friends or just to keep in the fridge. Better still, the flavours seem to improve after a few days in cold storage.
Variations on a Theme
Sultanas are used in this recipe to add to the sweetness. However, walnuts can be substituted (remember, walnuts are a good source of omega 3). To make the cake vegan, use any of the commercial variety of egg replacers instead of real eggs. It works just as well.
To make the icing vegan, use margarine instead of butter. Remember to check that the trans fat content of the margarine is below 1%.
Easy Carrot Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup of castor sugar
- ¾ cup of vegetable oil
- 1 and ½ cups of coarsely grated carrot
- 2 eggs (or use egg replacer)
- 1 cup of plain flour
- 1 teaspoon of bi-carb of soda
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon of vanilla essence
- ¾ cup of sultanas or walnuts
Icing
- 1 cup of icing sugar
- 30 grams of butter, melted
- Tablespoon of lemon juice
Directions
- Mix in a large bowl the castor sugar and vegetable oil.
- Add the grated carrot and work through with a wooden spoon.
- Add the two eggs (or egg replacer equivalent), salt, cinnamon and vanilla essence. Stir through thoroughly.
- Sift in the flour and bi-carb of soda. Mix thoroughly until a batter is formed.
- Stir through the sultanas or walnuts.
- Pour the batter into a cake tin lined with baking paper and cook on a low heat, 180 degrees Celsius, for 50-60 minutes. Set aside and cool.
- For the icing, set aside a small mixing bowl. Place in the icing sugar. Then pour in the melted butter and lemon juice. Work through until the icing is formed.
- Take a spatula or wooden spoon and cover the cake with the icing.
The cake is now ready to serve. Enjoy!
Chris Saliba - Chris Saliba is a freelance writer. Read more of his workplace articles at chrissalibafreelancewriter.blogspot.com
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