Carrot cake was originally made in the Middle Ages when sweeteners were expensive and carrots were used as the main source of sweetness. This recipe was inspired by Nigella Lawson's who based her recipe on a traditional cake made by Venetian Jews.
This carrot cake doesn't have any grains whatsoever so there is room for more of the good stuff. I made this cake recently to share with my fellow herbalists in celebration of finishing our clinical training program. Many people in the class can't eat gluten so this was a good alternative to the traditional model. They loved the cake and asked for the recipe, so this is for them.
For the cake:
1/4 cup almonds, chopped coarsely
2 large carrots
1/2 cup currants
2 1/2 oz. rum
2/3 cup super fine sugar
1 stick of butter, melted, plus more for greasing
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. almond extract (optional)
3 free-range eggs
1 cup ground almonds
3/4 cup ground sunflower seeds
½ tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 meyer lemon- finely grated zest and juice
- For the mascarpone cream (optional)
- 5 oz mascarpone cheese
- 2 tsp powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp rum
Preparation:
Oven to 350*
Line the base of 8" by 8" pan with parchment paper, grease the sides with butter.
Toast the 1/4 cup chopped almonds in small pan until golden brown, set aside.
Grate the carrots then squeeze out extra liquid using a cheese clothe or thin kitchen towel, set aside.
Heat the currants a small saucepan with the rum, bring to the boil, then turn down and simmer for a few minutes- until soft and plump- then drain.
Whisk the sugar and melted butter until creamily and airily mixed. Whisk in the vanilla and almond extract and eggs and, when well whisked, fold in the ground almonds and sunflower seeds, nutmeg, grated carrots, and, finally, the lemon zest and juice.
Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the toasted almonds over the cake and put it into the oven for 30–40 minutes, or until the top is risen and golden and a skewer inserted into the center comes out sticky but more or less clean.
For the mascarpone cream, mix the mascarpone with the icing sugar and rum (feel free to use the rum that the currants cooked in).
To serve, transfer the cake to a plate. Put the mascarpone cream in a bowl to spoon alongside the cake.
-Use 4 1/2 oz. olive oil in place of the butter for those sensitive to diary.
-Use golden sultanas in place of the currants.
-Use sour cream in place of mascarpone or use whole plain yogurt.
