Carrot Cake

So, I was chatting with Natasha (my cousin) over ideas on the first recipe and she keenly wrote 'dessert dessert dessert' and I ran her through recipes of sweet treats that I have successfully made, and she chose Carrot Cake. This recipe is a successful mix of a few carrot cake recipes that i've tried. This version is a cake without icing, lasts longer, feels a little less indulgent & somehow tastes better. So here goes ........

CARROT CAKE

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/4 cup brown finely ground sugar (demerara sugar works as well - just grind it to a castor form)

3/4 cup vegetable oil or sunflower oil

3 eggs - roughly whisked

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon bi carb soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger - optional

2 1/2 cups grated carrots (i have a stick blender and so the only way i can grate carrots is by hand ...... which is a no no, so i fine chop the carrots in the stick blender, works quite well)

3/4 cup chopped nuts (I prefer walnuts but a mix of pecans & sultanas are fine as well. Also, don't put the walnuts in a bag and bash them a rough chop is much better, trust me !! )

METHOD:

- Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

- Mix Sugar & Oil till its well blended (takes about 2-3 mins with an electric mix, a little longer while hand whisking ..... but this is the only necessary step in this)

- Add eggs gradually and mix well

- In a separate bowl sift flour, bicarb soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ground ginger. (i dont have a sift so i add everything to a bowl and whisk it all with a dry whisk - it introduces the same airiness to the dry ingredients)

- Add this to the sugar / egg / oil mix

- Finally, add in the grated carrots & nuts.

Pour into a greased tin (22 cm round tin or a loaf tin) & bake for 55-60 mins.

Take it out - Let it cool for 20-25 mins - slice and enjoy !