17 June 2014

A Healthier Version: Carrot & Walnut Cake




I'm pretty sure everyone is saying this...
"I'm trying to make our food choices a bit healthier"
Yep, been there, done that!
Somehow me and my family fell off of our healthy food wagon and landed face first in a pile of junk.
I was bowing to the pressure of fussy eating children.

So here I am, recovering from a horrible stomach bug (yes, gross!) that has helped me consume no sugar and even *gasp* NO COFFEE for 5 days! I figured I may as well take advantage of my freshly cleaned out stomach and sugar-free system and start afresh.

If you don't know me I'll tell you now...
I. Love. Baking.
I'm a bit obsessed.
I am totally blessed that my parents are next door, starting up an amazing stone ground wholegrain flour mill and providing me with free flour whenever I need it.
So begins the test baking!

I decided to first try a healthier version of an old favourite.
In this recipe I used the healthy wholegrain flour, but you can use plain flour if you like.

Carrot & Walnut Cake

Ingredients:

2 cups wholegrain or plain flour
4tsp baking powder
1tsp cinnamon
1tsp mixed spice
2 cups grated carrots (2medium/large carrots)
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup honey
1 cup olive oil
3 eggs, lightly beaten

Frosting:

250g cream cheese, softened
Rind of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons honey

Preheat oven to 160*C.
Grease and line a cake tin with baking paper or lightly grease a silicone cake mould.
Sift flour, baking powder, cinnamon and mixed spice together in a large bowl.
Add carrots, walnuts, honey, oil and eggs and stir with a metal spoon.
Pour into prepared cake tin.
Bake for 40-50mins or until a knife comes out of the centre cleanly.
Leave in tin to cool for 15mins then turn out onto wire rack to cool.

*If the cake is browning too fast, turn the temperature down another 10-20*, keep checking, and take out as soon as baked through.

Frosting:

Beat all ingredients together and spread over cooled cake.

*Make it pretty by sprinkling the frosted cake with chopped walnuts and grating extra lemon zest on top.


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