Carrot Cake (GF)

Carrot cake is one of my favourites and I am so happy that I have managed to successfully adapt a recipe my Mum makes into a gluten-free one.

I think most of us have found baking to be extremely therapeutic and calming this year and this has always been the case for me.

Making something from scratch that brings joy in so many ways is a great comfort in these troubling times. This recipe is also nostalgic for me and the smell of those warm spices brings all the Autumnal feels to home.

I love the inclusion of walnuts in this recipe as it gives a contrast to the softness of the sponge. It’s a cake that you need to eat with a fork as it’s quite crumbly (but certainly not dry). Despite its looks the cake is surprisingly light, moist and more-ish.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup of corn oil (I used light olive oil as I didn’t have any corn oil)

1 and 1/4 cups of caster sugar.

2 large eggs separated (or 3 medium ones).

3 tbsp of hot water

1 and 1/4 cup GF Self-raising flour (I use Doves Farm)

Pinch of salt

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

3/4 cup of grated carrot

Icing:

60g softened unsalted butter

40g cream cheese (I use half-fat Philadelphia)

80g sieved icing sugar

Makes 10-12 slices

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 180 degree C. Line a 20cm round baking tin.

Grate the carrot and chop the walnuts. Separate the eggs (setting the whites aside). Combine the yolks with the oil and sugar:

…add all the dry ingredients (bar the walnuts) to the oil/sugar mix:

Add the hot water (this will loosen-up the mixture):

Whip the egg whites until stiff. Add to the mixture, alternating the carrots and walnuts with the egg white until all combined.

Place in the lined baking tin…

…and place in the bottom of the pre-heated oven for 45-50 mins or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Whilst the cake is in the oven you can make the icing by mixing the warm butter with the cream cheese and adding the sieved icing sugar.

Once the cake is baked, let it cool completely before icing (otherwise the icing will melt).

Of course you can ice it a lot less sloppily than mine and if it’s for a celebration you can double the ingredients and make a layer cake in two tins with icing in the middle as well as on top.

I’m afraid I can’t tell you how long it lasts as the 4 of us ate it in 2 days! It is a light sponge though so probably will start to go stale on the third day.