Nov 1, 2013

Carrot-almond cake


I felt an instant attraction. And I was not wrong...this time. I saw the making of this carrot cake on RaiUno yesterday. Italians like to eat it around November 1st.

Recipe adapted from La Prova del Cuoco
time: 20 min preparation + 40 min baking + 25 min cooling

ingredients
  • 300 g (2 cups) whole almonds, finely blended
  • 300 g (11 oz/3 medium) carrots, finely grated
  • 6 eggs room temperature, separated yolks from whites
  • 200 g (1 cup) sugar
  • 90 g (3/4 cup) spelt flour OR
    • 90 g (2/3 cup) regular flour
  • 8 g (2 teaspoons) baking powder
  • grated zest from 1 lemon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt
instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F (fan forced function). Butter and line with a parchment paper a baking form. 
  2. Beat yolks with sugar till pale. Slowly fold in almond mill, carrots, vanilla, lemon zest and flour sifted with baking powder. 
  3. Beat whites with a pinch of salt till soft peak forms. Gently incorporate them into the carrot batter. 
  4. Transfer everything into a baking dish and then into a hot oven for 45 min. Insert a toothpick in the middle, if it comes out dry, the cake is ready.

notes
  • delicious! moist, tasty, rich with a little crunch from the almonds;
  • not too sweet, with the tastes of almonds, vanilla, lemon and carrots all playing beautifully;
  • I always blend my almonds with a couple spoons of sugar (taken from the whole amount); it prevents them from sticking;
  • if I used a store-bought almond mill, the cake would have been lighter in color and without that attractive almond bite;
  • the taste of freshly ground almonds is noticeable and fine!
  • I grated carrots on a finest grater possible; a lot of work but this way the cake is delicate;
  • I used a 26cm/10inch spring baking form

4 comments:

  1. Anonymous11/01/2013

    Sounds fabulous.
    :-) Mandy

    ReplyDelete
  2. We sure like it! Thanks, Mandy

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  3. With 300 grams of almond...this rustic cake is going to taste wonderfully!

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  4. I can't stay away from almonds, Angie. Thanks for stopping by.

    ReplyDelete