My new equal favourite – Carrot and coconut cake

Remember when I said I had a new favourite cake?

Well I think I have found another new favourite. Actually... I cant decide which I like more so I shall call them equal favourites. You know, so as to avoid any allegations of cake discrimination?!

This little beauty graced our countertop after a craving for carrot cake had me trawling the inter-web for that 'perfect' recipe. Something a little different, and something a little healthier than the usual 'heavy on the sugar and oil' variety.

Then I came across this recipe and I stopped searching at once.

It had all the right features of a good carrot cake.

 

Moist, flavoursome and sweet.

And not to mention pretty.

And delicious!

I am 100% certain that I will never use another carrot cake recipe again.

Carrot and Coconut Spelt Cake

(adapted from here)

This is a delightful moist carrot cake, without being oil laden or loaded with sugar. I used spelt flour as the base, however you could easily make it with regular wheat flour or even gluten free by using a gluten free flour mix. As I  made this cake on a warm day, after icing, I kept it in the fridge until 15 minutes prior to serving. This made it easier to slice without the icing melting.

• 3 large organic free-range eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup vanilla yoghurt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 2 cups spelt flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 cup moist coconut flakes
• 1.5 cups grated carrot*

For the maple cream cheese icing

• 2 tbs butter (softened)
• 250g cream cheese (softened)
• 2-3 cups icing sugar (to taste)
• 2 tbs maple syrup
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (for topping)

* I grated 4 carrots, then pulsed them in my food processor a few times to break them down a little more.

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Line the base of a round spring form pan, and grease the base and sides.
2. Beat the eggs, then add oil and sugar and continue to beat until fluffy. Add the yoghurt and vanilla and beat until combined.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg.
4. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in batches, and beat until combined.
5. Add the carrot and coconut and stir until just combined.
6. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
7. Cool on a wire rack.
8. When the cake has cooled completely, use a serrated bread knife to carefully cut the cake crossways in half. Place the bottom layer on a plate and spread with half of the cream cheese mixture. Top with the remaining cake layer and cream cheese, and sprinkle with chopped walnuts.

For the icing:

Beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add the cream cheese and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add the icing sugar, a little at a time, and beat until smooth. Add extra icing sugar to taste. Chill in the fridge for 15 minutes before spreading onto the cake.

In pictures…

   

  

What about you?  Are you a fan of carrot cake?

Happy Baking :)