Healthy Carrot cake
Try this Healthy version of a Carrot cake and fall in love with its incredibly moist texture and flavourful taste. The cake is blended with very well balanced flavours of apple, cinnamon, ginger, clove and nutmeg. And the best part is that it requires no icing due to its own flavours in the sponge. So this cake is hastle-free and is easy to make!
Carrot Cake
Carrot cake should actually be called ' Carrot Apple & Cinnamon Cake ' because apple and cinnamon as important role in this cake as a carrot. They are also the key ingredients in the so called Carrot Cake.Of caurse the ingredients like carrots, apples and eggs make the Carrot cake healthy, but we are going to make it even healthier by replacing the refined flour with the whole wheat flour. The brown colour of the flour gives this cake the chocolatty brown colour which is quite pleasing to the eyes. I prefer to use brown sugar instead of white to score one-up towards making it healthy as well as to get that extra brown colour of the cake. Brown sugar also adds extra flavour to our Carrot the cake.Use of ginger in this cake is optional, but it definitely gives the zing to its flavour. So I advise you not to avoid it unless you really hate ginger. It well balances the sweetness of cinnamon. Apple can be replaced with pineapple for a change. If you are using the tinned apple/pineapple, ensure that you drain them out completely. Do not use the water from the tin in this recipe because the wet ingredients and the moisture from the carrots and fruits provide enough liquid content to our Carrot cake batter.It is inevitable that you use fresh carrots as well as freshly grated carrots in this cake as only such carrot shreds will have enough moisture to keep our Carrot cake moist. Pecans/ walnuts and raisins taste heavenly in this cake. You can add more or completely opt them out depending on your choice.I think by now you got a good knowledge of the key ingredients of Carrot cake, so we can begin with the most awaited part , THE RECIPE ! Let's start without further delay.
Equipment
- standard measuring cups and spoons
- cake beater
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups whole wheat flour (also known as chapati flour or atta) can be replaced with all purpose flour
- 1 cup brown sugar can be replaced with white sugar or mix the two types to make 1 cup
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup regular cooking oil avoid using strong flavoured oil like mustard oil or olive oil
- 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup grated carrots look at the picture attached below for the thickness of its shreds
- 1/2 cup peeled and grated apple peel and grate just before adding it to the batter to avoid oxidation of the apple
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1 pinch nutmeg powder
- 1 pinch cloves powder
- 1/2 tsp ginger paste can be replaced by equal amount of ginger powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda also known as soda bi carb
- 1/2 cup lightly toasted walnuts cut into small pieces
- 1/4 cup lightly toasted walnuts cut into small pieces to sprinkle on the top
- 1 tbsp golden raisins
- 1 tsp butter to grease the cake tin
Instructions
Preparation
- Apply good amount of butter in the tin at the bottom and all around leaving behind no space without greasing.
- Grate carrots (do not get shocked to see the quantity of carrots.. I make double recipe). Measure all the ingredients as per the recipe and keep them aside.
- Lightly toast and then cut the nuts.
- Preheat oven at 180c.
Making the cake
- Sieve or whisk together cinnamon powder, nutmeg powder, cloves powder, wheat flour, salt, soda and baking powder really well. You may have to repeat sieving 2-3 times for even mixing of the dry ingredients. If you are using dry ginger powder, add that too at the time of sieving.
- Combine sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla essence in another mixing bowl. (Ifyou are using ginger paste, add it in the mixture at this point).
- Whisk till the sugar is mostly dissolved and the mixture looks thick and airy. It will look lighter brown in colour.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients together using a rubber spatula.
- Lightly fold the mixture while combining so the air bubbles do not break.
- Add carrot, apple, 3/4 cup walnuts and raisins. Fold and combine everything very well.
- Pour the cake mixer till half or 3/4 level of the tin.
- Garnish with 1/4 cup walnuts. Bake for 30-40 minutes. Check for readiness after 30 minutes.
How to know if it is thoroughly cooked…
- 1. cake must not be wabbly upon shaking 2. prick a knife/toothpick at the centre till the bottom. The knife must come out completely clean. 3. The cake leaves the sides of the pan when ready.
How to remove cake from the tin…
- Let the cake rest for about 30-40 min on the counter. Then run a knife around the sides of the cake to thoroughly separate it from the tin.
- Place the cake upside down in a plate. Tap on the tin all around, shake a bit and the cake will be out.
- Rest it on a rake till it cools down thoroughly.
Storing
- Store the cake in an air tight container once it cools down thoroughly. It stays fresh for 3 days at room temperature (at or below 30c). Place it in the refrigerator if you want to keep it for longer or if the weather temperature exceeds 30c.
- The cake tastes even better after a day as the flavours mingle well as it rests.
