CARROT CAKE WITH FIGS + PISTACHIO
What's great about it
Ingredients
Serves 12
500 g (151/2 oz) grated raw carrots, with the skin
4 large organic eggs
125 ml (1/2 cup/4 fl oz) extra virgin olive oil
125 ml (1/2 cup/4 fl oz) raw honey
350 g (3 1/2 cups/12 1/4 oz) almond meal
3 teaspoons gluten free baking powder
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
150 g (5oz) walnuts, chopped or raisins
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
zest from 1 orange
500 ml (2 cups/17 oz) labneh (probiotic strained yoghurt) or ricotta
3 tablespoons raw honey, to sweeten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
EMBELLISHMENTS
garnish with my Yoghurt Frosting (p 577), Greek yoghurt or a traditional cream cheese frosting.
Method
PREHEAT your oven to 160°C (320°F) fan forced.
COMBINE carrots, eggs, olive oil, honey, almond meal, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and the zest of 1 orange.
ADD the walnuts or raisins and mix well until combined.
BAKE for 45–50 minutes or until cooked through.
REMOVE from the oven and cool.
COMBINE your labneh, honey and vanilla to form your frosting, taste and adjust if required. You can also use ricotta in place of the labneh.
SPREAD the frosting over the top of the carrot cake.
GARNISH with your choice of embellishments.
Notes and Inspiration
Pile the frosted cake with blackberries or blueberries in place of figs.