Carrot, Cardamom and Pinenut Cake

This dense tea cake is very moist and will easily keep for a week in an airtight container.

Takes 50 minutes.

(Serves 8-10)

Ingredients

• ¾ cup sunflower oil
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup soft dark brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1½ cups spring carrots, grated
• 1 cup roughly chopped walnuts, pinenuts and raisins
• 1½ cups plain flour
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1½ teaspoons ground cardamom
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ginger

Method

Preheat the oven to 170ºC and line a 20cm deep springform cake pan with baking paper.

Beat together the oil, eggs and sugar.

Fold through the grated carrots, nuts and raisins and sifted flour, baking powder and baking soda. Then add the cardamom, cinnamon and ginger.

Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes.

Run a knife around the outside edge of the cake to release it from the pan before opening the springform clip. Leave to cool before icing.

Note: I hardly ever ice this cake – I simply dust it with demerara sugar and cinnamon while still warm and serve with yoghurt.

John Haweksby’s wine recommendation

Dessert Wine
Toi Toi Prosecco N.V.

Rose
Gladstone Vineyard 2011