Saturday 12 June 2010

Cake for a miserable afternoon

It's been a rough couple of weeks, but I received a timely reminder that baking can be a source of comfort beyond the consumption of its products. With that in mind, here is a long-loved recipe for what is probably my favourite comfort-food cake - though I'm always in danger of eating far more of it than is comfortable. The recipe comes from Sarah Brown's Vegetarian Kitchen (a book that's much less worthy - in the lentils, bean sprouts and sandals sense - than it first appears).

Cinnamon and Carrot Cake

1/2 lb (225g) plain wholemeal flour
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
4 oz (110g) butter
4 oz (110g) honey
4 oz (110g) sugar
1/2lb (225g) carrots, peeled and finely grated

Pre-heat oven to GM3 (170C/325F).
In a large bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients. In a saucepan, melt together the butter, honey and sugar, then stir this mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir in the carrots. Put the mixture into a well greased bread 1lb bread tin (though I usually use a 2lb tin - makes the cake go further and you get more of the crunchy top) and bake for 60-80 minutes until firm to the touch. Leave the cake in the tin for 10 minutes and then turn it out onto a cooling rack.