Inspired by the Fresh and Light magazine by Donna Hay ( Issue 4), I got my bake on the other day and made this delicious Carrot and Coconut cake.  It has the yummiest ricotta icing that will keep you going back for more.  This bake is a tempting treat that you can feel a little less guilty about as it has healthier options listed in the ingredients.

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Ingredients

  • 5 eggs
  • 1 cups brown sugar
  • 3 peeled grated carrots
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 1/2 cups of almond meal
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon mixed spice
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 cup currants
  • 3/4 cup pecans roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup shredded coconut
  • 1/2 cup grapeseed oil
  • RICOTTA ICING
  • 1 1/2 cups firm ricotta (360g)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon raw honey

 

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Method

Preheat the oven to 160C (325F)

Place the eggs and sugar in a bowl and beat with electric mixer until light and fluffy and double in size.  Grate the carrots to make 3 cups.  Put the carrot, vanilla, almond meal, ginger, mixed spice, baking powder, currants, pecans, coconut and oil in a large bowl and mix together gently to combine.

Gently fold in the egg/sugar mixture and mix gently to combine.  It will make 2 batches.

Line and grease 2 18cm round cake tins and pour the mixture evenly into both.

Bake for 55 mins or test with a skewer.  Set aside for 15 minutes before removing from the tin.

To make the icing, mix all the ingredients in the food processor until smooth.  Spread over the cakes to join together and eat.

We thoroughly enjoyed this cake and it was gobbled down in a few days.  I also made the Donna Hay Christmas cake (see image below) that graced the recent Christmas edition front cover.

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Have you done any baking lately?

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