Vegeyum Ganga has a fantastic post on cooking by the senses rather than the “exacting measures“. Cooking for me is a therapeutic experience that is supremely rejuvenating (This is when I am in my “love to cook” phase). I love to cook by the feel of my ingredients, by the smell rather than the time or measurement to the last grain of flour. Unfortunately not all recipes are amenable to such an experience – the recent sponge cake that I made is an example of a recipe high on science, low on senses. For the first time (I am not so precise even for my breads), I measured to the gram – no approximations. I discovered that a tablespoon is about 15 ml. And that I have a scoop that can measure 30g. The experience was highly educative and exhilarating – I was mighty relieved when my sponge rose in my third attempt. Three times to get a cake right??!!! And I always thought cakes worked with sensing the right amount of moisture, consistency et al.
I always thought cakes were amenable to experimentation, choosing flavours and ingredients, adjusting sweetness according to taste. I had two eggs purchased for sponge cake trials (I stocked adequately after my first failed attempt for multiple trials). Besides wanting to use them up in a recipe that hides them so well that I’d forget eggs are even there (I don’t like eggs and usually avoid them), I also wanted to see if I had some of the cake charm left in me.
I love making cakes (no frosting, thank you) . I have never failed in making a cake although I have poured batter all over the kitchen before baking on one occasion.
Was the sponge cake an exception or had I forgotten to bake cakes in my bread baking frenzy? Thankfully the sponge was definitely an exception! I baked a carrot cake today and din’t use any tried and tested, precise recipe. I made my own as I usually do with most cakes. This link here gives an overview of what a carrot cake is. I made a mental note of the basics and proceeded to bake the cake. The cake was delicious, soft, just moist and not too dense at all for a whole wheat cake.
Makes: 8 -10 pieces
Ingredients
- 1 cup carrot (grated)
- 1 cup Whole Wheat Flour (finely ground 100% Whole Wheat Atta)
- 1/2 cup Honey
- 1/4 cup Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Nutmeg (I used 1 tsp – it was quite spicy. I’d recommend adjusting this to taste.)
- 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
- 2 Eggs (Substitute: Usually I replace 2 eggs in most cake recipes with 1/2 cup (milk+1tbsp curd)+ 1/4 tsp cooking soda. Since eggs here are primarily for moisture and some leavening this should work. I had to use the eggs bought for my sponge cake experiment. )
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp Cooking Soda
- Few Drops of Vanilla
Method
- Grease and line an 8inch Baking Dish.
- Mix the flour, baking powder, salt, cooking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and sieve once. Add grated carrots.
- Grind the sugar. In a bowl beat the sugar, honey and eggs together. Add this to the flour mix, add vanilla and combine.
- Bake at 200C in an oven for 40 minutes till the cake is well browned. The cake is done when it springs back if pressed lightly and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Oven timings may vary and it is recommended that you test for doneness at the 35th minute and keep for more time accordingly.
- Allow cake to cool. Take cake out of baking dish, cut into pieces and store in an air tight container.
Carrot cake is usually frosted with cream cheese – I run away from any kind of frosting unless its chocolate ganache. 😛
Healthy, spicy, moist and yet airy. It was a perfect cake. 🙂
Carrot Cake is off to Aparna at My Diverse Kitchen for Think Spice, Think Nutmeg. Think Spice is a monthly food blog event started by Sunita.
Ah, precise measurements! So you will understand what I’m going to moan/rant about – I’ve to see if I can rekindle that post. I’ve made carrot cake too, in my baking days, most of the recipes I recall had oil rather than butter in them.
I did away with the oil/ butter entirely. 😀
Hi Lakshmi
Yesterday I posted Carrot walnut cake adopted from
Asha..Without oil or butter it looks so moist..
lovely cake laks…i tried making carrot cake ones but wasnt very successful..became too dry…this one looks really moist and fluffy…Good job :)..
I also posted a cake today..ur fav flavor..chcocolate :)..and it is eggless :D..
Hi,
my first time here , that couldnt stop me leaving a note of appreciation .carrot cake looks so deliciuos, I too kind of avoid any topping over cakes ..this surely looks so moist and spongy ..
hugs and smiles
jaya
looks very soft & moist for a whole wheat cake without butter 🙂 good one!
For a fat free cake it looks very moist. I also prepare carrot cake quiet often, but using bananas instead of eggs. It’s Indira’s recipe and is also a no fail recipe. But it requries 1/2 cup oil.
Lovely moist cake Anu..
Nice. Thank you.
That’s a good tip on replacing eggs with Milk + Curd + Baking powder.
Measuring or following a recipe closely does take the fun out of cooking !
I’m a big fan of ” Let’s learn to cook – not duplicate” school of thought.
/Cheers
that does seem really good and thanks for the egg substitute tip! will surely try this cake out, so bookmarked 🙂
Thanks for the entry, Lakshmi. I have to say the texture of your cake looks fantastic. I avoid using eggs if I can too. No fat is great.
I never used to measure ingredients while cooking till I started blogging. Now I have to make these notes, as I couldn’t very well say add a bit of this, a pinch of that and some of the other!
wow..that looks really moist!…
i eat this just to lick the cream cheese. try it the salty cream cheese with the sweet cake is awesome. i don’t sweeten the cream cheese. have you tried adding walnuts to this? great flavour and crunch.
Walnuts is a great idea!! Perfect match with the texture :). Will try salty cream cheese sometime. I agree with you on not sweetening the cream cheese. I can’t stand sweet frosting.
I had to cut a carrot cake with sweet frosting on one of my birthday parties when I landed here a couple of years ago, while I really appreciate the thought to get a cake as a surprise.. the sweet frosting and the sweetness of the cake put me off so much that I rarely use carrots in my cooking and haven’t tried a carrot cake until now .. again…This looks so moist… I will give it a try with bee’s idea and maybe I will get back to eating carrots….
That looks so moist and soft even without the use of fat. : D I’ve used whole wheat flour in some of my baking experiments but each time the end product has been pretty dense. So now I’m just happy using all-purpose flour.:D
ur carrot cake looks yummy!!!!!!
do visit my blog when u find time and leave ur comments and suggestions
http://envittuvirundhusamayal.blogspot.com
hi mami
can u plz give tips 4 dis carrot cake without oven
The cake looks so moist and soft, Lakshmi. How r u and Amma doing these days…. myself catching up with the latest on foodie blogosphere. Been to India recently and hence was on a long blog break
Your carrot cake looks so delicious and moist. I usually replace each egg in recipes like breads and cakes like banana or carrot with a tablespoon of ground flaxseed and 2 tablespoons of water. It works really well.
i just now commented on anus blog… u ppl better start with thw ninjas venture…. just dont waste this talent ladies…. u r far far better than many….
I love whole wheat recipes. Looks so tender and moist.
[…] Source: Lakshmi’s recipe from the YumBlog. […]
hey there im new to blogspot and new to your space as well……carrot cake looks interesting……you know ive nurtured this ambition for ever since i remember to bake cakes at a drop of a hat……….always thought it would be so nice to turn up at a friends with a cake……….ive tried so many times but the end result has never been what Ive wanted………..you ve inspired me to try again……..
Thanks for sharing. i was searching for a healthy carrot cake recipe. this one does not even use oil/butter…
i’m going to try it out right away
Hello Lakshmi,
first time in ur blog. food looks yummy and so much variety.
i have a question : can i use the same recipe for carrot cake and replace carrots with apples?
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