This is a real stunner because you can eat this cake without any guilt.  I feel it’s a healthy cake I used olive oil instead of butter and carrot gives beta carotene which is good for one’s eyes. Pine nuts give the extra crunch. I used cinnamon that gives a Christmassy feeling. If you don’t like, you can avoid this.

 I have tinkered with it a bit but I love how tall it looks on the outside and is full of flavor but still light on the inside. This makes a 20 cm cake with 2 tiers. I made 28cm single tier cake. I got the recipe from Nigella Lawson's show and altered some of the ingredients as per my needs.


INGREDIENTS:

Regular olive oil- ½ cup
Pine nuts/ Cashewbuts-3 tbsp (optional)
Carrot-2 medium sized (grated about 2 cups)
Sugar- ¾ cup
Vanilla extract-1 tsp
Eggs-3
*All purpose Flour/Self-rising flour-2 ½ cups
*Baking Soda- 1/2 teaspoon (Do not use if you use Self raising Flour)
Lime- ½ zest and juice

PROCEDURE:
  • Preheat the oven 180oC. Line the base with butter paper or parchment paper. Grease the sides with olive oil.
  • Add the nuts in a dry pan and toast them over low heat; set aside.
  • Grate the carrot and place them on a kitchen towel and drain the excess moisture.
  • Whisk the sugar and oil in an electric mixer until creamily mixed together.
  • With this add vanilla essence and eggs and beat till you get the nice and fluffy texture. Add in the flour, carrots, lemon zest and juice. Mix/ fold well using a spatula.
  • Scrap the mixture into the prepared cake tin and smooth the surface with a spatula.
  • Sprinkle with the nuts and bake until top is raised and a skewer inserted comes out clean.
  • Remove the cake from oven and cool for 10 mts.