I came up with this healthier version of carrot cake for Easter, but it's actually a tasty treat any time of the year. It's also my favourite alternative to a chocolate cake for birthdays, or you can also make this as muffins for pre-portioned treats.
You'll Need:
1 cup wholemeal flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1½ teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
½ cup milk or milk alternative
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup maple syrup or honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 medium egg
1 cup grated carrot
1-2 tablespoons raw walnuts (optional)
Method:
Preheat oven to 180°C.
In a bowl, mix together all dry ingredients except carrot. Fold in wet ingredients until well combined, then lightly fold in grated carrot, and walnuts if using.
Line and grease a cake tin (or muffin tins if you like!) and fill ¾ with cake mixture. Bake for around 30 minutes (depending on the size of your cake or muffins), until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove from tin to cool before serving.
You can serve this cake plain, or iced - here's my healthier alternative to a cream cheese icing:
Strain 4 tablespoons of plain greek yoghurt overnight to remove excess liquid (much like making an unsalted labneh). Mix strained yoghurt with 1 teaspoon lemon juice and 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup, and spread over your cake or muffins.
Makes one medium cake or 4 muffins