Wholegrain Carrot Cake Naturally Sweetened with Dates
Ingredients ( 24cm / 9-inch springform pan):
- 100g (3.5oz) cashew nuts
- 400g (3 1/3 cups) whole wheat flour
- 360g carrots (12.7oz) carrots, peeled and finely grated
- 4 dates, pitted
- 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped out (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
- 1 packet baking powder
- 1 large egg
- 150g (2/3 cup) canola oil
- 150ml (2/3 cup) milk
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F (180 °C) for conventional oven or 320 °F (160 °C) for fan oven.
- Grease a 9-inch springform pan with oil and lightly dust with flour.
- Roughly chop the cashews. Optionally toast in a dry pan for extra flavor.
- Chop dates and blend with a small amount of milk to form a smooth paste.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, oil, milk, date paste, and vanilla seeds.
- Fold in the grated carrots.
- Mix flour and baking powder, then add to the wet ingredients. Stir until smooth.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Fold in the chopped cashews.
- Bake for 45–50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- If the cake browns too quickly, loosely cover with aluminum foil.
- Let cool slightly, then remove from pan.
Sources:
Ikram, A., Rasheed, A., Ahmad Khan, A., Khan, R., Ahmad, M., Bashir, R., & Hassan Mohamed, M. (2024). Exploring the health benefits and utility of carrots and carrot pomace: A systematic review. International Journal of Food Properties, 27(1), 180–193. Source
The carrot (Daucus carota L.) is plant belonging to the family Apiaceae, with an edible taproot that can reach up to 30cm in length and 6cm in width. It contains approximately 88% water, 9.6g carbohydrates, 0.93g protein, and 2.8g dietary fiber per 100 g. Carrots are particularly rich in β-carotene (8,285µg/100g), which is converted into vitamin A, as well as vitamin C (5.9mg/100g) and potassium (320mg/100g). Owing to their high antioxidant activity, carrots promote heart, eye, and skin health. The by-product carrot pomace contains up to 48% dietary fiber and is increasingly used in the production of fiber-enriched foods, baked goods, and bioethanol. (Ikram et al., 2024)