Carrot Cake

Carrot cake is really toothsome. It is one of the recipes I like the best, because it is easy, fast to make and it perfectly fits a healthy good breakfast.

It is a fluffy, soft, sweet, moist cake. Yes, it is sweet, it tastes carrots, but it is not sickening because of lemon and orange juice. Replace almonds with nuts, or walnuts for a more delicate flavor.

Carrot cake is different. So sweet and sugary, you can’t resist it, but one or two slices per day is a reasonable serving. It perfectly fits a healthy breakfast, which consists of a baked product and a cup of milk, coffee, or tea in Italy.

pick the right ingredients

This is what you need to make a toothsome carrot cake:

• Fresh carrots: choose compact and bright orange ones. If the greens have not been cut out, they must be fresh and bright green; do not use sprouting and wilted carrots to bake this cake.
• Eggs: they must be very fresh, with unattached shell.
• Seed oil, or olive oil (extra virgin olive oil does fit this recipe because it has got a too persistent and strong taste) is delicate and scented. Choose high-quality oil, which is resistant to the high temperature in the oven.
• Flour type 1 or 0: they are rustic and make the cake pleasantly coarse; use wholesome flour, for a stronger taste.
• Orange and lemon: they give the cake a pleasant taste, and balance its sweetness.
• Shell fruit flour: you’d rather buy the flour, than grind the shell-fruit yourself: if the blades of the blender get too hot, polyunsaturated fatty acids will be released and the cake will smell and taste unpleasant.
• Vanilla extract: using vanilla extract-put a teaspoon into the dough, is much easier and faster than vanilla beans, anyway the latter are far more flavorful. A delicious scent will spread all around your kitchen when baking the cake.

How do you know when carrot cake is done?

• According to these quantities, the cake will be done in about 45 minutes. If you look through the oven door (without opening it) you will notice.
• A thin crust will appear on the surface of the liquid batter.
• The surface will start to darken.
• After 15 minutes in the oven, the leavening process will begin.
• The crust on the surface will be broken by the steam produced inside the cake.
• These pieces of information are not enough to know whether the cake is done or not, so, when the cooking time is almost over, opens the oven and make the toothpick test: insert a long toothpick (the ones you use for the skewers) into the cake. If it comes out clean it is ready; if not, bake the cake for 5-10 minutes more.
• When ready, switch the oven off, open the door. Let the cake cool down in the oven evenly and slowly.

How can you store it

To store carrot cake properly, first allow it to cool completely after baking. Once cooled, wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to prevent it from drying out. Alternatively, you can place the carrot cake in an airtight container. Store the wrapped or containerized cake in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If you want to extend its shelf life, you can also freeze carrot cake for up to 3 months. Before serving frozen carrot cake, allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight and come to room temperature before enjoying.