CARROT CAKE

I've just come back from a local farmers' market where I got to showcase a few vegan bakes I knocked together yesterday. I figure the best way to find out if your food is really any good is to take it out there, have people try stuff and give their honest feedback. Also a great way to meet people, make connections and fill up an otherwise lazy Saturday morning. 

One of my creations was this mouth-watering beauty. Succulent carrot cake that filled the house with the smell of cinnamon and warm spices; drizzled with silky dark chocolate and garnished with freshly grated carrot. 

If you like the look of it or plan to make it yourself, share this post with your nearest and dearest. They won't believe it's vegan!

Ingredients

(serves 6-8)

- 1 cup grated carrots

- 1 1/4 cups self-raising flour

- 2 tbsp corn starch

- 3/4 cup brown sugar

- 1/3 cup sunflower oil

- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar

- 3/4 cup non-dairy milk (e.g. coconut, almond, etc)

- 1 tsp ground ginger

- 1 tsp cinnamon 

- 2 tsp mixed spice

For the glaze

- 1 cup dark chocolate (broken into small pieces)

- 1 tsp coconut oil

Sift the self-raising flour and corn starch into a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, ground ginger, cinnamon and mixed spice. Add the grated carrot and mix until it is completely coated with the dry ingredients.

In another bowl, whisk the sunflower oil, apple cider vinegar and non-dairy milk together.

Add this to the dry ingredients and mix well to form a cake bater.

Lightly grease a round cake tin and dust with a little flour. Pour in the cake batter and bake in a pre-heated oven, gas mark 6, for 30 minutes.

Leave to cool completely before taking it out of the tin.

To make the chocolate glaze, melt the chocolate and coconut oil together. I put mine in the microwave for 20-30 seconds then stirred with a spoon to speed up the melting process. Be careful not to microwave it for too long or you could end up with burnt/stodgy chocolate!

Drizzle the melted chocolate over the cake when it has cooled down. (You can pour from a small jug to make the drizzle neat.) Garnish with a handful of freshly grated carrot. Enjoy!