Golden Carrot Cake



One of the yummiest carrot cakes I have had is on my trip to South Island, New Zealand.  It was at the historic Arrowtown that was famous for its gold-mining.  A town that felt straight out of a movie set,   quaint streets lined up with shops, a bright red telephone booth, a homely cinema hall that also houses a little library, cobbled bylanes, classy cafes and warm and welcoming bakeries.  Our cameras wouldn't stop clicking as wanted every thing in our photo album.     

 

We visited the Chinese settlements by the Arrow River   which date back to the mid 1800s during the gold rush.   

 

 

So back to the carrot cake that we had after two hours of walking up and down Arrowtown.  It was a cosy little cafe managed by these two lovely ladies who were generous with their pot of coffee. 

We ordered the carrot cake that was baked by one of them.  It was moist and delicious with a layer of cream cheese icing that had just that right amount of sweetness.

                



 

 

 And so with my tastebuds trying to recollect the taste of that carrot cake, I was all set to bake one myself and see how well I fare.  I think I did well,  atleast the golden colour seems to bring back all the gold dust from the miners Arrowtown:)
 

 

Carrot & Raisin Cake

 

2 cups plain flour

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup oil

3 cups carrots, grated

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp grated orange rind

2 tsp baking powder

Beat eggs and sugar until thick.  Stir in oil.

Sift flour, baking powder and cinnamon into the egg mixture and combine.

Fold in carrots, raisins and orange rind.

Its a cake - but am just too lazy to grease and line a cake tin so  I just line the muffin tray with paper cases and drop in spoonfools of the mixture upto 3/4th. 

Bake at 180C for 30 minutes or till done.  Leave in tray for 10 minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.