FOR GOOD TIMES - Spiced Carrot and Poppy Seed Cake

carrot and poppy seed cake

In our book FOR GOOD TIMES, Chapter Three has some lovely recipes for Easter: think Hummingbird Cake, Muesli Baskets and a favourite of mine: this Spiced Carrot and Poppy seed Cake (all made by the talented Taryne).

Spiced Carrot and Poppy seed Cake with Vanilla Syrup

Makes 4 mini loaves or 1 large loaf

INGREDIENTS

1 cup self raising flour

½ tspn ground nutmeg

1 tspn ground cinnamon

Pinch of salt

¼ cup oil

2 large eggs, beaten

¾ cup light brown sugar

1/3 cup plain yoghurt

1 cup finely grated carrot (approx 2 large carrots)

2 tablespoons poppy seed

For the Vanilla Bean Syrup:

4 whole vanilla pods

1 cup white sugar

1 cup water

1 carrot cut into strips with a potato peeler

  

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 180oC and grease and line 4 mini loaf tins or 1 large loaf tin. 

Sift dry ingredients into a bowl. 

In a separate bowl whisk the oil, eggs, brown sugar, and yoghurt until smooth. 

Gently stir in the dry ingredients and the carrots and poppy seeds. Do not beat. 

Pour batter into the loaf tins and bake until a skewer come out clean when inserted in the middle of the cake, approx 40 -45 minutes for the large loaf tin and 25-30 minutes for the smaller tins.

While the cakes are baking make the syrup by bring all the syrup ingredients to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes until thickened and syrupy, add the carrot strips.Set aside to cool. 

Remove cakes from the oven and allow to cool on a rack before turning out, 

To serve, decorate with carrot strips and drizzle with vanilla bean syrup.

Once could also easily make this into muffins and in these cute little cupcake liners with Easter toppers...