For the past two weeks I’ve been obsessively making blueberry muffins without eggs, trying to get them juuuust right. Three batches later, they tasted good but didn’t look right and I got super bummed because this is India and buying blueberries really isn’t cheap! Anyway I’m going back to the drawing board after a break but because I really did want a baking win and a new recipe to share on the blog, I dug out a few carrots from my fridge and got to work.
This carrot cake is a little bit untraditional with ground oats and almonds that make it denser than average and a bit of mashed banana that makes it extra moist but omg it’s so good!! Packed with flavour and texture and really so wonderful as a tea or coffee cake.
I came across a recipe for a carrot-apple cake on Minimalist Baker while googling ‘things to bake with carrots’ and it really seemed to hit the spot. However, my version is NOT vegan or gluten-free and despite the oats and almonds, this isn’t a ‘healthy’ cake, it’s just really tasty! I used regular all-purpose flour, added more carrots instead of the apple as well and reduced the oats a bit (I find they tend to make things extra chewy, but you can certainly use more than I did without any catastrophes). Sliced almonds on top were a last minute addition and they add a lovely toasty crunch.
It’s important that you cut into this cake only after it’s completely cooled. I found that while it was still a little warm, the slices were a lot more moist and sticky. A few hours later, they were less fragile and had a better texture. Like I said above, this isn’t a light and fluffy cake since it contains almonds and oats, both of which weigh down the batter and the mashed banana does as well. However in terms of flavour, I loved this one even more than a more ‘plain’ carrot cake!
The cake is lightly spiced with cinnamon and I also added vanilla since there are eggs in here. The banana flavour isn’t too strong, but it’s definitely there and goes really well with the carrot. Brown sugar and honey add a nice caramel-ish taste and I really must have a slice right now!
Try it and let me know how you like this recipe!
Carrot Cake with Oats and Almonds
Ingredients
- 2 eggs (see notes)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 and 1/2 cups finely grated carrot
- 1/3 cup mashed banana (about 1 small, very ripe banana)
- 1/3 cup rolled oats (see notes)
- 1/2 cup finely ground almonds / almond flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 and 1/2 tsps baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- Optional: sliced almonds for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 190 C and line a 9x5 loaf tin with non-stick baking paper, or grease the pan very well. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs, olive oil, honey, sugar and milk. Beat well to combine (I used a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, but a hand mixer and bowl is fine too. You can also make this batter entirely by hand.)
- Add the grated carrot, banana, oats and almonds and beat again to combine.
- Now sift in the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Beat on low till incorporated into the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin and sprinkle the top with almonds.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick poked in the center comes out clean or with very few moist crumbs. If the top is darkening too much, lower the temperature to 175 C and continue baking.
- The cake falls as it cools, so don't worry if that happens. Its texture is on the dense and sticky side, so make sure you let it cool completely before slicing into it. Store in an airtight tin at room temperature for 2 to 3 days but in warm areas, it's best stored in the fridge itself, where it will keep for about a week. Happy baking!
Notes
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