Everyone has a favorite flavor of cake, ok not everyone, nearly everyone. Some like chocolate cake, some like the plain vanilla flavor cake. I prefer eating cake with some fibrous vegetables added. The Advantages of adding fibrous vegetables to cake are many. It allows the cake to be moist and fluffy but also add little nutritional value to it. I tried this traditional carrot cake with little citrusy zing added by oranges.

This cake has become my favorite as a dry cake. If you enjoy frosted cake try the cashew cream cheese frosting on this cake. This frosting is like a match made in heaven with this cake. I have topped this cake with some candied orange peels as well and it just tasted so great. Adding orange peel is entirely optional.

Lets start with recipe for cake.

Ingredients

Cake:

• 1 and 1/4 cup All Purpose Flour
• 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1 mashed Banana
• 3/4 cup +2 tablespoon Powdered Sugar
• 1/2 cup Oil
• 1/8 Cup Orange Juice
• 1 tablespoon Orange Zest
• 1.5 cup grated Carrot
• 1/3 cup chopped Walnuts
• 1/2 teaspoon powdered Cinnamon

Cashew Cream Cheese Frosting

• 3/4 cup Cashew
• 1/4 cup Sugar
• 2 tablespoon Honey
• 2 tablespoon Oil
• 2 tablespoon Lemon Juice
• 1.5 teaspoon Vanilla Essence
• a pinch of Salt

Candied Orange Peels

• 2 tablespoon Sugar
• 4 tablespoon thinly sliced orange peels with White part removed
• 2 tablespoon water

Instructions

Cake:

1. Sieve all dry ingredients: all purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon powder, salt and powdered sugar in a bowl and mix it well.
2. Take another bowl and add ripe-mashed banana with olive oil, vanilla extract/essence. Whisk it for 3-4 minutes until all are mixed.
3. Now slowly add the dry ingredients in wet ingredients. Fold the batter gently and do not over mix this.
4. Add grated carrots, orange juice, orange zest, walnuts and fold it inside the batter.
5. Meanwhile preheat the oven at 180 degree celsius.
6. Add the batter to a flour dusted baking tray. You can add parchment paper to the bottom as per availability.
7. Place the cake tray in the oven for 20-30 minutes. check every five minutes after 20 minutes in the oven by inserting a toothpick if it comes out clean, cake is done.
8. Let the cake tray cool down for 15 -20 minutes and then take out the cake. You can enjoy the dry cake. If you want to frost the cake follow steps below and let the cake be cooled down to room temperature before putting up the frosting.

Cashew Cream Cheese Frosting :

1. Soak cashews in water for 1 hour.
2. Drain the water and add all ingredients mentioned above in the mixer and blend it till smooth consistency is there.
3. Frosting is ready, you can add more Honey or lemon juice as per your liking.

Candied Orange Peels :

1. For making candied orange peels, take some orange peels.
2. Remove the white part from the inside of the peels with the help of a knife and thinly slice the peels.
3. Add water and sugar in a small pan, and heat the pan on slow flame till the sugar is dissolved.
4. Add orange peels inside the syrup and let it cook for min or two.
5. switch off the flame and let the peel soak in some more sugar.
6. Candied orange peels are ready.

Additional Tips & Tricks

• If you want to ice this cake then let the cake cool down in the fridge after coming to room temperature, this will help keep the icing intact on the cake and avoid melting of frosting.
• You can add raisins by replacing walnuts, if you like.
• If preparing this cake during Christmas time you can add some rum soaked raisins.