Carrot, Date and Pecan Cake

Purple Carrots

Last weekend we had the pleasure of venturing to the nearby Moriac Makersand Growers market.  There’s something about this market that makes it just that little bit different.  It’s only held every three months and there’s a cute yet quirky feel to it.  There’s local produce including cheeses, olives, bread, and Summer’s favourite icecream.  Then there’s lovely handmade bits and pieces including gorgeous handmade hair clips and earrings which Summer, our friend Lauren and I treated ourselves to.

Purple Carrot, Date and Pecan Cake

Although it was a lovely sunny day it was a bit of a mud pit but none the less we enjoyed a shared lunch with live music and the kids had fun on the playground nearby.  My most exciting purchase was a bag full of fresh, local, organic vegies.  I could have easily bought 2 bags full but I tried to resist.  Lauren even found kohl rabi which she bought one for her dad for father’s day.  How gorgeous is that!

 

One of our favourites was a bunch of multi coloured carrots which we’ve really enjoyed all week.  The last to be consumed was some purple carrots, so today came the idea of making a carrot cake – with purple carrots!  The recipe is actually based around the Zucchini cake in the “A Taste of Vegetarian” Thermomix cookbook but using carrots, much less sugar, pecans instead of walnuts, and a little honey. Yum!

 


Chopped Pecans, Dates and Purple Carrots


Carrot, Date and Pecan Cake
70g pecans
100g dates
250g carrots (any colour roughly chopped)
100g sultanas
2 free range eggs
90g grapeseed oil
60g raw or rapadura sugar
80g honey
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
210g self raising flour

• Pre heat oven to 180° and lightly grease a round cake tin (or loaf pan)
• Place pecans in Thermomix bowl and chop for 10 seconds speed 7 then set aside
• Place dates in Thermomix bowl and chop for 12 seconds speed 6 and add to pecans
• Place roughly chopped carrots in Thermomix bowl and chop for 5 seconds speed 5 and add to pecans and dates
• Place eggs, oil, sugar, honey, cinnamon, salt and sultanas in Thermomix bowl and mix for 10 seconds speed 4
• Add flour and bowl of pecans, dates and carrots and mix for 25 seconds speed 4
• Pour into cake pan and bake for 45 minutes or until inserted skewer comes out clean 

Lovely served with a dollop of Greek yoghurt

Enjoy!