Carrot and Almond Cake

The carrot and almond cake is a delicious alternative to the classic carrot cake, with a touch of Mediterranean flavor thanks to the almonds. Here is how to prepare it:

Ingredients

• 200 g of carrots (about 2-3 medium carrots)
• 150 g of peeled almonds
• 100 g of all-purpose flour
• 100 g of sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 packet of baking powder
• The grated zest of 1 untreated lemon
• 1 pinch of salt
• Icing sugar (for decoration)

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C and butter and flour or line a 22 cm diameter cake tin with baking paper.
2. Clean and grate the carrots. Set them aside.
3. Finely chop the almonds in a mixer until you get a not-too-fine flour, to maintain some texture to the bite.
4. In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar until you obtain a frothy and light mixture.
5. Gradually add the sifted flour with the baking powder, then the chopped almonds, grated lemon zest, and a pinch of salt, gently folding with a movement from the bottom upwards.
6. Add the grated carrots to the mixture and stir until evenly distributed.
7. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
8. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack.
9. Before serving, dust with icing sugar to taste.

If you wish to add a personal touch and enrich your cake, you can fold chocolate chips or powdered cinnamon into the batter for a spicier aroma.

Curiosity

Carrot cake is a fairly common dessert in Anglo-Saxon countries, where it is known as “carrot cake”. Its version with almonds, however, is a more Mediterranean variation that marries the sweetness of the carrots with the nutty flavor of the almonds, creating a harmonious and satisfying mix to the palate.