Showcasing how delicious low-sugar desserts can be, this decadent carrot cake is paired with carrot sorbet and carrot powder for a triple dose of carrot! The feature was compiled by the Institute of Culinary Arts. Recipes: Yolandé Schoeman. Photography: Kelly Zetler.
Wholewheat carrot cake
Serves 6
4 eggs
65ml vegetable oil
300ml Sugalite (Huletts)
2,5ml salt
125ml white bread flour
375ml wholewheat flour
7,5ml ground cinnamon
4ml bicarbonate of soda
1,5ml baking powder
500ml grated carrots
125ml dried black currants
125ml diced fresh pineapple
- Pre-heat oven to 180°C.
- Whisk the eggs to ribbon stage.
- Add the oil, sugar and salt and mix well.
- Sift together the dry ingredients, add to the batter, and mix well.
- Fold in the carrots, currants, and pineapple.
- Fill six prepared 6cm ring moulds three quarter of the way full.
- Bake until the cake springs back when gently pressed in the centre, about 20 minutes.
Cream cheese icing
150ml cream cheese
50ml plain yogurt
20ml honey
1ml ground nutmeg
1ml ground cinnamon
- Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix together.
- Layer the carrot cake with icing in between and leave some to place on top of the cake Carrot sorbet
- Makes approximately 500ml
Carrot Sorbet
125ml carrot juice
125ml freshly squeezed orange juice
65ml water
200ml chopped carrots
65ml sugar
30ml corn syrup
- Combine all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the carrots are tender, about 15 minutes.
- Purée the mixture until smooth.
- Strain through a fine mesh sieve and refrigerate for 1 hour, then churn in an ice-cream machine.
- Keep frozen until ready to use
Carrot powder
1 large carrot, peeled
- Use a sharp peeler to make very thin carrot ribbons.
- Place the carrot ribbons on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat.
- Dry the carrot ribbons at a very low temperature (±100°C) until crisp, about 3 to 4 hours.
- Leave some of the carrot ribbons whole for garnish. Place the rest in a coffee/spice grinder and grind to a powder
