This recipe is taken from Veggie Desserts + Cakes – Carrot Cake and Beyond by Kate Kackworthy, with permission from Pavilion Books. Kate writes at Veggie Desserts.
Carrot Gingerbread
Yield 20
"These chunky slabs of gingerbread are rich, dark and elegantly spiced. I’ve added lots of grated carrot to make them extra moist, and it blends beautifully with the treacle and ginger. Although this old-fashioned classic takes a while in the oven, it is very easy to make. For extra decadence, serve the gingerbread with hot custard, although a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream would also team up very well." Kate Hackworthy
Ingredients
- 200g/7oz/scant 1 cup unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
- 200g/7oz/scant 1 cup light soft brown sugar
- 200g/7oz/2⁄3 cup black treacle (molasses)
- 375g/13oz/3 cups plain (all-purpose) flour
- 3 tsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- 250ml/8½fl oz/1 cup whole milk
- 150g/5¼oz carrot (1½ medium carrots, peeled, grated)
- 2 large free-range eggs, beaten
- 3 pieces of stem ginger in syrup, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160°C/140°C fan/320°F/gas 3. Grease and line a 23 x 30mm/9 x 12in baking pan with baking parchment.
- Heat the butter, sugar and treacle in a pan, stirring, until smooth and melted. Leave to cool slightly.
- Sift the flour, ginger and bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl. Stir in the milk, carrot, beaten egg, stem ginger and treacle mixture and stir to combine.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour until well risen and springy in the middle.
- Leave to cool in the pan for a few minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before cutting into squares.
Notes
I increased the heat to Gas Mark 3.
Courses Dessert
Veggie Deserts and Cakes, Carrot Cake and Beyond is published by Pavilion Books, RRP £14.99.