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Among other delights, healthy carrot cake is another timeless classic with the sweetness of carrots combined with warm spices; really, it is a treat for any occasion.
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Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F). Grease and line a 20 cm round cake tin with parchment paper. Make sure it comes out quickly and perfectly shaped.
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In a big bowl, mix grated carrots with 200 gms of all-purpose flour, maida along with one teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder, and a pinch of salt.
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Together, these provide the right structure and flavour to the cake. Mix them well to ensure that dry ingredients are well incorporated.
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In another bowl, whisk 150 gms powdered sugar, 100 ml vegetable oil, and two large eggs. Whisk this until the mixture is smooth and creamy, so you end up with that gorgeous, luscious base for your batter.
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Using a spatula or wooden spoon, you can slowly incorporate the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Be careful not to overmix; you want to get them just combined, with flour incorporated.
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Add 50 gms of chopped walnuts and 50 gms of raisins into the batter once it is well mixed. These additions not only provide flavour but add textural components as well to enhance every bite.
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Once you have added the nuts and the raisins, pour the batter into the cake tin, smoothing the top with a spatula to get an even surface.
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Place the cake tin in the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Just insert a toothpick into the cake's centre to check if it is made; it should be clean. The aroma of baking cakes will fill your kitchen, making it all warm and inviting.
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Let it rest in the tin for about 10 minutes. This resting time settles the cake down and makes the cake an easy task to transfer.
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Then, transfer the cake carefully to a wire rack to cool completely. Although it sounds simple, this is very important because you probably know that frosting a warm cake results in melted frosting that loses its structure.
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While cooling the cake, make the frosting. In a mixing bowl, you may cream together 100 gms of softened cream cheese, 50 gms of softened unsalted butter, and 100 gms of powdered sugar. This frosting should be smooth and creamy to have a luscious consistency, fitting the healthy carrot cake.
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Top the cooled cake completely with a flat spatula using an even amount of cream cheese frosting at the top and sides of the cake. The rich, tangy frosting will let loose the flavours in the cake so that it has the best balance of sweetness and creaminess.
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To top it off, you may sprinkle chopped walnuts on the top or carry a few strands of grated carrots to finish it off. It not only gives an eye appeal but also adds extra flavour and texture to the cake.
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Your homemade recipe of healthy carrot cake is finally ready to present to family and friends either in celebration of a special occasion or even as a great dessert to go with dinner.
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Relish each bite of this drooling cake, which will certainly amaze everyone with its heavy moistness and flavour, revealing that the classic combination of carrots and spices never really goes out of flavour.