Preparation:
- 1/4 cup (3 oz/85 g) walnuts
- 7/4 lb (335 g) carrots
- 1 1/4 cups (6 oz/170 g)
Unbleached all purpose
(plain) flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon each baking soda
(bicarbonate of soda) and salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (far right)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/3 cups (8 oz/255 g) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (4 fl oz/110 ml) whole milk
- 1/2 cup (4 oz/110 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (2 1/2 oz/70 g) driend currants
FOR THE FROSTING:
- 4 oz (110 g) cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup (3 oz/85 g) confectioners' (icing) sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (essence)
Lightly toats the walnuts and then coarsely chop; set aside. Peel the carrots and cut into 1/2-inch (12-mm) slices.
Bring a large saucepan three-fourths full of water to boil. Add the carrots and cook until tender, 10-15 minutes. Drain and let cool. In a food processor, puree the cooked carrots. You should have about 1 cup (8 fl oz/225 ml) purée.
Preheat the oven to 350*F (180*C). Line the bottom of an 8-inch (20-cm) square baking pan with parchment (baking) paper.
Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together onto a sheet of waxed paper; set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and brown sugar until well combined. Whisk in the milk and melted butter. Whisk in the dry ingredients and then the carrot purée. Using a large rubber spatula, stir in the walnuts and currants.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake until lightly browned and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, 45-50 minutes. Let cool completely on wire rack. Run a table knife around the edge of the pan and invert the cake onto a serving plate. Peel off the parchment paper.
To make the frosting, using a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese, butter, confectioners' sugar, and vanila with the paddle on medium speed until combined. Using a straight frosting on the top and side of the cake. Refrigerate the cake if not serving it immediately. Remove it from the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving.
MAKE 9 SERVINGS
NUTMEG
Natife to the east indies, highly aromatic nutmeg is one of the oldest cultivated spices. It is the hard stone of the fruit of the nutmeg tree and is covered with a lacy, red webbing that is harvested as a separate spice, mace. One nutmeg grated, its volatile oils quickly begin to evaporate and its flavor diminishe, so buy whole nutmegs, rather than preground, and grate as needed. Use a nutmeg grater, a tool with fine, sharp rasps and a small compartment for storing one or two nutmegs, or the finest rasps on a shedder-grater. "~"
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