Cake #6 - Fat-free (and Vegan) Carrot Cake

This is a yummy and chewy cake that more closely resembles a quick bread or breakfast bread.  I like it because with friends who are vegan, or friends needing to avoid dairy, this would be a perfect fit.  I must admit, after all these frosted, classic type layer cakes, this carrot cake was less flashy and more understated than what we'd become used to.  I didn't do either the powdered sugar or lemon glaze on top - perhaps that would have dressed it up a bit.

2 cups packed finely grated carrots

1½ cups packed brown sugar

1¾ cups water

1 cup raisins or other chopped dried fruit (I used cherries, raisins and apricots)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 cups unbleached white flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

½ teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1.       In the saucepan, combine the carrots, brown sugar, water, raisins or dried fruit, and vanilla.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from the heat, cover, and let sit for at least an hour (and up to overnight). 

2.       In a large bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.  Whisk or stir to combine thoroughly and set aside. 

3.       Preheat the oven to 300 degrees about 15 minutes before you are ready to mix the batter.  Generously oil and flour the bundt pan.

4.       Stir the cooled carrot mixture into the dry ingredients just until no trace of flour is left.  Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and bake until the cake feels firm to the touch and a knife inserted into the cake comes out clean about 1 hour. 

5.       Cool in the pan for 10 minutes on a rack, then invert onto a serving plate.  Dust with confectioners’ sugar or top with a simple lemon glaze (½ cup sugar and ¼ cup fresh lemon juice from about 2 lemons, heated in a saucepan, and stirred constantly until the sugar dissolves.)

From Moosewood Restaurant Book of Desserts by The Moosewood Collective