Carrot & Date Cake

This carrot cake was as much of a joy to eat as it was to make. Chopped dates and sweet, winter(ish) red carrots that aren’t around for much longer, really make the batter shine. Fragrant with cinnamon, packed with those jammy dates and topped with a silky cream cheese frosting, this cake is rich, dense and satisfying, plus, counts as a serving of veggies. I’ve decided it does.

The cake is amazing freshly baked and still slightly warm but I recommend eating it cold. It is so moist that it actually benefits from a little chill time, intensifying in flavour and becoming an irresistibly fudgy version of itself.

• 1/4th cup butter (55 gms)
• 2 tbsps olive oil or vegetable oil (30 ml)
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp light brown sugar (115 gms)
• 3 eggs, at room temperature (I have not tried substitutes)
• 1 and 1/2 tsps vanilla extract
• 2/3rd cup plain, thick yogurt, at room temperature (150 gms)
• 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (180 gms)
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt if using unsalted butter
• 450 gms carrots, finely grated
• 200 gms pitted dates, chopped small

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter (55 gms), at room temp
• 1/2 cup cream cheese (115 gms), at room temp
• 1/2 cup icing sugar (60 gms)
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp whipping cream, optional but recommended