Carrot Cake with Curd Cheese topping (eggless)

Carrot Cake (Eggless)

I have been seeing Rachel Allen’s cake diaries whenever I get time these days. I have become her fan as she makes cake making seem so simple and easy. The other reason I like her recipes is because I think it is easier to make it to my taste and preference i.e. reduce fat and eggless etc. I saw her making this carrot cake and knew straight away that I have to make it. Her recipe called for couple of eggs and loads of sugar. I thought this could be my opportunity to try other egg substitutes.

Although I am a food blogger, sometimes I am a bit wary of trying new ingredients for fear of allergic reactions. After some deliberation and postponing for a long time, I finally gave flax meal a try. Flax meal is nothing but ground flax seed. Flax seed has incredible health benefits ranging from high fibre content to providing some good fat. When some flax meal is mixed with water and allowed to sit for a short time, it forms a gelatinous fluid and this is what makes it a good egg substitute. However, it is said to impart a nutty flavour and said to make the baked dish dense. In this case, it was not a problem for me so went ahead using it. I replaced one egg with flax meal and other with milk.

Her original recipe called for cream cheese icing, however, I did not want to add that much fat and chose to make hung curd. Or those who do not know hung curd or curd cheese, take a colander and put a kitchen towel on it and pour the yogurt and sit on a deep dish so the liquid from yogurt drips. To prevent it from going sour, sit this in the fridge.

I chose almonds and mixed dry fruits instead of walnuts and loads of sugar. I cut down the sugar quite a bit this way. I also reduced the oil but I think it could be reduced further as this is an incredibly moist cake. Addition of wholemeal self rising flour was also my tweak. In the end, the cake was incredibly moist and you will not know it is eggless. The icing was irresistible and I was in love with the cake. This is my favourite cake I have ever created. A must try!

2 grated carrots

100g self rising flour

75g wholemeal self rising flour

1/3 cup milk

1 tablespoon flax meal

75g chopped almonds and mixed dry fruits

½ teaspoon baking powder

160ml oil (2/3 cups)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon or cardamom or mixed spice

Pinch of salt

120g soft brown sugar

2 tablespoon water

For icing

300g yogurt hung to make curd cheese

2 tablespoon icing sugar

Zest of 1 orange

Preheat oven to 150degC. Line and grease a loaf tin

Mix the flax meal with 3 tablespoon hot water and keep aside

Sift the flours and add salt, sugar, nuts and dry fruits, baking powder and spice powder

Add the milk, flax meal mixture, carrot, oil and water as required to make a batter to spooning consistency

Pour this into the loaf tin and bake for about 1 hr 10 minutes, the top will be nice and brown

Cool in the tin for about 10 minutes then on the rack

For the icing, mix together all ingredients mentioned and spread it on the cooled cake