One of my mom's favorite cakes was always Carrot Cake. She just loved it. When asked what kind of cake she wanted for her birthday, she always asked for a carrot cake.
She used to love the carrot cakes from Tim Horton's but they no longer make them. Used to be a time when you went into Tim Hortons and there was a tall chiller cabinet filled with a variety of cakes.
I worked there about 22 years ago now and there was a baker on the premises who would bake these things from scratch. That doesn't happen anymore either. Everything comes in pre-baked and frozen from what I understand.
This carrot cake recipe which I am sharing with you today comes from the baking book, Snacking Cakes, by Yossy Arefi. I love this book and have baked a lot of cakes from it, all of them delicious.
I was especially drawn to this one because one, I love carrot cake like my mother, and two, it uses a mix of whole wheat and plain flours. Extra fiber and protein!
Another thing which I really loved about it was the mix of baking spices uses. Cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg.
I adore cardamom in baked goods. Most carrot cakes don't use cardamom, but I can tell you it totally works here and the cake smells heavenly while it is baking! The house smells really nice!
I was also intrigued by the use of chopped dates and toasted pecan nuts in the cake. I adore dates. Most carrot cakes use raisins and walnuts.
This was a different combination that I was really looking forward to trying!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE BEST CARROT SNACK CAKE
I followed the recipe almost exactly, any changes I made will be in brackets.
- the finely grated zest of one lemon (always scrub your lemons clean before using)
- 1/2 cup (100g) sugar (I used granulated sugar, in the UK use caster)
- 2 large free range eggs
- 3/4 cup (180ml) canola oil
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg (if you don't have whole nutmegs, use already ground nutmeg, but grating your own is fresher)
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt (she used 3/4 tsp kosher salt)
- 3/4 cup (105g) plain all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (70g) whole wheat flour (if you haven't got whole wheat you can use the equivalent in plain all purpose flour)
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 2 cups (225g) peeled and grated carrot (3 medium carrots)
- 1/2 cup (60g) chopped pitted dates (6 pitted Medjool dates)
- 3/4 cup (75g) chopped toasted pecans (toast first and allow to cool before using)
- icing sugar to dust on top (my addition)
I love the size of these snacking cakes. They are not overly large which makes them perfect for little old me. I usually share half with my next door neighbor.
Plus they also fit perfectly in my cake tin. I just use the paper sling that I line the baking tin with to lift them out right into the cake tin. Easy peasy.
HOW TO MAKE BEST CARROT SNACK CAKE
Another thing I really like about these cakes is the ease of preparation. With only one tin to prep and everything being mixed in one medium sized bowl!
Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan and line it with baking paper in a long strip that hangs over two ends for ease of lifting the finished cake from out of the tin.
Grate the lemon zest into the mixing bowl. Add the sugar and the eggs. Beat well together until light and foamy, about a minute. Add the oil, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Beat until smooth and emulsified.
Whisk both flours, soda and baking powder together. Add to the creamed mixture until well combined and smooth. Fold in the carrots, dates and 1/2 cup (50g) of nuts.
Spread the batter into your prepared pan, tapping the pan lightly on the counter top to get rid of any air bubbles. Sprinkle the remaining nuts on top.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes (mine took 35), until risen and golden brown. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
Set the pan on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes before lifting the cake out to cool entirely. Sift with icing sugar if desired. Cut into squares to serve.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days.
Another thing I really enjoyed about this cake is that it isn't greasy. Some carrot cakes can be somewhat greasy. This one is just perfect. Not oily or greasy in the least!
If you are looking for a nice cake to bake for the family this week, or to pop into lunches I say look no further. This cake spells winner winner carrot cake perfection!
Moist and perfectly spiced and packed with sticky sweet chopped dates and toasty pecans it is sure to go down a real treat!
Best Carrot Snack Cake
Yield: one 8-inch cake
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 45 MinTotal time: 1 Hour
A wholesome, deliciously moist carrot cake filled with whole grain flour, plenty of carrots, toasted pecan nuts, chopped dates and a beautiful mix of warm baking spices.
Ingredients
- the finely grated zest of one lemon
- 1/2 cup (100g) sugar
- 2 large free range eggs
- 3/4 cup (180ml) canola oil
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 3/4 cup (105g) plain all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (70g) whole wheat flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 2 cups (225g) peeled and grated carrot
- 1/2 cup (60g) chopped pitted dates
- 3/4 cup (75g) chopped toasted pecans
- icing sugar to dust on top
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan and line it with baking paper in a long strip that hangs over two ends for ease of lifting the finished cake from out of the tin.
- Grate the lemon zest into the mixing bowl. Add the sugar and the eggs. Beat well together until light and foamy, about a minute. Add the oil, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Beat until smooth and emulsified.
- Whisk both flours, soda and baking powder together. Add to the creamed mixture until well combined and smooth. Fold in the carrots, dates and 1/2 cup (50g) of nuts.
- Spread the batter into your prepared pan, tapping the pan lightly on the counter top to get rid of any air bubbles. Sprinkle the remaining nuts on top.
- Bake for 30 to 40 minutes (mine took 35), until risen and golden brown. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
- Set the pan on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes before lifting the cake out to cool entirely. Sift with icing sugar if desired. Cut into squares to serve.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days.
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This recipe which I am sharing with you today is an adaptation from one I found the other day on the NYTimes site for Cod. From the minute I saw it I knew it was something I wanted to make.
I am very lucky to have a fish processing plant about 5 minutes from my house. They often have freshly caught fish on site (as well as frozen fish). We LOVE fish in my family.
I was telling my sister about the recipe and she called the fish plant to see if they had any fresh fish in today and they did. We decided to take a trip together to get some. I love jaunts like this with my sister.
I printed the recipe out to share for her as I thought it would be something that she, Dan and my dad would love. On the way to the fish plant we were talking about the cracker crumbed fish my mother used to make for us when we were growing up, and how much we loved it.
Mom would buy those block of frozen fish and cut them into 5 small rectangles and dip it into egg and cracker crumbs and fry it in butter. We absolutely loved it. It wasn't great fish, or even fresh fish, but it tasted fabulous the way mom did it.
I love sharing happy memories like that with my sister. I love my sister. We have always been the best of friends. I am so blessed to be able to now live close to her!! She is just a good, good, good person.
I was really impressed with this haddock we got at the fish plant. Processed and packed today. It doesn't get much fresher than that. Not unless you are on the boat!
Haddock is a lovely fish. It has high content of protein and low amount of fat and is loaded with Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids which provide various benefits.
It is said to slow down the formation of cancer as well as tumors. It also lowers the pain caused due to rheumatoid arthritis.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE BAKED HADDOCK WITH BUTTERY CRACKER TOPPING
I bet you might already have everything in the house. Do note, this is a half batch recipe, sized to feed two people. If you need to feed more, simply double or triple the amounts.
- 3/4 cup crushed (2 ounces/60g) buttery round crackers
- 2 1/2 TBS butter, melted
- 1 spring onion, trimmed and finely chopped
- 1 tsp dried parsley flakes
- the juice and zest of 1/2 lemon, plus more lemon wedges to serve
- 1/2 tsp onion powder (not salt)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder (not salt)
- 2 fillets of haddock (or cod), each one weighing 6 ounce (170g) to 8 ounce (225g)
- fine ground sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
You can use Town House or Ritz crackers for this. They have a nice buttery flavor and texture.
I used spring onions here but the original recipe used minced chives. I didn't like the look of the chives at the store and to be honest they wanted $2.99 for a pack and I just didn't want to pay that price.
I figured spring onions (scallions) would be just as good or even better. I was right. They were an excellent substitute. Not too oniony, and nice and green.
The original recipe also used minced fresh flat leaf parsley (1/4 cup, or 2 TBS for this size of the recipe.) I also didn't like the look of the parsley.
I have some really good quality flat leaf parsley flakes and used them instead with excellent results.
HOW TO MAKE BAKED HADDOCK WITH BUTTERY CRACKER TOPPING
Preheat the oven to 425*F/220*C/ gas mark 7. Have ready an oven proof skillet large enough to hold both fillets.
Put the crackers into a bowl and crush. You want a mix of mostly fine and some coarse crumbs. Add 2 TBS of the melted butter, the spring onion, parsley, lemon zest, onion and garlic powders. Mix to combine well.
Butter the skillet. Place the fillets in the skillet and season lightly with salt and black pepper. Pile the cracker crumbs on top. (Some crumbs will fall off, its inevitable.)
Roast in the oven for 10 to 16 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. (About 10 minutes per inch of thickness. My fillets were thicker on one end than the other. I folded the thin end underneath the thicker end. They took about 13 minutes.)
When done, the fish should flake easily and the juices should be bubbling and golden brown around the edges. Squeeze the lemon juice over top and serve immediately with more lemon wedges for squeezing on the side.
My fish was cooked to perfection. The crumb topping was crisp and buttery and filled with flavor.
I served it with some boiled red potatoes, carrots and brussels sprouts. It was a fabulous meal. I savored every mouthful. I would serve this to company.
The original recipe was based on a baked stuffed fish recipe from early New England, where the fish was rolled around a cracker filling. I think piling it on top makes for an even more delicious dish as the crumbs get nice and crisp. In short, this is fabulously tasty!!
Baked Haddock with Buttery Cracker Topping
Yield: 2
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 25 Min
I downsized this fabulous recipe which I found on the NY Times cooking site. The original recipe used cod. I subbed haddock. This is one of the most delicious fish recipes I have ever tried. Recipe feeds two, to feed more double the recipe amounts.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup crushed (2 ounces/60g) buttery round crackers
- 2 1/2 TBS butter, melted
- 1 spring onion, trimmed and finely chopped
- 1 tsp dried parsley flakes
- the juice and zest of 1/2 lemon, plus more lemon wedges to serve
- 1/2 tsp onion powder (not salt)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder (not salt)
- 2 fillets of haddock (or cod), each one weighing 6 ounce (170g) to 8 ounce (225g)
- fine ground sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425*F/220*C/ gas mark 7. Have ready an oven proof skillet large enough to hold both fillets.
- Put the crackers into a bowl and crush. You want a mix of mostly fine and some coarse crumbs. Add 2 TBS of the melted butter, the spring onion, parsley, lemon zest, onion and garlic powders. Mix to combine well.
- Butter the skillet. Place the fillets in the skillet and season lightly with salt and black pepper. Pile the cracker crumbs on top. (Some crumbs will fall off, its inevitable.)
- Roast in the oven for 10 to 16 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. (About 10 minutes per inch of thickness. My fillets were thicker on one end than the other. I folded the thin end underneath the thicker end. They took about 13 minutes.)
- The fish should flake easily and the juices should be bubbling and golden brown around the edges. Squeeze the lemon juice over top and serve immediately with more lemon wedges for squeezing on the side.
Thank you!!
I think bread pudding has to be one of the most comforting desserts you can enjoy, especially during the winter months, when the thermometer is dipping down low and we want something to warm us up.
Often in day gone by it would be a common dessert served for school dinners. This was not only because it was fairly economical, but also because it made great use of stale bread so that there was no waste.
One of the nice things about it is that you can use just about any bread or even stale cake to make it. Croissants, brioche, French bread, etc. even donuts!
Yes, you heard that right, donuts! And it doesn't matter what kind of donuts you have, so long as they are plain. They can be yeast or they can be cake. Today I happened to have some stale cake donuts and so I used them with excellent results.
If you don't have stale donuts, just take some donuts and leave them sitting out on the countertop over night. They will be perfect for this pudding at that point.
You will be slicing the donuts in half horizontally through the middle and filling them with jam. You can use any kind of jam which you enjoy. Today I used cherry.
But any kind of jam will work, even lemon curd. Its whatever you happen to enjoy or have on hand.
I love these old fashioned types of puddings. They never go out of fashion. As enjoyable today in the early 21st century as they were in the early 20th or 19th, or dare I say it, 18th.
They are timeless. Do note that this is a small batch recipe. To feed more than three people simply double the amount of ingredients.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE DONUT & JAM BREAD PUDDING
Its simple really.
- 3 stale donuts (either cake or yeast) (cake will give you a softer finish)
- 1 large free range egg, plus 1 egg yolk
- pinch salt
- 3 tsp your favorite jam (today I used cherry)
- 1/4 cup (50g) sugar
- 1 1/4 cups (300ml) whole milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- few drops almond extract (goes wonderfully with fruit)
- 2 or 3 TBS flaked almonds
- sugar to sprinkle
- boiling water
Seriously nothing is more comforting than this pudding.
I can hear people thinking, who has leftover or stale donuts? Well, if you happen to live by yourself as I do, or if you are only two people in your household, then it is quite likely that you do!
We can get these lovely donuts here in Nova Scotia. Mrs Dunster's donuts and they are lovely. Just like the ones grandma used to bake, but they come in a bag holding one dozen, and that's how I end up with stale donuts.
I know . . . I should just freeze them!
HOW TO MAKE DONUT & JAM BREAD PUDDING
Seriously nothing could be easier. You really cannot mess this up, unless you make the mistake of overbaking it.
You want to take it out of the oven while there is still a slight jiggle in the center, but even if you happen to over cook it, it will still be deliciously edible.
Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. You will need a small casserole dish large enough to hold the doughnuts, halved snugly together, and a larger casserole dish large enough to hold the smaller dish. Butter the small one.
Whisk the eggs, sugar, salt, vanilla and almond together in a bowl.
Warm the milk over medium heat in a small saucepan just until there are bubbles around the edges. (You can also do this in the microwave, about 1 1/2 minutes.)
Slowly whisk the warm milk into the egg and sugar mixture until well amalgamated.
Cut the donuts in half through the middle horizontally. Sandwich each donut back together with a tsp of jam in the middle and then cut into two crosswise. Place the donut arches into the smaller of the casserole dishes, fitting them in next to each other. Mine fit into my dish in two rows of three halves.
Pour the egg custard over top. Place the filled casserole dish into the larger casserole dish and pour in boiling water making sure that it comes halfway up the side of the smaller dish.
Sprinkle the flaked almonds over top and then sprinkle with a bit of granulated sugar.
Pop the whole lot into the preheated oven and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the custard is set. (A knife inserted near the center should come out clean.)
Sprinkle with some icing sugar and serve warm.
And that's it. Your dessert is ready. This is beautiful served warm. I like to dust the top with just a bit of icing sugar to pretty it up. Its soft and indulgent, rich even.
The outside is a bit crisp both from where the donuts crisp up a bit on top and from the flaked almonds. The middles nice and sweet from the jam.
Of course the British way to eat this is spooned into a bowl with some cream or custard poured around and drizzled over top. In North America you might be more inclined to enjoy it with a scoop of ice cream.
The fact is, you will enjoy it. No matter what you spoon over top, even if you don't spoon anything on at all. Yummity yum!!
Donut & Jam Bread Pudding
Yield: 3
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 45 Min
This is comfort food pure and simple and a great way to use up stale donuts.
Ingredients
- 3 stale donuts (either cake or yeast)
- 1 large free range egg, plus 1 egg yolk
- pinch salt
- 3 tsp your favorite jam (I used cherry)
- 1/4 cup (50g) sugar
- 1 1/4 cups (300ml) whole milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- few drops almond extract
- 2 or 3 TBS flaked almonds
- sugar to sprinkle
- boiling water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. You will need a small casserole dish large enough to hold the doughnuts, halved snugly together, and a larger casserole dish large enough to hold the smaller dish. Butter the small one.
- Whisk the eggs, sugar, salt, vanilla and almond together in a bowl.
- Warm the milk over medium heat in a small saucepan just until there are bubbles around the edges. (You can also do this in the microwave, about 1 1/2 minutes.)
- Slowly whisk the warm milk into the egg and sugar mixture until well amalgamated.
- Cut the donuts in half through the middle horizontally. Sandwich each donut back together with a tsp of jam in the middle and then cut into two crosswise. Place the donut arches into the smaller of the casserole dishes, fitting them in next to each other. Mine fit into my dish in two rows of three halves.
- Pour the egg custard over top. Place the filled casserole dish into the larger casserole dish and pour in boiling water making sure that it comes halfway up the side of the smaller dish.
- Sprinkle the flaked almonds over top and then sprinkle with a bit of granulated sugar.
- Pop the whole lot into the preheated oven and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the custard is set. (A knife inserted near the center should come out clean.)
- Sprinkle with some icing sugar and serve warm.
Thank you!!
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