…and this recipe is wheat and dairy free so those of you who love the idea of carrot cake but can’t eat it, take heart! This incredibly moist and light version is so much better for your heart than the usual high fat cream cheese-smothered, heavy duty and multi-layered variety – and while it may not be quite as eye-popping without all that dairy frosting, I think it’s more elegant.

Dairyphiles might want to serve a big blob of whipped cream on the side, sweetened with a little powdered sugar and a splash of something like Grand Marnier or finely chopped orange zest.

Aside from hand grating the carrots (in my kitchen there’s no App for that), its dead easy to assemble… you’ll need a food processor.

Notes at the end…

CARROT & ALMOND CAKE

(Serves eight)

Ingredients:

8 oz/227g whole raw almonds

1/3cup (80ml measure) of dry breadcrumbs, plus 2 extra tablespoons (I make my own from wheat free bread such as spelt, etc)

5 large eggs

1 cup (240ml measure) of fine white sugar

8 oz/227g of finely grated carrots

2 tablespoons (30ml) of dark rum

1 tablespoon of baking powder

1 & ½ teaspoons of finely grated lemon zest

Pinch of sea salt

Action:

Pre-heat oven temp to 350F/177C

Line the base and sides of a 9 inch spring-form pan; lightly grease the pan and sprinkle the base and sides with 2 tablespoons of dry breadcrumbs.

Carefully process/pulse the almonds with 1/3 cup of dry breadcrumbs until finely ground…don’t overdo it or it will become a paste.

Whisk the eggs with the sugar until pale, fluffy and mousse-like.

Combine everything, folding gently into the eggs until well blended; pour the batter into the pan and place the pan on a cookie sheet to protect your oven from possible leaks.

Bake in the center of the oven for 50 mins or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Cool completely in the pan on a rack.

Dust with some powdered sugar to serve.

Notes:

Instead of just dusting with powdered sugar I’ll sometimes make an icing glaze with pure lemon juice and drizzle that over the top; it soaks in a bit which is lovely.

Use organic products if you can; eggs, lemons, sugar, breadcrumbs from organic bread; carrots and almonds. As for the rum – any dark rum will do.

Please don’t use purchased breadcrumbs. Ugh. Make a batch of your own with a few slices of your favorite bread left out to dry for half a day or so. Break up and process until finely ground then store in a sealed container in your freezer.

I recommend unbleached parchment paper for lining baking pans.

I’ve no idea whether this freezes or not as there’s never been any left over to freeze.