Lenten cake with carrots and apples

Name: Lenten cake with carrots and apples - Bogdana A.
Ingredients: 1 cup of oil (use the same cup for ingredients; the one I used has 250 ml); 1 cup of sugar; 1 cup of grated carrot; 1 teaspoon of baking soda; extinguished with lemon juice or a little vinegar; 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder; 1 packet of vanilla sugar; flour as needed; apples; peeled and grated on a large grater; sprinkled with a little lemon juice (I think I used about 10 larger apples; you can use as many as you like; depending on how thick you want the apple layer); sugar; add to taste; I only added 2 tablespoons because the apples were sweet; cinnamon.

Dessert - Lenten cake with carrots and apples by Bogdana A. - Recipia

I made this fasting cake with carrots and apples last Sunday for Palm Sunday. It's the recipe I use every time I need something sweet for fasting and don't feel like complicating things. I got it from my sister-in-law a few years ago and have kept coming back to it, especially during fasting periods or when I have a lot of apples to consume. No mixer is needed; everything is done by hand, and the ingredients are simple. Quick Info Total time: about 1 hour Preparation time: 20-25 minutes Baking time: 35-40 minutes Servings: 1 classic tray (about 10-12 servings) Difficulty: easy Recipe type: fasting cake with fruits, for fasting periods or when you don't want eggs/milk Ingredients 1 cup oil (I use a 250 ml cup) 1 cup sugar 1 cup grated carrot 1 packet vanilla sugar 1 teaspoon baking soda (quenched with a little lemon juice or vinegar) 1/2 teaspoon baking powder flour as needed (add gradually until the dough binds) for the apple layer: 10 medium apples, peeled and grated (or as many as you have, depending on how thick you want the apple layer) 2 tablespoons sugar (or more, depending on how sweet the apples are) cinnamon to taste a little lemon juice to sprinkle over the grated apples Preparation Method 1. In a large bowl, add the oil, sugar, vanilla sugar, and grated carrot. Mix with a whisk or wooden spoon for about 10 minutes. The mixture becomes slightly liquid, and the sugar partially dissolves. 2. Add the quenched baking soda (put the baking soda in a teaspoon, pour a little lemon juice or vinegar over it, let it foam, then add it to the dough) and the baking powder. Mix again. 3. Start adding the flour, a few tablespoons at a time, mixing after each addition. When the mixture thickens and starts to flow slowly from the spoon, stop. The dough should be thick but still flow when spooned. 4. Set aside a small piece of dough (about the size of a walnut). Mix it with extra flour to make it firmer, suitable for grating over the cake. 5. Line the tray with baking paper and spread the dough in the tray, leveling it with a spoon. 6. For the apple layer: grate the apples on a large grater, immediately sprinkle them with a little lemon juice to prevent oxidation, then gently squeeze them if they are very juicy. Mix them with sugar and cinnamon. 7. Spread the apples over the dough, leveling them. 8. Grate the firmer piece of dough that you set aside on top. 9. Place the tray in the preheated oven at 180°C. After about 35 minutes, check if the edges easily pull away from the paper (pull slightly on the paper; the cake should be stable). When it's ready, take it out of the oven. 10. Let it cool in the tray, then dust it with powdered sugar if you feel like it. Why I make this recipe often Because it's easy to make, the ingredients are handy, and no special utensils are needed. It's suitable for fasting, but it works throughout the year if you want something without eggs or milk. I like that you can adjust the apple layer as you wish, and the taste is balanced, not too sweet. Tips and Variations Tips If you use very juicy apples, squeeze them gently before putting them in the tray so they don't make the cake too soggy. The dough thickens quite quickly as you add the flour, so don't add all the flour at once. If you want the cake to be taller, use a smaller tray and adjust the baking time. Let the cake cool well before cutting it; otherwise, it can be crumbly. Substitutions You can replace some of the sugar with brown sugar. Vanilla sugar can be omitted or replaced with vanilla essence. If you don't have lemon, a little vinegar can work for quenching the baking soda. Variations You can add some chopped nuts to the apple layer. You can also use other grated fruits (pears, quinces), but in smaller amounts than apples. For flavor, you can add a little grated lemon peel to the dough. Serving Ideas Serve it plain, cold, dusted with sugar. Chopped nuts sprinkled on top also work, but they're not mandatory. It pairs well with tea or coffee. Frequently Asked Questions 1. My dough is too soft; what should I do? Add a little more flour, one tablespoon at a time, until you achieve the right texture: the dough should flow slowly from the spoon. 2. Can I make the cake without carrots? Yes, but the texture and taste will be different. The carrot adds moisture and color. 3. How thick should the cake be? It depends on the tray used and the amount of apples. Normally, it comes out about 3-4 cm thick. If you want it taller, use a smaller tray. 4. Can I freeze the cake? I do not recommend it, as the apple layer releases water upon thawing, and the cake becomes soggy. Nutritional Values (Estimate) One serving (about 100 g) has approximately 240-270 kcal, depending on the amount of sugar and oil used. Fats: 10-12 g, Carbohydrates: 34-37 g, Proteins: 2-3 g. The values are estimates and depend on how thick the cake is and how much sugar you add to the apples. Storage and Reheating It keeps well at room temperature for 2-3 days in a covered container. If it's very hot, keep it in the fridge. The cake is not reheated; it is served cold. If it has a lot of apple layer, after 2 days it may release a little juice. It's better not to keep it for more than 3 days.

Preparation

We mix the oil, sugar, vanilla sugar, and grated carrot in a bowl for 10 minutes using a pear-shaped whisk or a wooden spoon; in the end, we obtain a semi-liquid composition. Then we add the baking powder and the dissolved baking soda, followed by the flour; as we reach the incorporating phase, add the flour gradually (a few tablespoons at a time) and mix for incorporation. When you reach a dough that flows more slowly and needs to be spread in the pan with a spoon, stop adding flour. Set aside a small amount of dough (the size of a walnut), to which you add enough flour to thicken its consistency so that you can grate it. We place the dough in a baking tray lined with parchment paper; as mentioned, we spread it with a spoon. We mix the grated apples with sugar and cinnamon and distribute them over the carrot dough. We grate the reserved piece of dough on top and place the tray in the preheated oven at 180 degrees for about 35 minutes. You can tell it's ready when the edges of the cake pull away from the parchment paper if you gently pull on the paper. Once cooled, dust it with powdered sugar.

Lenten cake with carrots and apples

Preparation

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