It was the perfect day for baking here, cold and snowy outside (I’m sure it was spring a few days ago…) I couldn’t help but switch on the oven and do some baking. I am on a cake baking thing at the moment and this is one of my favourites, a rich, moist, scrumptious carrot & banana cake full of yummy ingredients.

This is a dairy-free recipe and could be made vegan if you substitute the free-range eggs with the equivalent in egg-replacer, I would have tried the same but, it is often difficult to purchase this is our small town. Be sure to choose your favourite fair-trade, high quality vegan (not dairy milk) dark chocolate for this recipe.

The carrot and chocolate create a beautiful contrast of colours and with the light lemon glaze this cake is so yummy. Perfect for an afternoon with friends and a hot pot of earl-grey tea or serve this dairy-free cake as a wonderful dessert with a little non-dairy yoghurt.

Choc-Nut Carrot and Banana Cake
Preparation time: 60mins // Makes 1 cake

• ½ cup mashed ripe banana (approx. 1 banana)
• ½ cup grated carrot (approx. 1 carrot)
• ½ cup chopped walnuts
• ¼ cup chopped vegan/non-dairy milk dark chocolate
• ¼ cup raw sugar
• 1 tsp fresh grated ginger
• 1/3 cup rice milk
• 1/3 cup rice-bran oil
• 2 free range eggs or equivalent in egg replacer
• 1½ cups self raising flour

Lemon Glaze

• ½ cup icing sugar
• 1-1½ lemons, juice only
• 1 tbs peptias

Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/356°F

Grease a cake pan with a little rice-bran oil and line with baking paper, set aside.

Combine the mashed banana, grated carrot, walnuts, chocolate, sugar, ginger, milk, oil and eggs in a large bowl. Stir to combine all ingredients well.

Sift over self-raising flour and stir to combine well.

Pour cake mixture into prepared cake pan and place in pre-heated oven.

Bake for 45-55 minutes until cooked, test by inserting a skewer, if it comes out clean the cake is cooked all the way through.

{ note: I had to cover the cake half way through the cooking process with foil to stop the top from burning. Be sure to keep an eye on the cake and do the same if the top is nicely golden after 25-30 minutes. }

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes in the cake pan before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the lemon glaze combine the icing sugar with the lemon juice, a little at a time, until you have a smooth, runny glaze. Pour over the cooled cake and sprinkle with pepitas before serving.