More Like a Quick Bread Than a Cake

From Jan. 2009 Product Reviews and Recipes

When I brought this dense, moist carrot cake to my friends last week, I told them that it was a bread, not a cake. I'm glad I did because it wasn't frosted and tasted much more like a quick bread than any carrot cake I've had. The recipe is one I've altered from Baking with Agave Nectar. Since my version isn't much different than the original, I'll list my alterations here:

1. Added a small, very ripe banana to the grated carrots. It needed to be used, and John actually suggested it. I'm glad he did. I don't think it would have been as moist without it.

2. Increased the amount of agave from 3/4 cup to 1 cup (it still wasn't that sweet, but next time, I'll use more dried fruit soaked in hot water first).

3. Used whole wheat pastry flour for the oat flour. I should have made oat flour first, but by the time I read it in the recipe, I'd already run the carrots through the food processor and who wants to clean the food processor twice.

4. Baked it in a single Bundt pan instead of two round cake layer pans.

5. Baked it for 45 minutes (had to lower the heat to 325 degrees F) after 30 mins.

6. Used flavored yogurt. You can't tell the difference.

7. Used dried bing cherries for raisins. Yum!

From Jan. 2009 Product Reviews and Recipes

Overall, I'd give it a B-, but everyone else really liked it. It's probably because they didn't know it was supposed to be a cake. Frosting would definitely have improved it, but I'm still not giving up on this cookbook. Many more recipes to try.