I had a phone call with my boss today, and he was drinking carrot juice. Typically, carrot juice consists of juice from carrots (obviously) and concentrated apple juice. We had some small talks about what the ingredients are for the drink, and I thought that would be a good excuse for me to write about another Wicked menu: Carrot Cake!
At Wicked Cafe & Bakery, innovation is our word all the time. But at the same time, we know how to respect traditions and value the classics! Carrot Cake is a classic dish from the old days in Europe. We in contemporary times would think it is such a creative idea to use carrots, a type of vegetable, in a dessert. But sugar back in that age was an exotic luxury, so not all could have it in their pantries, unlike nowadays! Carrot was a cheap and natural sweetener back in the Middle Ages, making Carrot Cake more widely available for many without pennies to spend on fancy desserts.
Our Carrot Cake follows the very traditional recipe. There are many variations in how people make Carrot Cakes across the world–among those, we decided to use shredded carrots to maintain their fresh taste without losing their texture. We mix oil, eggs, salt and sugar in the beginning in the mixer, then add flour, baking soda and cinnamon. Cinnamon’s role in this recipe is irreplaceable, acting as the bridge between the sweet fluffiness of the cake and the distinct flavour of the carrots and other ingredients. We put extra care to ensure these are mixed well because it is the base on which all the following ingredients hold on together.
We then put shredded carrots and house-made apple compote. As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, our boss was drinking carrot juice with apple juice mixed in it. Apple is great paired with carrot, enhancing the root’s sweetness without obstructing the distinct flavour. If you go to a supermarket and check a bottle of carrot juice, you will see apple juice among its ingredients!
When we say traditional, we mean it. We add crushed walnut pieces and raisins to the mix afterwards. These give the final product extra crunchiness, chewiness and toasty sweetness! After mixing them well, we divide them on sheeted pans and bake until it becomes all cooked and the inside remains soft.
Honestly, the Carrot Cake is so good alone at this stage. But we resist the temptation and go a step further. We put a generous amount of our signature Cream Cheese Icing to add a rich flavour of butter, cream cheese and maple syrup. As the finishing touch, we put a piece of marzipan carrot to remind the customers where the cake came from (“whenever I open the box of these tiny carrots, I always end up having a piece,” said Baker J)!
And that’s how we make our Carrot Cake. It is so irresistible with our cup of coffee. As I am writing this, I decided to grab a piece with Americano. Come join me for a slice at Wicked Cafe & Bakery!