A Hearty Healthy Coffee Cake

Carrots, oats and dates -- it's actually surprising there was any room for the cake part. This was actually a combination of two recipes: a a date cake with a little bit of carrot muffin mixed in.

Really I just had a surplus of carrots, and this seemed like a good thing to do with them. If I were to make it again, I think I might half the oats, or add a touch more milk, to make the whole thing a bit lighter. My cake's consistency need up being more similar to scones than a cake (which is ok really, as it makes it easier to grab a slice as you are headed out the door and nosh it on the bus).

Date and carrot cake, originally uploaded by CaitKP.

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour (or 1 cup wholemeal flour, 1 cup plain flour)
2 cups rolled oats (or a little less)
2 level tspn baking powder
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tbsp molasses
1 cup chopped dates
1 cup brown sugar
1 cups milk (a bit more if things seem dry)
1.5 cups grated carrots
2 eggs
5 table spoon vegetable oil


Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and grease and flour a 9" cake pan (I used a springform pan and lined the base with parchment paper.
2. Mix all the dry ingredients
3. Beat the milk, eggs and oil
4. Mix all together, and stir in the carrots
5. Pour in a 9 inch greased tin
6 Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.