A carrot cake in the Brazilian styl​​​e

One of the things I have learnt while travelling around the world is that Brazilians are specialists in “adding” some extra taste to any kind of food they are introduced to.

Before traveling to Italy, for example, I always thought that a real pizza was full of tomato sauce and had a huge amount of fillings on top. Or even, that it was normal to add ham in the middle of the lasagna…

It couldn’t be different talking about my favourite cake’s flavour: Carrot and Chocolate! It may sound weird to you, but for me, it makes my mouth water.

I remember as it was yesterday: when I arrived in Ireland 6 years ago, I went to a coffee shop to get a latte and a piece of carrot cake. What was that? Once I looked at the cake, I asked the attendant if she was sure that that “thing” was really a carrot cake. “This colour is not right” and “what is that white thing on the top?” I wondered. When I ate it, the only thing I could taste was CINNAMON. I was completely shocked!

But life goes on and thank God, I can make my own Brazilian Carrot Cake at home, which has become a habit and also a kind of therapy for me: When I am sad, I bake a carrot cake, when I am happy, I also bake a carrot cake.

It would be impossible to eat the number of carrot cakes I have already baked since I arrived in Ireland so, luckily my closest friends love it as they get a carrot cake from now and then for no apparent reasons.

And now, I am sharing this magic (and sweet) recipe with all of you.

I hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients :

• For the cake:
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups of sugar
• 3 carrots (medium size)
• 2 and 1/2 cup of plain flour
• 1/2 cup of oil
• 1 tablespoon of baking powder

• For the chocolate coating
• 4 tablespoons of sugar
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 2 tablespoons of chocolate powder
• a little bit of milk
• chocolate sprinkles

Method

• Preheat the oven in 180°C
• Pour the carrots (peeled and sliced), eggs, oil, sugar in a blender or food processor and process until the mixture is well blended.
• Pour the mixture into a bowl and add the flour, mixing slowly, until the mixture gets smooth, and add the baking powder in the end.
• Pour the final mix into a baking trail (preferably a big donut baking trail) pre-prepared with butter and flour and put it in the preheated oven for around 40 minutes.

• Meanwhile, place the sugar, chocolate powder and the butter in a pan and bring it to medium-high heat and keep stirring until the mixture gets sticky.
• When the cake is done, take it from the oven and pour the chocolate mixture on the top. For an extra look, spread the chocolate sprinkles and enjoy it!

Golden tip:

Enjoy it while is still warm with a cup of tea or coffee.