Carrot cake in Vojvodina style

The basis for the recipe for kuglof with carrots comes from the North America, where it is known as carrot cake. In our variation, there are many additional ingredients, but the base is the same: flour, eggs, baking soda and – carrots. We make it without added sugar, so it is interesting as a meal, because it is nutritious and complete, and not too sweet. We give you some of our secret ingredients; you can apply this tip when making any cookies. We used spelt and buckwheat flour, from a local small producer. Carob helps the cake to have better consistency and gives a specific taste. Turmeric is there for color, but also for a healthier meal. We baked the hazelnuts, because then they have a more intense taste. Cinnamon is from Ceylon, because health is important to us, not just taste. The oil is cold-pressed, sunflower oil, which we also buy from small producers and then pour it into a glass bottle.
We added coconut for the sake of experimentation and it fits very nicely in the recipe – cut it into thin slices, to be a surprise on and in the cake. Grind or slice seeds of gourd and hazelnuts as large as you want, because they change the texture of the cake. This time we decided to make the pieces larger.
This cake is ideal to secretly put in the plate of those who do not like all the healthy ingredients it is rich in.

Recipe for kuglof with carrots

4 eggs
1 cup oil
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking soda
carob (quantity as desired)
spoon of turmeric
spoon of cinnamon
1.5 cups hazelnuts
1 cup of gourd seeds
3 carrots
dates (quantity as desired, instead of sugar)
2 – 3 smaller peaches
1 banana
1 cup raisins
a little coconut, sliced
juice of one lemon

Roast the hazelnuts at a low temperature, stirring often, so that they are evenly roasted and do not burn. Mix the flour and all the powdered ingredients, and then add the ground hazelnuts and the sliced gourd seeds.

Soak and wash the raisins. Add eggs and oil to the mixture. Grind all the fruit and carrots and add the lemon juice, so that fruit does not loose its colour, then add to the mixture, as well as the sliced coconut.

Grease the mold with oil and sprinkle with flour, then add the decoration – everything you want to be on top, on the cake, because we will put it upside down on a tray, when the cake is baked. Pour the dough into the mold.

Bake the cake for about an hour at 220 degrees in the middle position in the oven. Make sure it is baked by pricking with a fork or some similar tool. When it is baked, leave it to cool, and only then take it out of the mold.

Enjoy your healthy and delicious meal!