Carrot Ginger Cake

– recipe made with Carrot Pulp from juicing carrots –
serve with caramel apple bottom OR with lemon sauce poured over top

1+1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg
Sift all dry ingredients together and set aside.

* optional: ADD 2 CUPS CARROT PULP
to flour mixture. Gently fold in to make sure all carrot gets coated in flour. Set aside.

* hint: I’ve made this ginger cake several times WITHOUT carrots. They’re kind of the afterthought (trying to use up extra carrot pulp), so don’t hesitate to go ahead without them. I find that they do moisten the cake so much though, that it sure is worth adding them. If you don’t have carrot pulp, then shred some carrots. If you don’t have carrots, make it anyway – without them. It’s still GREAT.

With beaters, whip:
1 cup butter
add 1 cup sugar, beat in
add 3/4 cup molasses (I use blackstrap, but if that is too strong for you use a regular molasses)
add 4 eggs one at a time and beat in
add 1/2 cup milk

add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients and beat with mixture. If you feel its a little too thick, add another 1/2 cup milk.
Bake in 350F oven, middle shelf, approximately 30-35 minutes.
Start testing at 25 minutes. When cake centre springs back to the touch, it should be done.
Serve warm or room temperature – doesn’t matter.

Caramel Apple variation:
Butter 9×13 baking dish, Slice up 2-3 apples and arrange slices around bottom of pan. Sprinkle 1/2 cup+ brown sugar over top apples. Pour cake batter evenly over top apples.
Serve on plate upside down so the apples are on top.
Serve plain or with whipped cream or ice cream or vanilla yogurt (pictured).

Lemon Sauce variation:
Butter 9×13 baking dish. Pour cake batter evenly. You’ll be adding the lemon sauce after its baked.
Sauce:
1 cup white sugar mixed with 2 tsp cornstarch
1 scoop of butter about the size of an egg
1 cup water
Heat over medium heat stirring frequently as it thickens slightly.
When its a slightly thick and pourable texture add
the juice of one lemon
Remove from heat and stir well.

choose one of these two ways to serve lemon sauce. Life is full of tough decisions lol.
1. Cut cake and serve with some lemon sauce drizzled over top.
2. When cake is baked, poke holes with a fork all over the top, and drizzle the lemon sauce over, allowing it to soak in.

Regardless of which option you choose, you still have another choice.
Plate suggestions:
just a cake on a plate in all its moist gingery wonderfulness
OR with whipped cream
OR with vanilla ice cream.

Enjoy!

Warmly,
Cindy