Springfield Farms Carrot Cake, Toffee Pudding Style
A great dessert for all the carrot cake lovers and for the toffee pudding fans. Can be served with either interpretation but is always best warm. See below for ideas on accompianments.
Cake Batter, Pudding
1 cup, fine grated carrots from Springfield Farm
1 ¼ C. Dates, pitted and roughly chopped
1 t. Baking soda
1 ¼ C. water
1 ½ C. Sugar
1 C. Butter
4 Eggs
1 ½ C. Flour
1 ½ t. Baking powder
1 t. Salt
1 t. Vanilla extract
Combine dates, water and baking soda in a small pot. Bring to a boil
and remove from heat immediately. Spread out on a cookie sheet to
quickly cool. Set aside. ( dates should be softened and somewhat dark)
In mixer, cream the butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, followed
by vanilla and salt. At sifted flour, and baking powder and mix just until
batter is combined.
When date mixture is room temp, mix into the batter with the carrots. Chill batter for at
least 2 hours before baking.
Set oven to 350. Butter ramekins or a cake pan and fill 2/3 of the way
up with the batter. Place ramekins or pan in a water bath. Water
should come up sides of pan about 1/3 of an inch.
Bake pudding for about 30-35 minutes, until it is very golden brown and
center springs back when touched. Cool in refrigerator. Easier to remove cakes when cool. Warm again before serving.
Variations on sauce can be a goat cheese/cream cheese frosting, carrot meringue, orange glaze or classic toffee sauce. I like to keep it savory and serve with duck confit and fresh herb salad with beets.
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Chef John Brand 