This swirl shape of this cake and especially the dark hole in the middle made me think. What is it with black that makes it so interesting? Dark rooms, shady streets, poor lighted corners. All with one thing in common; you cannot see what’s there. And you want to know of course. You want to go there and explore. Curiosity killed the cat they say. I don’t know who said that but they probably had no cat. My first cat died because she got old not because she was one thirsty for life ‘curious’ cat, as all of them are really. One of the things that cats can do well is sense. Feel. Smell the air. Know how to fall. Stop immediately what they’re doing to carefully listen (this is why you see them sometimes with their tongue hanging half out of their mouth). Save energy when they can; when my cat was ‘meowing’ outside the window knowing that I can see her she would just move her mouth, there was no real meow sound coming out. Plus they can move only one of their ears to listen if needed. So cats are not curious, what they do actually is take calculated risks. They are full of life and intelligence. Like you. Don’t let anyone teach you any ‘curiosity’ lesson.

the recipe

ingredients

for the cake

• 350gr. grated carrot
• 3 eggs
• 250gr. sugar
• 1/2tsp. cloves
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2tsp. ginger
• 1/2tsp. all spice
• 1/2tsp. black pepper
• 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
• 200gr. vegetable oil
• grated zest of 1 orange
• 400gr. flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda

for the frosting

• 250gr. creme cheese
• 80gr. butter
• 100gr. powder sugar
• zest and juice of an orange
• some bitter almond liquor or vanilla extract

directions

• Preheat your over at 170 C and butter a 24cm. round cake pan or a 30x20cm baking pan.
• Beat the eggs with the sugar, vanilla and the spices using a mixer for about 7′ so that you get a nice white smooth mixture.
• Add the oil, the orange skin and the grated carrot and continue beating.
• Add the flour little by little, baking powder and baking soda and mix gently with a spoon.
• Move the mixture in the pan and bake for 50′-1h. When ready serve with some of the frosting and..

Enjoy !

Tips!

• You can add also walnuts in the cake, that’s actually included in the original recipe. For the above mentioned portion 80gr. walnuts in medium pieces are enough.
• Alternatively you can serve the cake either with just some powder sugar or simply enjoy it with nothing on top!